Donna's e-learning mission Down Under
Training centres in Wales could soon benefit from unique software used to keep track of online students across Australia.
Acom Business UK Ltd, a leading Welsh learning and development organisation, is aiming to acquire the technology, called e-sced, in a DTI Global Watch Secondment.
Donna Haynes, Business Development Manager of the company in Pyle, Mid Glamorgan, will travel to Australia in September. She will spend four months with DPM Consulting Ltd in Canberra, the firm which developed the e-sced learning management system.
A graduate in Business Information Management Systems, Donna, 26, will investigate how effective the e-sced tool has been in tracking vocational work-based learning in Australia and whether it is suitable for use in the UK.
E-sced is designed for the total management, scheduling, administration and reporting associated with training services. It is currently being used by a range of organisations in Australia, including academic institutions, financial services and insurance companies, the hospitality sector and the government's health and treasury departments.
Acom is planning to design, build and implement an e-sced system which will enable it to provide its clients with comprehensive virtual support including compliant e-content, online assessment and learner tracking.
The company, which was founded in 1989, offers IT, business and management solutions to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and large companies, and has two learning centres in South Wales. It facilitates and supports the Learndirect SME Partnership, a network of learning centres for the voluntary, private and public sectors, and manages the University for Industry E-commerce for Partners project across Wales. Acom is also developing a network of online tutors and mentors who would be able to support virtual learners 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Paul Haynes, Acom's Managing Director, believes the secondment will help his company achieve its business objectives.
"E-learning is a fast-changing, challenging environment and we want innovative, forward-thinking solutions," he said. "We believe this secondment will fit the missing piece of the puzzle.
“The UK and, in particular, Wales are falling behind the rest of the world in terms of ICT solutions and skills. By undertaking this secondment to Australia we will gain the expertise in the processes and systems required to become market leaders."
