CAREERS:TRAINING

A unique collaboration between education, industry and the Manpower Services Commission has resulted in The Whitbread Initiative, a comprehensive off‐the‐job training manual and computer‐aided appraisal package to support Youth Training Schemes and industry‐linked courses in schools and colleges. Whitbread & Co plc, MSC, and Cambridge Training & Development Ltd joined forces to produce the pack, which is published by Careers & Occupational Information Centre (COIC). It has taken 18 months to compile, and the 900‐page manual brings together teaching practices and skills established by Whitbread as a result of managing Youth Training Schemes during the last five years. It provides over 50 units of training material covering a wide range of essential topics, including personal and social skills, basic business know‐how, finance and communication skills, and health and safety. There are masters for making overhead projector slides, and worksheets, questionnaires and handouts available for photocopying. The computer‐aided appraisal disks, for use on BBC ‘B’ and IBM PC compatible computers, are designed to help trainees, students and staff pinpoint areas they need to work on, set targets, and review their progress regularly. Welcoming the Initiative at its launch, MSC Chairman Sir Bryan Nicholson said: