Lincoln College Group CEO Gary Headland. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The launch of a new Microsoft gold standard IT academy at Lincoln College is promising to fill a gap in the local digital sector.
The Risual Microsoft Digital Academy was launched by special guest, Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (GLLEP), Ursula Lidbetter on Tuesday, January 16.
GLLEP Chair Urasula Lidbetter. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Training will be focussed on apprenticeships in IT, software development, digital marketing and cyber security.
Developed in partnership with risual Education, a Microsoft gold partner, the academy will be the only one of its kind in Greater Lincolnshire.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The apprenticeships will be designed to meet employers’ needs and linked to industry recognised vendor qualifications (Microsoft MOS, MTA, MCP).
An Azure-focused apprenticeship will also be offered to support companies to become proficient in cloud technology.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Collage representatives, stakeholders and local business leaders celebrated the launch of the new academy just weeks after the college secured a provisional £2.3 million from the GLLEP to build a Digital and Professional skills Centre at its Lincoln campus.
Once complete, this will house the Digital Academy and also provide high tech training for the engineering, manufacturing and healthcare sectors.
Lincoln College Group CEO Gary Headland. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Lincoln College Group CEO Gary Headland said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for local employers to upskill their existing staff and take on new digitally aware employees to innovate and grow their businesses.
“Our network of more than 1,000 local firms across all sectors has been telling us for some time that digitisation and automation of processes is resulting in critical skills shortages in IT, software development, cyber and digital marketing.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
“This academy is just the start of our Digital Transformation Programme, which will see us develop a Digital and Professional Skills Centre in Lincoln, with bespoke facilities across the county and abroad.
“A similar facility based in Riyadh will even provide the opportunity for our higher education engineering lecturers abroad to share their expertise back here in Lincolnshire.
“We would encourage all firms who are experiencing skills shortages in these areas and people looking for secure, lucrative and exciting careers in digital to get in touch with us.”
Risual Director of Education Tina Jones added: “We are very excited to be working with Lincoln College Group in the Greater Lincolnshire LEP area.
“This is a progressive college group doing fantastic training across a number of key growth sectors in the local economy. Their commitment to now driving IT skills growth within the LEP is exceptional.”
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A trial date has been set for a 20-year-old Lincoln man who was arrested and charged with right-wing terrorism offences.
Ben John, 20, of Addison Drive in Lincoln, was charged last month with seven offences under Section 58 of the Terrorism Act, relating to possessing a record of information that would be useful for committing an act of terrorism.
He appeared before Westminster Magistrates Court on November 18 and was bailed to appear at the Old Bailey in London on Friday, December 4.
A plea and trial preparation hearing has since been listed for March 12, 2021 and a trial date set for August 2.
No pleas were entered when John attended Friday’s hearing, and the case has now been transferred to Nottingham Crown Court where the remaining hearings will take place.
John had previously been arrested as part of a pre-planned operation from Counter Terrorism Policing East Midlands on January 7 this year, but was released under investigation.
Kerrin Wilson, Assistant Chief Constable at Lincolnshire Police, previously said: “We can’t currently discuss the details of this case due to the active criminal proceedings, but these charges show how seriously we take offences of this nature.
“If someone has revealed to you a plan to harm others, or you know they hold information which could be used to plan or prepare for an act of terrorism, it is vital you report it as soon as possible.”
People flying from Doncaster Sheffield Airport or East Midlands Airport will be able to book pre-flight COVID-19 tests to reduce isolation periods in other countries.
Flights to popular destinations are becoming more regular after England’s international travel ban was lifted.
The travel regulations now state that the 14-day quarantine period when leaving the country can be reduced to just five days, as long as a negative COVID-19 test result is provided.
Passengers coming back to the UK still do not require a quarantine period upon their return, if the country you are leaving is on the government’s travel corridor list.
In response to this, airlines at Doncaster Sheffield Airport will offer discounted Test & Release kits to its customers, calling it the ‘Fit to Fly’ package.
Wizz Air will offer the kit, which includes a PCR (throat and nasal swab) test and certificate, at £85 per person, while TUI will provide discount codes for passengers to receive next day delivery on home testing kits.
Passengers at East Midlands Airport will be able to access a new facility, which offers a range of private tests.
Airport testing prices will start at £40 for antibody tests, £50 for antigen (lateral flow) tests, £79 for LAMP (isothermal amplification) tests and £99 for PCR tests.
The main difference between the tests is that PCR tests require changes of temperature to show results, unlike LAMP tests, which means results take longer to appear.
East Midlands is also allowing people to book pre-flight testing appointments at 50 selected Boots stores in the UK, before they have even set foot in the airport.
Passengers will be able to access Boots’ in-store RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) test, which returns results within 48 hours and is designed for customers who do not think they have COVID-19.
These tests are being offered to the public to try and shrink quarantine times when flying to and from other countries.
EMA managing director Clare James, said: “As England emerges from a ban on international travel, we know our passengers are keen to start flying again.
“However, many of the most popular destinations that passengers fly to from EMA require a negative test before visitors arrive in the country.
“Subject to the relevant tests securing Government approval, this could free people from quarantine after just five days.
“Our goal is to make testing available to as many passengers as possible, helping to get the country flying again as England comes out of its second lockdown.”
Chris Harcombe, Aviation Development Director at Doncaster Sheffield Airport, said: “This has been an extremely challenging year for airlines, airports and the aviation industry as a whole as we have seen a reduction of over 80% in passenger traffic.
“Operators have had to be agile and TUI and Wizz have responded to the easing of lockdown and the introduction of Test and Release by adding extra flights to popular destinations as well as discounts for testing kits, in a move to get passengers back in the air.”
A generous legacy donation of nearly £400,000 has allowed St Barnabas Hospice to plan a new wellbeing centre in Boston.
Philanthropist Stefan Novak left his legacy to the hospice after his sudden death in 2018, in order to increase services in Lincolnshire.
This legacy gift of £393,000 will now be used to open a new state-of-the-art wellbeing hub in Boston, replacing its previous site on Green Lane.
Work will begin on the site in spring 2021 and will be named Novak House, after the man who generously donated it to the charity.
The wellbeing hub will support patients and families with all their needs during end of life care, through the use of its community and wellbeing teams.
It will boast relaxation arts and outdoor space for families who may need to take some time out from the difficult situation they are in.
Appointments will be available with palliative care consultants, rehabilitation teams and talking therapy teams.
Stefan Novak was known in Lincoln for his positive approach to life, despite losing his sight at the age of 10.
Chris Wheway, CEO of St Barnabas Hospice, paid homage to Stefan for his legacy gift, saying none of this would be possible without him.
“Our mission at St Barnabas is to offer outstanding end of life care to everyone, when they need it and where they need it. Our vision is to keep pushing forward, improving our facilities and caring for more people year on year.
“Simply put, if this generous legacy had not been gifted, we would not be able to continue with the plans for the Wellbeing Hub in Boston.
“It is a testament to Mr Novak, who had a vested interest in palliative and end of life care in Lincolnshire.”
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