|
High Flying Southport Air Cadet
CORPORAL
Dominic Parkes from 281 (Southport) Squadron – Air Cadets
successfully completed his Gliding Scholarship and obtained his “Silver
Wings” by flying solo in a Vigilant Glider at RAF Woodvale on
Bank Holiday Monday 5th May. The flight was the culmination of
an intensive 6 weekend training courses at 631 Volunteer Gliding
School (VGS), based at RAF Woodvale.
Gliding scholarships,
potentially culminating in a solo flight, are awarded to cadets who
demonstrate to the VGS staff and his squadron commander an aptitude
for further training and strong motivation to continue flying. The
minimum age to apply for a Gliding Scholarship is 16 years old.
Those cadets who have
achieved the required standard will be awarded blue wings and a
certificate to show they have successfully completed the course.
Cadets showing the correct aptitude may be invited to continue to
solo level. Cadets who go “solo” will be awarded silver wings
and a certificate.
Officer Commanding
281 (Southport) Squadron, Flight Lieutenant Dave Wright said:-
“We are very proud of Corporal Parkes, he has shown the right
spirit, determination and enthusiasm to be nominated for this
gliding scholarship and has fully justified our nomination.”
Corporal Parkes:-
“the course was one of the best things I have done in the Air
Cadets to date and was a great experience.
The solo flight went
really well and whilst I was a bit nervous to start with as the
flight progressed I relaxed a little bit more and thoroughly enjoyed
it with a good landing.
I had the biggest of smiles on my face as I
taxied back to the gliding school. What a great experience!”
If you are 13 years
old or above and are interested in the outdoor life, sport, flying,
gliding, shooting and having fun then please call Flight Lieutenant
Dave Wright on 01704 550393, Monday or Friday night between 7-30 and
9-30 pm or call to the Squadron’s Headquarters, St Peter’s School,
Upper Aughton Road, Birkdale.
Adults are also welcome, as the
Squadron also require Civilian Instructors and Civilian Committee
members. No previous experience is required, just enthusiasm, we
teach you all you need to know! |
“If
you want to build your career, spend time away from work”
JOB prospects
and long-term career success are increasingly being influenced by
individuals’ willingness to mix their working lives with time spent
studying. Figures published by the Chartered Management Institute
show that employers are attracted to staff who show commitment to
their own professional development, because of the knock-on effect
this has on business.
The data, which comes from a series of research projects undertaken
over the past 4 years, has been issued in the run up to ‘Learning
at Work’ day, a national campaign spearheaded by the Campaign
for Learning. According to the findings, employers accept that
their staff will move on to other jobs, but see immediate ‘business
need’ as a key factor to encourage learning. Asked to identify
reasons for supporting employee development, the top 3 responses
were:- ‘strategic business requirements’, ‘improving
individual prospects for progress’ and ‘enabling staff to do
their job’. Individual respondents also gave a clear indication
that they see value in time spent learning; a rating of 6 out of 10
was given when managers were asked if they had been ‘rewarded and
recognised’ for undertaking development programmes.
Managers were also asked the extent to which learning had helped
their career. 24% said that achieving a qualification led to a
promotion and 23% received a salary increase. The same proportion
(23%) transferred their skills to a new career and 22% got a
new job in the same industry. 53% claimed that they also gained more
respect from colleagues and 70% focused on the opportunity it gave
them to ‘refocus’ their career.
Looking ahead 5 years, 1 in 3 employers also believe that their
managers will become ‘more concerned about professional
development’. 54% argue that managers will also need evidence of
transferable skills to move across industry sectors, with a similar
proportion (51%) suggesting success will be based on ‘broad
business knowledge’. These findings come in the wake of wider
research which revealed that a combination of studying for
qualifications and on-the-job experience has overtaken ‘natural
ability’ as the key ingredient for successful management and
leadership.
Jo Causon, director of marketing and corporate affairs at the
Chartered Management Institute, says:- “It is becoming
increasingly clear that, if individuals want to succeed, they must
invest time in continually updating their skills. But studying on
its own is not the answer – how managers apply what they learn in
their relationships with customers and colleagues is critical to
ongoing success.”
Most respondents admit that ‘taking time out’ to learn new
skills improves their self-awareness and interpersonal capabilities.
For example, 79% suggest that one practical benefit is the
development of their leadership skills and 66% believe they are
better equipped to deal with interpersonal issues as a result of
studying for a qualification.
Tricia Hartley, chief executive at the Campaign for Learning adds:-
"Learning whilst working can be a considerable challenge,
particularly with the pressures we all face to deliver on time,
every time. However, it is clear from this research as well as the
feedback we receive from the many organisations taking part in
Learning at Work Day that there is no substitute for continuous
learning, as without this the ability to meet new and changing
demands is diminished.” |
