Having acquired a local I.T. company, Bytebak Computer Services Ltd (http://www.bytebak.co.uk) we now have a larger team covering more services than every before.  Our team now has 25+ skilled staff and we  can now offer Network Cabling services as well as the supply and service of Apple mac computers.

Our team of Accounting Apprentices from Armstrong Watson took part in the Worldskills UK Accounting Technicians competition held at the AAT headquarters in London on 28th June and received the gold award as overall winners of the competition. 

Along with Knowsley College from the northern heat, our students also competed against Chesterfield College and Halesowen College from the Midlands heat and Stevenson College and BPP London from the southern heat.  Whereas the heats were testing the groups’ technical accounting skills, the final was more of a test of their ability to work as a team and to plan and organize their work to meet strict deadlines.  Also, with the air conditioning being out of action on the morning of the final (I’m convinced the AAT planned this intentionally!), it also tested the endurance of the students as the heat in that office was oppressive to say the least.

Anyway, our young ladies kept their cool and pulled off a tremendous victory to be crowned accounting skills champions in the UK and along with their employers Armstrong Watson, we are all extremely proud of what they have achieved and it proves that the Accounting Apprenticeship programme can produce some highly talented individuals. 

Our quest for world domination will have to be put on hold for the time being however as the AAT have decided not to take part in the European or World stages of the Worldskills competition, maybe just as well as we have to retrain them to do accounts in Euro’s!  Nevertheless, the adventure has not entirely finished as we have been invited to the Worldskills UK presentation and awards ceremony in London in November where the team will be presented with a trophy and their individual gold medals.

It really has been an amazing achievement for these three students to get the gold award and we are delighted with the recognition they are getting as they are three fantastic young people who fully deserve their success. The pressure is now on for 2009 and we are already looking ahead to repeating our success next summer and finding a group of students who can bring the trophy back to System Group

System Group Ltd is now involved in providing training services to clients who travel to Carlisle from overseas.

The Practical Materials Handling course was specifically developed by System Health & Safety to meet the needs of managers working in the oil and gas industry.

The course involved safe management of fork lift trucks, demonstration of cranes, safe manual handling and vehicle safety.

The next intake of candidates are due to visit Carlisle to start their training on 14th July and System Group are looking to further develop training to include IPAF, Mobile Elevated Platform Training,

We have a new range of technical training courses available including:

Server 2008 Course

Vista Courses

Exchange 2007 Courses

ITIL - Service Desk Management Courses

 Students Claire Redmayne, Kerryl Carter and Danielle Vaughan from System Group in Carlisle have reached the final of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) category of the WorldSkills UK competition. The final to be held in London on 28 June, will decide who the overall winner is. Six teams of three contestants from across the UK will be battling it out.  This competition will test accounting skills in the following areas: financial accounting, preparing ledger balances, preparing reports and returns. To be eligible, entrants had to be studying the AAT Accounting Qualification Level 3 and have completed their Level 2. WorldSkills UK is a portfolio of 70 skills competitions designed by leading industry experts and training providers aimed at students, trainees and employees.  Run annually these competitions aim to encourage young people and adults across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to excel in their vocational skill area. Top performers in certain competitions could get the opportunity to enter an international WorldSkills Competition. The most recent was Japan 2007. The next will be Canada 2009 followed by London 2011.  

David Mandle, Financial Training Manager at System Group said: “We are delighted that our three students representing System Group have reached the final of the Association of Accounting Technicians category of WorldSkills UK competition.  These are three very talented young people who have great futures ahead of them in the accounting profession and this is a wonderful opportunity for their skills to be tested against some of the best young accountancy trainees in the UK. It has been a privilege working with these students and we are all extremely proud of what they have achieved so far”.

THE chief executive of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is due in Cumbria today to sign a ‘skills pledge’ with Stobart Group boss Andrew Tinkler and chief executive of training firm System Group, Robin Brown.

The pledge is a commitment by the companies to develop the basic skills of all their employees.

Mark Haysom, LSC chief executive, is due to conduct the signing at the headquarters of WA Developments at Kingstown, Carlisle, at 9.30am.

Source News & Star (Last updated 13:36, Thursday, 01 May 2008)

EDDIE Stobart Ltd has become the latest company to sign the Learning and Skills Council’s pledge.The transport and logistics company already has hundreds of members of staff studying for NVQs but plans to extend those numbers.It will put a further 1,200 of its drivers through the programme of study.

Dale Foster, operations director of Eddie Stobart, signed the skills pledge at the Carlisle headquarters of partner firm WA Developments.Mr Foster said: “Training our staff is key to the development of our employees. “It is our investment in training that means our staff gain a thorough understanding of their job and their responsibilities, which is as beneficial to us as a business as it is to our staff. “We work in conjunction with System Group Ltd, one of the leading logistics training organisations in the UK.”  

“So far, 618 members of staff have begun working towards their Driving Goods Vehicles NVQ at Level 2 and we have seen a 97 per cent achievement rate of the 318 staff who have already completed the course. “As part of making the Skills Pledge, our aim is to put 1200 drivers through the NVQ programme and then encourage staff to progress onto Level 3. “We also plan to introduce a similar level of training for our warehouse staff.”

Mark Haysom, chief executive of the LSC, visited Cumbria to see Mr Foster sign the pledge.Mr Haysom said: “In making the Skills Pledge, Eddie Stobart Ltd has clearly demonstrated the importance it places on its staff. The company’s ambition to boost workforce skills deserves to be applauded.“Eddie Stobart Ltd is a major employer across the UK and with its headquarters based in Cumbria the company is setting a good example to other organisations in the region. I urge other north west employers to follow their lead and make a commitment to the Skills Pledge.”Through the Skills Pledge, employers make a commitment to support their employees and new recruits in developing their basic skills and working towards relevant qualifications to at least Level 2 – the equivalent to five GCSEs at grades A-C. As well as raising staff skills, the aim is to enable organisations to create a more productive and competitive workforce.

For more information contact the LSC on 0845 0194142 or visit www.lsc.gov.uk.

Source: News & Star Last updated 11:37, Thursday, 08 May 2008 (By Keir Mudie)

Accountancy Training News – April 2008 December 07 Exam Results The December 2007 exam results have now been published and collated and once again we compare favourable with the overall figures for AAT especially at NVQ level 4 stage where our results have been particularly impressive.  The overall results are; 

System IT achieve Microsoft Gold Partner Status System I.T. are now a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. This is through our continued commitment to Microsoft and our outstanding levels of customer service. Being a Microsoft Gold Partner gives us prestigious recognition within the I.T. Sector.

System IT Score with Carlisle United! We are pleased to announce that we have secured an new I.T. maintenance contract with our local football team Carlisle United. We wish CUFC all the best in their current promotion run.