http://www.trainingnews.co.uk en-us http://www.trainingnews.co.uk N/A info@trainingnews.co.uk Fri, 18 May 2012 01:24:49 EEST 20 http://www.trainingnews.co.uk/news/120/a-hrefhttpwwwfinancialtrainingassociatescomadvanced-modelling-courseadvanced-financial-modelling-coursea-tips.html  Training company FTA Ltd answers a recent question raised on its advanced financial modelling course. Here's the question, asked by a recent course delegate: "What do you do if you are asked to manipulate a large complex financial model?  Here's the answer...There's plenty of scope for error if you've been asked to manipulate a large complex financial model that you haven't created yourself - a model that you can't be completely familiar with. Here are some thoughts about how to approach the challenge.1. Make a note: next time, get it right first time. We admit, maybe it's too late for this one, but wouldn't it have been nice if, when the terms of reference for the original model were developed, those terms required the financial model to be able to run the business case that is obviously needed right now. Yes maybe it's too late for this one, but you could at least ask the question: "What did the original terms of reference say about the model's ability to run this business case?". The answer to that question might get people around you admitting that the financial model should have been designed to run this case from the start, and perhaps agreeing that the person who originally built the model is best placed to make the current set of modifications.2. Dodge the bullet. If you are presented with a complex inflexible financial model, and asked to run scenarios or make complex modifications, stop for a second, and consider whether there's any scope to push the modifications back to the person who originally built the model.  There's no shame in that. It's no poor reflection on your financial modelling skills. Large complex models take a lot of time to understand and modify.  Make the argument that, because the person who originally built the financial model understands it, it's going be a more efficient use of everyone's time to have them do the work.  Even if none of that does any good, maybe the discussion will at least make people appreciate the importance of good model design, and getting it right from the start next time.3. Flex the large horrible model very simply. If you are presented with the large financial model, and asked to run a new case on it, take a second to step back from the detail of the adjustments you are being asked to make.  For example, rather than changing every price and volume that contribute to the business's revenues, think about the real purpose here.  Couldn't we just scale total revenues up or down by a set %?  Making a simple adjustment will save time plus reduce the risk of you making a mistake in how you are flexing the original complex financial model.4. Start again. It's very hard to manipulate someone else's large complex financial model. Sometimes it is just easier to start again with a new model.  If you're being asked to make relatively high level changes, maybe you'd be better creating a simpler model (one less prone to error) designed purely to illustrate the impact of the case you're being asked to run right now.  Yes you are bypassing all that previous hard work, but you'll end up with a model that you actually understand, removing the complexity of the old financial model as a source of error.5. Bite the bullet. OK, we admit it. We're all working in real world financial modelling. A world where sometimes where the model wasn't built right first time and we can't dodge the bullet. Although you'd rather just start the model again, or flex the existing model very simply, maybe you really haven't got any choice. Maybe, no matter what you've suggested, someone is yelling at you just to make the required changes. There's no getting around it, you're going to have to make all the tiny little changes needed, and make sure they're tracking through the financial model correctly. And in making those changes, you’re going to have to be very careful to document exactly what changes you have made. That’s how you’re going to protect yourself here, remembering that, no matter how creatively you've tried to approach the problem of advanced financial modelling, sometimes there's just no easy answer!FTA Ltd is a provider of advanced financial modelling course and other related training for accountancy, law and banking and finance professionals. Financial Training Associates Ltd Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EET http://www.trainingnews.co.uk/news/119/Clarkson-Evans-wins-National-Apprentice-Employer-Award-.html Gloucester-based electrical contractors Clarkson Evans have scooped the Medium Apprentice Employer prize at the prestigious National Apprenticeship Awards.   This year’s awards attracted thousands of entries from across the country and the chosen few were invited along to this week’s ceremony at the Mermaid Conference Centre in London.  Having fought off tough competition, Clarkson Evans was presented with this much coveted national award that recognises their commitment to apprenticeships.   The company specialises in wiring brand new homes – around 7,000 of them a year for national house builders including Barratt, Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon.  It now has almost 300 employees, including 90 apprentices spread across its eight branches.  In these tough times for the construction sector, Clarkson Evans is bucking the trend by expanding and they put much of their success down to their investment in staff training.   “It’s only by employing apprentices and training them in-house that we’ve been able to develop a dedicated workforce with the right skills”, said Steve Evans, managing director.  “We always look for people who are keen to forge long-term careers with Clarkson Evans and many previous apprentices have grown with the company, taking on more responsibility and helping us maintain high levels of customer service as we continue to expand”.   Apprenticeships are very high on the Government’s agenda right now and Clarkson Evans is a great example of how this government funded training genuinely benefits employers.For more information on apprenticeships visit www.clarksonevanstraining.co.uk Clarkson Evans Training Mon, 04 Jul 2011 00:00:00 EEST http://www.trainingnews.co.uk/news/116/SQS-adds-Security-Testing-course-to-its-extensive-training-portfolio.html Dublin/London, 20 May 2011. SQS Software Quality Systems (AIM: SQS.L), the largest independent provider of software testing and quality management services, today announced its new training course aimed at web applications security testing.   The new one day Web Applications Security Testing course will be held in SQS‘s London and Dublin training centres.    The course will introduce the common security risks within web applications.  It includes a series of practical exercises that will equip participants with the knowledge required to identify risks and learn how testing can be adapted to ensure any breaches are mitigated.   In addition, SQS together with its security partner Espion will be hosting a free Security Testing Webinar on 26th May at 12:30 UK time. The aim of this webinar is to create awareness in the field of web application security testing and share the knowledge of the tools and techniques that can be used to prevent and deal with website security breaches.   The free webinar will be hosted by Máirtín O Sullivan, Espion consultancy‘s Team Leader. Máirtín has a wealth of information security experience through working across a wide range of industry verticals. He has been performing web application security testing for over six years and has extensive real world experience of application security vulnerabilities and how best to address them, including the risks introduced by both legacy applications such as HTML, applets and cutting edge technologies including SOA, AJAX and Web 2.0. To sign up, please email training@sqstraining.com.   “As we are all now acutely aware, following many recent high profile security breaches, there has never been a more important time to include web application testing as part of an information security strategy or programme,” comments Steve Dennis, Training Director, SQS Group.   “I’m delighted to be able to release our new Web Application Security Testing training course to help our customers better understand the risks to their organisation, how they can adapt their development and testing practices and start to reduce their exposure.   “Insecure web applications can and do result in customer data exposure or downtime of critical systems, leading to significant financial, legal and reputational damage. Employees and managers need to know that information is an important asset for the company and is owned by the organisation. All the employees have a responsibility to ensure that this asset, like all others, must be protected and used to support business management. To assist in this process, the IT team should be made aware of all potential threats and what can be done to fight against them.   “Web application security testing takes time to learn and knowledge needs constant updating so SQS’s new one day course is an ideal place to start.”   For full details of the course, please visit: www.sqs-uk.com/training or www.sqs-ire.com/training. SQS UK Fri, 20 May 2011 00:00:00 EEST http://www.trainingnews.co.uk/news/115/A-new-a-href-httpwwwfinancialtrainingassociatescommodelling-course-subjectsvaluation-valuationa-modelling-Course-from-financialtrainingassociatescom.html This financial training course is conducted as a workshop where delegates work to value a target business of their choice, using DCF and comparable/ relative valuation multiples. The course provides participants with a comprehensive review of company valuation, the main techniques and their inter-relationships.  The course covers sourcing data for valuation, "cleaning" source numbers, defining and calculating firm value (enterprise vs. equity value), calculating reference multiples, applying them to target companies and valuing target companies using various valuation techniques. Just like they might have to in their jobs, delegates start with a set of publicly available accounts they have brought to class.  During this financial training course delegates: Use publicly available accounts to calculate recurring underlying earnings for their target company Determine comparable businesses that might form part of the target's peer group and where they could source information relating to those other businesses Using publicly available data, calculate an appropriate series of valuation multiples for the target business Learn how to work from equity to enterprise value and back again Value the target business. Detailed case study work: participants value a target company using both DCF (Discounted Cash Flow) and comparable/ relative/ multiples based methods.  The course is punctuated with detailed case work and exercises, frequent opportunity for discussion as well as "hands on" application of the principles introduced on the course. For a fuller description please click here: Valuation modelling For further details regarding our financial modelling training courses, please click here: Financial modelling courses Financial Training Associates Ltd Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:00:00 EET http://www.trainingnews.co.uk/news/114/A-new-valuation-LBO-and-a-href-httpwwwfinancialtrainingassociatescommodelling-course-subjectsmerger-modelling-course-merger-modelling-course-a-from-financialtrainingassociatescom.html Financial Training Associates Ltd has just announced the release of a new public modelling programme, dealing with advanced topics. Building on its roots as an in-house training company, FTA Ltd has recently begun offering courses to the general public. According to Mr Dave Prinsep, business development director, the new programmes have been very well received. "We get a great mix of participants on the courses. Some from industry and some from financial services. The mix of participants, and the fact that we only teach in small groups, means that we have had some fantastic feedback from delegates." FTA is particularly excited about its new M&A modelling course, which provides course attendees with the opportunity to discover how more complicated transactions can be accommodated within a financial model. "It's one thing to build a model for a core operating business, but what happens when that business wants to refinance, merge, acquire or finds itself the subject of an LBO?" For more information regarding Financial Training Associates' modelling course programme, please see merger modelling course. Financial Training Associates Ltd Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EET http://www.trainingnews.co.uk/news/113/WHAT-THE-INTRODUCTION-OF-THE-QCF-MEANS-FOR-CHILDCARE-LEARNERS.html The Qualifications and Credits Framework (QCF) in care was launched this summer across the Country which replaces the existing NVQ. New NVQ registrants will be stopped as of the end of this month, but will continue to be delivered for the next couple of years. The new framework is an attempt to give all qualifications in England, Wales and N. Ireland a common recognition of achievement, and allows learners to build up their qualification in proportion. Parenta Training Childcare Assessor, Alyson French, talks through the affects that the new QCF has on childcare qualifications. How do you feel about the changes to the NVQ system? "Although we (assessors at Parenta) were initially apprehensive about the changes, we have had supportive training in the new framework and overall it has resulted in a positive take on the new qualifications. General consensus is that the smaller focused units are easier to achieve and have quicker results for the learner, with clear learning outcomes that makes it more learner-friendly and provides obvious achievement progress. These childcare qualifications are designed to help learners build the knowledge and skills needed when working with children and young people from birth to 19 years of age. They cover a diverse range of job roles and occupational areas, working in children's environments including early years and social care. There is opportunity for manageable progression with the new credit system, which allows learners to do level 3 units when undertaking their level 2 qualifications. This allows them to progress more swiftly, and should see more learners progressing to the Level 3 Diploma, which is more beneficial to Nursery Settings as well as training providers." And what's the next step, after the level 3 Diploma? There are currently no plans for a new level 4 qualification in the Early Years sector. Practitioners have to take the foundation degree as part of their personal development to an honours degree in Early Years. There is also the option to study for the Level 5 in management and develop skills involving management and leadership. How are you to be assessed under the QCF? Things haven't changed too much, however, as part of the implementation of this framework, we (Assessors) are encouraged and monitored in keeping learner's CPD (continuing professional development) updated monthly. This ensures assessors are occupationally competent in the units they deliver and assess, which promotes a better standard of qualification delivery." So overall it's good news? "Ultimately, more learners will achieve higher quality of care in the workforce, but this relies on assessors building on vocation competency alongside supporting and tutoring learners of full cohort and ensuring relevant paperwork is kept up to date." Parenta Training currently has funding available for the Childcare Level 2 and Childcare Level 3 in most areas in the UK. If you wish to gain your next childcare qualification, or have staff in need of development, apply now by via our childcare courses. Parenta Training Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EET http://www.trainingnews.co.uk/news/112/Disclosing-event-budgets-gets-training-providers-biggest-savings-on-new-venue-sourcing-service.html Training providers that disclose their event budgets are most likely to benefit from major discounts to their conference and event costs, according to newly launched venue sourcing site theeventwall.com. Venues eager to secure business discounted list prices by up to 65% in a bid to ensure that the event budget lands in their coffers. Since making a change to The Event Wall website requiring members to disclose their budget in Q3 last year, the number of worthwhile proposals received has increased and the level of savings has gone up significantly. Matthew Oliver, director of The Event Wall, commented: 'People often believe that it is important to keep the budget a secret otherwise they will not be given a good price. However, with The Event Wall, due to the ability for our members to quickly compare proposals online, the opposite appears to be the case. What we have seen is that venues are particularly keen to secure what they know is a confirmed budget and are prepared to discount list prices significantly as a result. Members are either getting more for their money, gaining access to venues that would have normally come in too expensive, or realising some great savings which enable them to come in under budget.' Enquiries posted on the site now receive an average of eight proposals, with the fastest response time to date being just eleven minutes between enquiry posting and first proposal. Over half of the proposals received have significant discounts offered before any negotiation even takes place. The Event Wall enables members to post an enquiry, detailing a range of requirements from budget to location and catering, without revealing contact information to suppliers in the first instance. Members are then able to quickly and easily compare proposals online and shortlist before making direct contact with the venues. The Event Wall provides access to over 750 venues, currently focused on the London market. -ends- About The Event Wall The Event Wall is a hassle-free event sourcing portal. For buyers, The Event Wall takes the strain out of sourcing multiple proposals for an event, facilitating online management, price comparison and a fast turnaround. For suppliers, The Event Wall provides a commission-only lead generation alert service with no upfront listing fees bringing a greater variety of venues from the very big to the very small. Founded in 2010, The Event Wall was created by Matthew Oliver and Michael Law. For more information, visit www.theeventwall.com. Mexia Communications Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EET http://www.trainingnews.co.uk/news/111/Freelance-Trainers-Net-launch-new-site.html Freelance Trainers Net Launch New Site FreelanceTrainers.net have been running for 8 years, and has become the first choice for many recruiters looking for freelance trainers for both short and long-term contracts. The site has now been updated to make searches easier and now contains articles relevant to freelance trainers and training organisations. Privacy settings can now also be customised so that members can control what information is available to the public and to those registered as recruiters. Freelance Trainers Net are advising current members to update their profiles, adding updated information where needed. Those not currently listed on the database may register for free and recruiters can register to search, also for free. For more information, go to FreelanceTrainers.net Courseware Shop Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:00:00 EEST http://www.trainingnews.co.uk/news/110/LD-industry-divided-over-Governments-plans-to-cut-Train-To-Gain-funding.html More than half of UK learning & development (L&D) professionals disagree with the Government’s new plan, announced in late May, to cut £200 million from the Train to Gain scheme and use £150 million of this to create 50,000 extra apprenticeships.     That is the key finding from a survey carried out recently by the World of Learning Conference & Exhibition, the L&D industry’s essential event.   While 48.4 per cent disagree with the government cutbacks, because they think that both Train to Gain and apprenticeships are very important and both need substantial investment, a further 2.5 per cent also disagree, but instead believe that Train to Gain is a more important programme than creating more apprenticeships and that investment levels in Train to Gain should be maintained.   However, at the same time, a significant proportion of the community agrees with the new government policy. 38.5 per cent of respondents agree that it is right to cut Train to Gain under the current economic pressures because they think that the scheme is not sufficiently effective to be continued at its previous scale.   In addition another 8.1 per cent also agree with the Government, taking the extreme view that they have seen no tangible benefits from Train to Gain and so it should be scrapped, while 2.5 per cent said they saw no tangible benefits to either programme and felt that funds could be better spent elsewhere.   Andrew Gee, Senior Project Manager for the World of Learning Conference & Exhibition, commented: “The Government has clearly divided the learning & development community on this issue, as more than half – 50.9 per cent altogether – disagree with its cuts. Yet, with almost half also dissatisfied with Train to Gain as it is and agreeing with the plans to change it, the industry is split almost down the middle. This suggests that there may be some interesting debates in the near future about the implementation of these changes.”   The World of Learning Conference & Exhibition is the UK’s essential event for L&D and will take place at the NEC, Birmingham on Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 September 2010. To book for the conference or to register to attend the free exhibition, and for more information on all aspects of the event, please visit www.learnevents.com or call +44 (0)20 8394 5171.-ends-                                                                         Venture Marketing Group Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EEST http://www.trainingnews.co.uk/news/109/FTA-Ltd-releases-new-LBO-valuation-and-a-hrefhttpwwwfinancialtrainingassociatescommodelling-course-subjectsmerger-modelling-course-merger-modelling-coursea.html Financial Training Associates Ltd has just announced the release of a newly designed Excel financial modelling course.According to Joanna Smith, business development director, the new course is specially designed to help delegates working in finance-related jobs and who are looking for help with buy out (LBO or MBO), valuation or M&A modelling."This course is run in an interactive, participative format, where participants learn by doing."The course has been developed in response to recent demand. Much of the course work involves Excel modelling and analysis, equipping participants with the tools to analyse leveraged acquisitions, building up from partially-complete models, working with integrated financial statements, developing an acquisition structure and modelling instruments, running scenarios, iterating and optimising."As part of their work on this course delegates model transactions based on real-life companies and scenarios."For further details, please see the programme for FTA Ltd's merger modelling course. Financial Training Associates Ltd Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EEST