The course covers research design principles and all main quantitative evaluation methods: randomised experiments, instrumental variables, sharp and fuzzy regression discontinuity designs, regression methods, matching methods and longitudinal methods (before-after, difference-in-differences and synthetic controls).
This course is about learning to use your digital SLR camera with confidence and skill. Explore aperture, shutter speed and megapixels through to white balance, ISO ratings, histograms and much more! With a blend of technical tuition, demonstration, practical assignments and group discussion, you will discover how to unlock your camera’s full potential and take better pictures. If you don’t have a digital SLR we can often provide one for you – please select from dropdown at time of booking. You can also use your interchangeable or fixed lens system, mirrorless or rangefinder camera on this course. Bridge cameras without interchangeable lenses can be used too, but please note that they may not allow the full range of camera controls. Computer experience is beneficial. Day 1: Features of your Digital SLR camera. Areas covered include aperture, shutter speed and megapixels through to white balance, ISO ratings, histograms and all the rest. There will be time to ask questions and demonstrate the advantages of each feature, getting to grips with the “how’s” and “why’s” We will put into practise all the features that have been discussed and demonstrated in session one on a walk around town with your cameras. We will come back to the gallery, learn a little about methods of downloading and viewing photographs, and explore some basic Photoshop tools. Day 2: Exercises, Assignments and Review Question time. There will be a few formal exercises set up to practise on and time to discuss the elements learned in day one. We will also discuss in more detail the more compositional aspects of photography, and prepare for the afternoons’ assignment. You will carry out your assignments outside the gallery and be given a time to return with your completed assignments. Assignment presentations, troubleshooting and review. The last half will involve editing and viewing the photographs, open discussions and asking any final questions. Courses are subject to minimum enrolment. Please register early, within five days of the start date, to reduce the likelihood of course cancellation. Please read our cancellation policy before booking. Students, anyone over the age of 65, and those in receipt of any form of benefits can claim the concessionary price, offering a 10% discount on the full course price. Valid proof of eligibility must be produced on the first day of the course. Please use the code CONCESSION when prompted at checkout.
Proven to be effective and to improve the prospects of quiet, shy, self-conscious and introverted people. Would you love to Express Yourself and let the real you out? Want to play more in life – and have a whole lot more fun? Want to overcome your fear of performing in front of groups In this unique one-day self-confidence workshop you will be discovering the keys to an authentic confidence and how to exude the kind of magic and passion for life that enables you to look and feel good. The workshop provides a context to express yourself in a safe environment with other people who feel in the same boat as you, and are 100% committed in supporting you in making breakthroughs in the area of self-expression, confidence and overcoming your fears of performing/speaking in front of others. This helps to counteract the effects of having your confidence undermined in the past.
Duration 3 Days 18 CPD hours This course is intended for This course is intended for Solution Architects Overview At the end of this course, you will be able to: Apply the AWS Well-Architected Framework Manage multiple AWS accounts for your organization Connect an on-premises datacenter to AWS cloud Move large data from an on-premises datacenter to AWS Design large datastores for AWS cloud Understand different architectural designs for scalability Protect your infrastructure from DDoS attack Secure your data on AWS with encryption Enhance the performance of your solutions Select the most appropriate AWS deployment mechanism Building on concepts introduced in Architecting on AWS, Advanced Architecting on AWS is intended for individuals who are experienced with designing scalable and elastic applications on the AWS platform. Building on concepts introduced in Architecting on AWS, this course covers how to build complex solutions which incorporate data services, governance, and security on AWS. This course introduces specialized AWS services, including AWS Direct Connect and AWS Storage Gateway to support Hybrid architecture. It also covers designing best practices for building scalable, elastic, secure, and highly available applications on AWS. Module 1: AWS Account Management Multiple accounts Multi-account patterns License management Manage security and costs with multiple accounts AWS Organizations AWS Directory Service Hands-on lab: Multi-VPC connectivity using a VPN Module 2: Advanced Network Architectures Improve VPC network connections Enhance performance for HPC workloads VPN connections over AWS AWS Direct Connect AWS Transit Gateway Amazon Route 53 Exercise: Design a hybrid architecture Module 3: Deployment Management on AWS Application lifecycle management Application deployment using containers AWS Elastic Beanstalk AWS OpsWorks AWS CloudFormation Module 4: Data Optimize Amazon S3 storage Amazon ElastiCache AWS Snowball AWS Storage Gateway AWS DataSync Backup and archival considerations Database migration Designing for big data with Amazon DynamoDB Hands-on lab: Build a failover solution with Amazon Route 53 and Amazon RDS Module 5: Designing for large scale applications AWS Auto Scaling Migrating over-provisioned resources Blue-green deployments on AWS Hands-on lab: Blue-green deployment with AWS Module 6: Building resilient architectures DDoS attack overview AWS Shield AWS WAF Amazon GuardDuty High availability using Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft SharePoint on AWS High availability using MongoDB on Amazon EC2 AWS Global Accelerator Hands-on lab: CloudFront content delivery and automating AWS WAF rules Module 7: Encryption and data security Encryption primer DIY key management in AWS AWS Marketplace for encryption products AWS Key Management Service (AWS KMS) Cloud Hardware Security Module (HSM) Comparison of key management options Hands-on lab: AWS KMS with envelope encryption
You Are Invited to Join Us for Fair Saturday Edinburgh! We are excited to announce that Art and Spirituality CIC will be hosting a special “Wellness and Creativity Day” on Saturday, 30th November, as part of the Fair Saturday Edinburgh movement. This global initiative celebrates the transformative power of arts and culture and promotes positive change in our communities. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to explore their creativity and enhance their well-being through art and mindfulness. By joining our events, you’ll not only enjoy a day of creativity and relaxation, but you’ll also contribute to building a stronger, more connected community. To join our FREE EVENTS, no prior experience is necessary—just sign up and bring your enthusiasm! *10-11am Intuitive HeART Painting This class combines the principles of intuitive painting with a focus on the heart, allowing you to tap into your inner creativity and feelings without the pressure of technique or perfection. You will engage in a meditative approach to painting, using colours, shapes, and textures to express your thoughts and emotions freely. Embrace the joy of creation and discover the heart of your art! By attending this class you release the teacher, Giada Gaslini and Art and Spirituality Cic, from any liability arising out of any personal injuries, emotional or physical release, death, expectations of results, theft in the venue or damages that may happen to people and objects while attending.
You Are Invited to Join Us for Fair Saturday Edinburgh! We are excited to announce that Art and Spirituality CIC will be hosting a special “Wellness and Creativity Day” on Saturday, 30th November, as part of the Fair Saturday Edinburgh movement. This global initiative celebrates the transformative power of arts and culture and promotes positive change in our communities. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to explore their creativity and enhance their well-being through art and mindfulness. By joining our events, you’ll not only enjoy a day of creativity and relaxation, but you’ll also contribute to building a stronger, more connected community. To join our FREE EVENTS, no prior experience is necessary—just sign up and bring your enthusiasm! *12-1pm Meditation for busy people We all recognize the challenges of a hectic lifestyle and offer practical techniques to help you find calm amidst the chaos. This session is tailored for those with tight schedules, providing quick and effective meditation practices that can be easily integrated into your daily routine. You will learn simple breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques designed to reduce stress, enhance focus, and promote mental clarity, all in a short time frame. Whether you have just a few minutes to spare or are looking for ways to create more balance in your life, this class will empower you to cultivate a sense of peace and well-being, no matter how busy you are. By attending this class you release the teacher, Giada Gaslini and Art and Spirituality Cic, from any liability arising out of any personal injuries, emotional or physical release, death, expectations of results, theft in the venue or damages that may happen to people and objects while attending.
You Are Invited to Join Us for Fair Saturday Edinburgh! We are excited to announce that Art and Spirituality CIC will be hosting a special “Wellness and Creativity Day” on Saturday, 30th November, as part of the Fair Saturday Edinburgh movement. This global initiative celebrates the transformative power of arts and culture and promotes positive change in our communities. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to explore their creativity and enhance their well-being through art and mindfulness. By joining our events, you’ll not only enjoy a day of creativity and relaxation, but you’ll also contribute to building a stronger, more connected community. To join our FREE EVENTS, no prior experience is necessary—just sign up and bring your enthusiasm! *1.30-2.30pm Gentle Yoga Designed to promote relaxation and mindfulness through a slower-paced practice. This class run by Kirstine Henderson focuses on gentle stretching and exercises, making it accessible for all ages and fitness levels. You will experience calming poses that enhance flexibility, balance, and overall well-being. Whether you are new to yoga or looking for a soothing way to unwind, this class offers a supportive environment to help you connect with your body and mind. By attending this class you release the teacher, Giada Gaslini and Art and Spirituality Cic, from any liability arising out of any personal injuries, emotional or physical release, death, expectations of results, theft in the venue or damages that may happen to people and objects while attending.
This 2 day course is ideal for Team Leaders and Managers who have had little or no training in the role where they have to lead a team and take on management responsibilities. It will give them confidence and the skills to take decisions and get the best performance from their team. The most popular of our management training courses, the First Line Management course is specifically for people who are new to a management position or who are about to undertake a management position and have had no formal management training. Anyone who is new to a management or supervisory position will benefit from this course. Run over two days, the syllabus of the First Line Management course will cover a wide range of topics to give new or inexperienced managers a firm understanding of the foundations needed to begin their journey as a manager. It includes units on effective communication, managing your team, managing yourself, delegating, setting objectives, effective planning and personal development. Course Syllabus Module OneRole Assessment and Personal Development Planning Understanding roles and responsibilities Outline framework of management Taking the step into management Identifying personal development needs and planning Module TwoEffective Communication Skills Communicating to be effective - how and what to communicate Designing effective questioning techniques and listening actively Non-verbal communication Dealing with, and responding to, differing communication styles Module ThreeManaging Yourself Use of planning tools and techniques Dealing with time stealers and interruptions Learn how to delegate effectively Module FourManaging Your Team Understanding different management styles and how to use them Recognising performance management Setting expectations and clearly defining roles and responsibilities Pinpointing performance and motivating your team/individuals Learning the management actions required to maintain team effectiveness Team dynamics and looking at individual behaviour within teams First Line Management Course Management is the efficient, effective and economic use of resources to achieve results with and through the efforts of other people. Leadership – a definition Inspiring others to follow your lead by creating a compelling vision of the future, whereby targets are not merely achieved, but are surpassed . Leadership – a definition Inspiring others to follow your lead by creating a compelling vision of the future, whereby targets are not merely achieved, but are surpassed . The Role of the First Line Manager as ‘Leader'. First Line Managers have Leadership responsibilities – this is often the biggest challenge for Team Leaders and Supervisors who have to adapt from performing a task to motivating a team. At the beginning of the 21st century, the most powerful sources of growth, employment and wealth creation are found in innovation-driven industries. As a result, organisational leaders face a whole new set of challenges. They have to change and will increasingly need to rely on the knowledge, skills, experience and judgement of all their people. Organisational leaders will need to place less emphasis on traditional structures and control, and concentrate on five key priorities: . Five Key Priorities . using strategic vision to motivate and inspire empowering employees at all levels accumulating and sharing internal knowledge gathering and integrating external information challenging the status quo and enabling creativity Using Strategic Vision. Effective leaders will develop a strategic vision that is clear and compelling, and communicate it in a way that gives a real sense of purpose and direction. A powerful vision is clear about direction and objectives, proactive in its approach, but allows room for flexibility about the means of achievement. A powerful vision is important because it is one way of linking the present to a desirable future. The role of strategic planning is then to map out a path to achieve that vision. However, visionary thinking should not be the exclusive province of the organisation's top executives. Successful leaders will encourage participation in the formulation of a strategic vision that offers different perspectives and encourages commitment. It is also important to empower employees with the responsibility and authority to implement the vision. . Empowering Employees. Some people have proposed the view that the great leader is a great servant [2]. Certainly, many organisations believe that an environment based on trust will produce better results than one of rules, regulation and hierarchy. This means that leaders will increasingly have to respond to their employees' needs and take on some unaccustomed roles, such as coach, teacher, information provider, facilitator, listener or supporter. But for empowerment to work, organisations will have to share information and knowledge far more than they have done in the past. This will certainly include First Line Managers . Challenging the status quo and enabling creativity. There are a number of ways in which effective First Line Managers can challenge the status quo and enable creativity: . Facilitate ‘constructive dissent', i.e. encourage people to question openly a manager's perspective without fear of retaliation. An interesting example of this is at Motorola, where employees can file a ‘minority report' and lodge a different point of view to their immediate First Line Manager on a business issue. Foster a culture that encourages risk-taking. Create a sense of urgency by producing a compelling picture of the risks of not changing. To summarise, successful First Line Managers will be those that are proactive both in facilitating organisational learning and encouraging positive adaptation to external changes. . A 2 day First Line Manager Course will accelerate the process for Team Leaders and Supervisors to reach a high level of competence and confidence in the Leadership role they have . Sample Exercises Our range of bespoke First Line Manager modules works wonders! The course outlines may look as you'd expect - but the content, approach and effect is very much greater than expectations. We have a very large library of innovative exercises that are highly effective in capturing and embedding the learning points in a practical way. Following each exercise - that may be aligned to a 'Financial Theme' - they are debriefed fully and related to how the learning can to be applied back in the work-place. They are also really great fun!! Here are some template modules and sample exercises designed to embed the learning in a motivational and memorable way:- Sample 'ice-breaker' Exercise - Number Crunch The team must be effectively led and motivated to work as one to reach their objective of visiting each location in a short period of time. Debrief - Leadership and co-ordination, strategy and planning, adapting approach, decision making & control Sample Exercise - Through the Hoop Taking the full team through the 'hoop' within the 'stretching' time limit is likely to exceed the group's own self-limitations. Time ManagementSample Exercise - Cones This task requires the team to take a numbered tower of 5 cones from point 'A' to 'B' in a specific order; this will have to meet the criteria outlined in the brief. The option of 'C' is vital to achieve the results. Debrief: Stepping back for overview Planning disciplines Time-budgeting Skills audit for delegation Handling ConflictSample Exercise - Cave Rescue Requires that the group make some difficult choices and then hold a press conference to justify their decisions while under scrutiny and criticism. This also displayed some required leadership learning; notably that a unified leadership team is crucial to gain commitment and confidence and also how vital it is to plan for any communication that will involve some sort of conflict. Handling Conflict and maintaining control in a professional manner are key debriefing points from this exercise. Communication, Negotiation & InfluenceSample Exercise - Red & White There is a specific time managed agenda and itinerary, which puts the group under pressure. The key challenge is for the sub-groups to maximise the commercial value from the task, however there is always a great danger that the individuals attempt to gain financial progress at the expense of the other group! Debriefing Points: Engaging the other group to 'buy-in' to collaboration Commercial consequences when collaboration is lacking or difficult Effective communication and influence across barriers Global Thinking & Business Mind-setSample Exercise - Dragon's Den The delegation is split into 2 -3 groups - each with a specific product or service to win the Dragons' investment. (A specialised Toy; A unique Team Building Training programme; An eBook Library; An innovative soft-ware package for the Retail Industry Sector. They have to also present to the Dragon's Den their business case for feedback and negotiate with the Dragons to gain either an 'I'm in' or an 'I'm out' reply. Debrief: Global business potential Supply Chain appreciation Commercial framework Performance ManagementSample Exercise - Juggling The group will be asked to set their own team target of how many 'issues' (balls) they can manage at one time. This involves devising a sequence between the group to achieve maximum results without making any mistakes. We introduce different balls which represent different degrees of complexity, challenging the group's preparation and approach to a variety 'team members' needs. Debrief: How to maintain focus when pressure is applied Ensuring effective communication Clarifying the approach for dealing with the unexpected Setting expectations and reviewing delivery Treating every team member as an individual Prioritisation & OrganisationSample Exercise - Labyrinth This activity requires the group to solve a number of tasks through verbal communication only, but they will be forbidden to write any information down or make any gestures using their hands. They will each be provided with a great deal of different pieces of data that has to be assimilated within an increasingly pressurised time-scale. The material also contains distracting and misleading 'red-herrings'. The task requires delegates to keep focussed on the 'critical path' and be very organised in order to meet the dead-line. Debrief: Rigour of planning - SMART Prioritising through ambiguity Time budgeting Assigning roles & responsibilities to break down volume of material The value of keeping accurate records In-House & Classroom Courses Available Online We have developed an alternative to traditional face-to-face training that continues to provide a full learning experience, and allows delegates to learn effectively whilst self-isolating from home. This is how it looks: Delegates booked on Classroom and In-House courses will continue to have access to their trainer online throughout the days that the course is booked to run. Prior to a delegate's course start date, they will be enrolled on our e-learning platform (in partnership with BCF Group) for the course they are booked on to. They will also be given contact information for their trainer, and details of how to access the online workshops. Delegates will not require any special IT equipment. A desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or a mobile phone with internet and audio capability is all that is required. Delegates taking ILM Qualifications will then proceed to the book review, video review and work based assignments with 12 months tutor support as appropriate, and in line with our previous arrangements. We hope you agree that this blended learning experience represents the safest way to continue supporting our clients and delegates during the Coronavirus disruption. In-House Courses This is our own management training course which has been developed and refined over the many years we have been providing it to delegates from organisations in virtually every industry. This means that the course syllabus is flexible and can be tailored to the specific requirements of a new first line manager or managers, making it ideal for companies or organisations who require an in-house first line management training course which is attended by a number of current or potential managers. Scheduled Courses A one day version of this First Line Management course is available as an Open Course delivered at our partner, the BCF's Training suites in Nottingham and Reading from the following scheduled dates... Classroom Course - Nottingham (NG12 4DG) Classroom training courses enable you to benefit from having the tutor and other delegates right there in the room with you. Face-to-face training sessions are one of the best ways to learn, as it is easy to ask questions and have group discussions. Cost: £595 + vat 16 October 2023 09 January 2024 11 March 2024 Classroom Course - Reading (RG41 5QS) Classroom training courses enable you to benefit from having the tutor and other delegates right there in the room with you. Face-to-face training sessions are one of the best ways to learn, as it is easy to ask questions and have group discussions. Cost: £595 + vat 07 December 2023 15 February 2024 14 May 2024 Zoom™ Course Attending a course via Zoom videoconferencing gives you all of the benefits of classroom training without the need to leave your home or office. You still benefit from a real tutor facilitating the programme, and the content is exactly the same. Cost: £495 + vat 11 September 2023 04 December 2023 13 March 2024 Dickson Training Ltd Founded in 1985 in Yorkshire, we have built an impressive and loyal client base. Our partnerships are built by consistently delivering outstanding development solutions and working in close collaboration with our clients, resulting in us becoming a leading UK and international training provider.