Training No 1 - Fund Finding for the Future Update No 1 - 18 January 2012

Although there are and will be problems it seems that full time students are assured of being able to obtain loans to fund their time at Universtity.  Some on the more expensive courses are, it seems, subsidised by those on the cheaper to run courses!  Likewise many of those in employment will obtain support from their employers - in the form of time off to attend courses; a books allowance, travel expenses, etc. Even the tax authorities have been known to chip in with income tax relief , eg for training expenses for certain types of courses and a scheme which I call "buy-a-bicycle". 

But, what of the general unemployed..? Are they able to obtain long-term loans, tax reliefs or other kinds of official support? Yes, I know that "benefits" could be used by the unemployed to "invest" in training  in their future but is it a realistic notion?

I suggest an official scheme of a)  training loans; and/or b) training vouchers. Firstly; they should be aimed at helping the needful unemployed to seek basic knowledge and skills in:

1. reading competency;
2. writing competency;
3. first aid;
4. health and safety;
5. risk assessment; and,
6. time management.

(Of course many students and those in employment may lack some of the last four items but I guess they are not the priority!) 

Level 2 training needs will be dealt with in a later post on this site.

Update 18 January 2012
A Twitter follower had a note that part-time students can get loans but ther only item I have found is that they may be eligible for "tuition fee loans". Is there any way of going the whole hog by offering loans for books, equipment and any protective clothing needed for the part-time courser? Also, what loan  is the non-higher education unemployed person going to be eligible for their future personal development?
  http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/DG_194804

Time Management 5 - Do you use Clusters to make Time?

Personal time management is "home-based" and mini-scaled when compared to an employer's likely use of systems. Nevertheless the underlying principles are the same or similar.

Here we examine "clusters" for time-saving - it will involve some time in setting up. In some instances the items will be hard copy but do not ignore opportunitis for digital copies. The following are examples:

• Storage Maps: In principle everything has a place for its storage. Untidiness waste times. Not knowing where things are kept wastes time, Not putting things back in their place wastes time. Create a cluster of storage maps of spaces, ie your kitchen, ...bedroom,... garage,.... shed, etc. Show on each map of a space where "things are stored.




• "Tool Boxes": If possible store complementary things together, ie take on board the idea of "tool boxes" or "needle work boxes" for clusters of things. The list could be endless and these are few examples: i) Christmas decorations box; ii) envelope with last year's Christmas cards; iii) garden tools for weeding (in a bag); iv) an address book; v) a birthday book; vi) bulbs, fuses, etc and tools for minor electrical repairs.... etc; v) hanging box for keys.




• "Organisers" or "Folders": Keep originals or copies of personal papers in a filing system. Suit your own life-style from the likes of: i) personal or family history (births, marriages and deaths etc); ii) executor's file (enabling probate and distribution of your estate); iii) files for financial and investment papers; iv) files for insurances; v) files for records of property matters, eg council tax, insurances, names and addresses of contractors, gardeners, etc. (Again the list seems endless!)




• "Libraries": Have organised "libraries" for records, CDs, DVDs, books, magazines and the like.




• "Trays": Organise your current correspondence into trays - yes - "IN", "PENDING" and "OUT". Try not to handle correspondence twice, ie "pending" is neglible; and "out" is to the mail or filing for retained papers.

Personal Time Management 4 - How do you make Lists?

Time management in business or employment may be highly sophisticated but critical path analysis, PERT, and methodology is often based on lists of tasks and/or events. In this post personal time management and the use of lists is explored.

• Time Audits: Looking at your expenditure of time during a normal week - the last 168 hours - may be rewarding. Periods of time of may be divided intothe following: a) Sleep; b) Personal hygiene; c) Meals; d) Domestic - planned "work" and routine "chores"; e) Planned job-seeking; f) Travel; g) Planned leisure h) Time filler-ing - unplanned time usage - TV watching, dozing, etc. The importance of analysing the time audit is in revealing how much time was spent on achieving you objectives or targets for leisure, job-seeking and other planned activities.




• To-do's List: For each day prepare a list of projects, tasks, jobs and other activities which you intend to complete. Large projects may be broken down into smaller tasks and spread over several days or weeks etc.




• Caution List: A digital or hardcopy reminder or warning system in the form of a "diary" with a list of all the important long-term dates, eg renewal of passport, car insurance, MOT, health check-ups, etc. It may span say, 10 years!




• Executor's File: A folder of all important documents your executor will need to obtain probate and administer your estate. It is likely to contain your Will, insurances, evidence of investments and holdings of property, etc.




• List(s) for Event(s): Different events and trips you make will usually require different sets of belongings, documents and pre-events activities etc. Make a list for each kind of event. A holiday in the UK will be similar to one in say, France but will have marked differences, eg the latter requires a passport, euros and EU health card. By way of example - an American family member has a "recreational vehicle" (RV) checklist of about five pages and a pre-travel check which takes about two hours!

Again, your use of lists may not be as comprehensive as suggested here - just use or develop from the above as your life-style requires!

Personal Time Management 2 - What Wastes Time?

Do poor personal time management attitudes and practices spill over and affect an employer's expectation of an employee's poor time management?

Time wasting is a cluster or cloud of unthinking. For a particular individual in may include one or more of the following:

• a lack of clear personal aims and objectives;



• a lack of personal priorities in a given period of time;



• a personal tendency to "butterfly" , ie flit from one thing to another before completing anything;



• a lack of detailed planning;



• a failure to develop an attitude to improve everyday practices;



• a failure to develop habits, routines or protocols in daily life;



• a lack of appropriate resources and so achieve task on time; and,



• a tendency to procrastinate or let go of self-discipline.

The earlier (original) film "Cheaper by the Dozen" and the book upon which the film is based will give a vivid and amusing insight into the above - they are about the Gilbreth Family of Frank Gilbreth and Lillian Moller Gilbeth.

Personal Time Management 1 - Why manage time?

Do the why's and how's of personal time management spill over into an employer's expectation of an employee's attidudes and skills of time management?

In personal life time management might be undertaken for a number of reasons. The following are suggested as some of the possible personal benefits:

• being more effective in getting things done;


• remembering to do things appropriately;


• reducing personal stress;


• reducing dissonance in family and other personal relationships;


• generally having more time and so being able to do more or spend more time on relaxing or enjoying leisure;


• getting household or leisure tasks done on time; and,


• getting to appointments on time.