Hi dear readers and welcome to this, the final July blog of 2008. Well, here we are in the middle of the holiday season and Yes, the roadworks are certainly in full flow here in Central Scotland.
Some news of the on-line examinations for Chartered Banker. I can advise that three more subjects are now available for booking via the on-line system.
These are:
Call Centre Management
Financial Economics
International Business
As mentioned last week there are a few more subjects in the pipeline and students who are enrolled for a relevant subject will be advised when the final examination for that subject is available on-line.
Work is continuing on the on-line revision sessions for Chartered Banker and related diplomas, with a tutor now in place for each subject. We will be starting with the non-core subjects and upon completion of these our thoughts will turn to the core subjects.
As I speak Raymond is at a secret location somewhere in Scotland recording the voice over for one of these revision sessions. In response to the many requests from previous attendees at Raymond's courses, I can confirm that he will be recording this one in various accents.
Fife, Northern Ireland (That's a popular one) and Glaswegian (With a hint of Sir Alex Ferguson!)
If we have missed out your regional tongue please let me know and I will see what we can do for you.
"How's your Doric Raymond?"
"Very well how's yours"
Follow that the two Ronnies.
I have heard a couple of interesting snippets this week.
"Ah, 50 pence pieces,"
"You don't get many of them to the pound."
Signs you are getting old.
A reader of this blog was joking with his grand-daughter about being Superman and how he would have to find a phone-box to change into his costume.
"What, Grandpa," she piped up, "is a phone-box?"
Michael (Looking forward to a bit of Doric)
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Thursday, 24 July 2008
Plenty in the pipeline
Hi readers and welcome to the Ciobs Academy blog. I am pleased to advise that the sun is shining here in Edinburgh and it is forecast to be hot. Well, things are certainly heating up here at CIOBS and there is plenty in the pipeline.
As you know, we previously said that all Chartered Banker and related Diplomas etc. will be examinable online starting from 1st September with a phased rollout between then and the end of the year.
We are currently making good progress with on-line implementation and I can confirm that a total of 5 subjects, UK Financial Services, Investment, Customer Relationship Management, Operational Risk Management and Credit Risk Practice are actually available online now. The exams for these subjects can be booked via the website as and when candidates feel ready to sit them.
The next subjects to come on stream will be Call Centre Management, Financial Economics, International Business and Financial Management. These should be up and running over the next few weeks. It is likely that Retail Banking will be next to make an appearance.
As and when each new subject becomes available, we will email all those enrolled for the course and we will also keep you advised more generally via the online Forum. Specimen papers for each of the on-line exams will be available via the Downloads section of the website as soon as these become available, so please check regularly!
And there is more. We are currently working on on-line revision sessions for the non-core subjects relating to the above and at present your very own Raymond Brown is beavering away with Customer Relationship Management and I am currently working on International Business.
This new style of revision session will eventually replace the face-to-face sessions. In brief there will be slides and a commentary on all aspects of each subject and students will be able to access these at a time that suits. There will also be case studies throughout.
Unfortunately a virtual lunch will not be provided!
Maybe we should work on that one next!
We have also been emailing RQF students this week regarding the updates to this qualification with 1st October being a very important date, as from this date the examinations will be based on the updated syllabus.
Is this true? An insurance company received a claim form recently on which the driver had written after the question "Could either driver have done anything to avoid the accident?", the nonetheless truthful reply: "Travelled by bus"
It's time to get on. I am expecting a visit from the artist formerly known as Grim Reaper very shortly and he does not like to be kept waiting.
Michael (My pipeline is overflowing)
As you know, we previously said that all Chartered Banker and related Diplomas etc. will be examinable online starting from 1st September with a phased rollout between then and the end of the year.
We are currently making good progress with on-line implementation and I can confirm that a total of 5 subjects, UK Financial Services, Investment, Customer Relationship Management, Operational Risk Management and Credit Risk Practice are actually available online now. The exams for these subjects can be booked via the website as and when candidates feel ready to sit them.
The next subjects to come on stream will be Call Centre Management, Financial Economics, International Business and Financial Management. These should be up and running over the next few weeks. It is likely that Retail Banking will be next to make an appearance.
As and when each new subject becomes available, we will email all those enrolled for the course and we will also keep you advised more generally via the online Forum. Specimen papers for each of the on-line exams will be available via the Downloads section of the website as soon as these become available, so please check regularly!
And there is more. We are currently working on on-line revision sessions for the non-core subjects relating to the above and at present your very own Raymond Brown is beavering away with Customer Relationship Management and I am currently working on International Business.
This new style of revision session will eventually replace the face-to-face sessions. In brief there will be slides and a commentary on all aspects of each subject and students will be able to access these at a time that suits. There will also be case studies throughout.
Unfortunately a virtual lunch will not be provided!
Maybe we should work on that one next!
We have also been emailing RQF students this week regarding the updates to this qualification with 1st October being a very important date, as from this date the examinations will be based on the updated syllabus.
Is this true? An insurance company received a claim form recently on which the driver had written after the question "Could either driver have done anything to avoid the accident?", the nonetheless truthful reply: "Travelled by bus"
It's time to get on. I am expecting a visit from the artist formerly known as Grim Reaper very shortly and he does not like to be kept waiting.
Michael (My pipeline is overflowing)
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Who's a pretty boy?
Hello dear readers and welcome to this the 101st edition of the CIOBS blog. Yes, I am back on my perch and delighted to be so. Well done to Raymond for the last two blogs and I can confirm that all issues regarding passwords etc are now sorted.
You may recall a few weeks ago we were talking about business speak, well, I have heard a new one this week" let's keep that in the back pocket" Super!!
It's all go here at CIOBS as we move towards August and look forward to welcoming the many visitors to Edinburgh for the International and Fringe festivals.
I can exclusively reveal that Raymond's one man show will not be taking place this year after last year's unfortunate incident. I believe that the theatre where the show took place is about to re-open, however the management have adopted a new Risk Management policy. He will however, be out and about later in the year.
I have heard that he will be visiting the Belfast area in September. Something for your diary readers in Northern Ireland.
It has been a week for conference calls, taking us to places such as Manchester and the Isle of Man. Conference calls are a bit like comedy, it's all about timing. The pauses are great, then you start thinking has that person finished? Shall I speak? or will I be interrupting?
I am pleased to report that this week's calls have been fine or Braew as they say in Manx.
There are many things on the "Back Burner" here at CIOBS. We are progressing the on-line revision courses and aiming to have some in place by the end of 2008. This is an exciting development and I will keep you "in the loop" on this one.
Finally this week, Congratulations to our Chief Executive, Simon Thompson and his wife Aneta on the birth of their son Alexander on 2nd July. Mother and baby are fine and Simon is recovering.
Michael ( Not a pretty boy)
You may recall a few weeks ago we were talking about business speak, well, I have heard a new one this week" let's keep that in the back pocket" Super!!
It's all go here at CIOBS as we move towards August and look forward to welcoming the many visitors to Edinburgh for the International and Fringe festivals.
I can exclusively reveal that Raymond's one man show will not be taking place this year after last year's unfortunate incident. I believe that the theatre where the show took place is about to re-open, however the management have adopted a new Risk Management policy. He will however, be out and about later in the year.
I have heard that he will be visiting the Belfast area in September. Something for your diary readers in Northern Ireland.
It has been a week for conference calls, taking us to places such as Manchester and the Isle of Man. Conference calls are a bit like comedy, it's all about timing. The pauses are great, then you start thinking has that person finished? Shall I speak? or will I be interrupting?
I am pleased to report that this week's calls have been fine or Braew as they say in Manx.
There are many things on the "Back Burner" here at CIOBS. We are progressing the on-line revision courses and aiming to have some in place by the end of 2008. This is an exciting development and I will keep you "in the loop" on this one.
Finally this week, Congratulations to our Chief Executive, Simon Thompson and his wife Aneta on the birth of their son Alexander on 2nd July. Mother and baby are fine and Simon is recovering.
Michael ( Not a pretty boy)
Friday, 11 July 2008
100 Not Out
Hi again,
This is indeed a momentous occasion - the 100th posting on this blog.
Yes, 100 times people all around the world have been able to view this communication masterpiece - well perhaps, that's taking things too far!
Anyhow, Mr D is on the last day of his holidays, so he'll be back to torment you next week!!
So what's been happening since Monday?
Plenty actually! Much of my time this week has been spent on updating various modules in respect of the RQF and the Chartered Banker (CB) qualifications. I have now completed these and so next week, we will communicate these updates to all who are doing the RQF Apexes 1, 2, 3 & 4, 5 and 20 and the CB modules UK Financial Services and Investment. The changes take effect from examinations sat on 1st October onwards.
On Tuesday, I was pretending to be Simon Cowell, when I was part of the judging panel for our Rising Stars Semi Final. The candidates were all high calibre (obviously) but I would really love to have been able to say something like "Sorry, you just weren't good enough, that really was horrendous!" or even better "you're a lightweight, you're fired". For those not versed in TV trivia, the latter was Sir Alan Sugar!
Other than that, I've been serving customers all week. Remember the old saying (well, not that old, really!) "If you're not serving a customer, make sure you're serving someone who is"!!
Finally, on this momentous occasion, the podcasts of the Professionalism & Ethics Debate from the 2008 Chartered Banker Conference are now on the web - worth listening to? - I should say, old bean! Tune in now via http://www.ciobs.org.uk/about/what_podcasts.cfm
Finally, finally, one of our students, Pauline McPherson and her team of charity fundraisers called Wacky Racers are running an event on 28th August at 6.30pm in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. Jack Black, a leading authority on personal development and well known keynote speaker, is the star attraction. For more information, just go to the above podcast link and click on the Weekly Newscast for 10th July!! All will be revealed!
They think it's all over - it is now!!!!!!!!!!
Raymond (really missing Michael!)
This is indeed a momentous occasion - the 100th posting on this blog.
Yes, 100 times people all around the world have been able to view this communication masterpiece - well perhaps, that's taking things too far!
Anyhow, Mr D is on the last day of his holidays, so he'll be back to torment you next week!!
So what's been happening since Monday?
Plenty actually! Much of my time this week has been spent on updating various modules in respect of the RQF and the Chartered Banker (CB) qualifications. I have now completed these and so next week, we will communicate these updates to all who are doing the RQF Apexes 1, 2, 3 & 4, 5 and 20 and the CB modules UK Financial Services and Investment. The changes take effect from examinations sat on 1st October onwards.
On Tuesday, I was pretending to be Simon Cowell, when I was part of the judging panel for our Rising Stars Semi Final. The candidates were all high calibre (obviously) but I would really love to have been able to say something like "Sorry, you just weren't good enough, that really was horrendous!" or even better "you're a lightweight, you're fired". For those not versed in TV trivia, the latter was Sir Alan Sugar!
Other than that, I've been serving customers all week. Remember the old saying (well, not that old, really!) "If you're not serving a customer, make sure you're serving someone who is"!!
Finally, on this momentous occasion, the podcasts of the Professionalism & Ethics Debate from the 2008 Chartered Banker Conference are now on the web - worth listening to? - I should say, old bean! Tune in now via http://www.ciobs.org.uk/about/what_podcasts.cfm
Finally, finally, one of our students, Pauline McPherson and her team of charity fundraisers called Wacky Racers are running an event on 28th August at 6.30pm in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. Jack Black, a leading authority on personal development and well known keynote speaker, is the star attraction. For more information, just go to the above podcast link and click on the Weekly Newscast for 10th July!! All will be revealed!
They think it's all over - it is now!!!!!!!!!!
Raymond (really missing Michael!)
Monday, 7 July 2008
Better late.............
Hi everyone,
Just a little bit behind schedule with the blog, but as you probably guessed, it's the vacation season and so Master Blogger is currently away from his perch!!
That's not actually the reason why there was no blog last week - the real reason was that I couldn't remember the password to access the site - so now you know. However, I have just reset it and am currently considering whether to advise a certain person of the new password!
Anyway, thing are quite hectic following the recent issue of the exam results, with a number of calls coming in re new studies, a few moans and groans and even a few tears - shame!!
Talking about the exams, the Chartered Banker online situation is moving quite fast now, with five exams (UK Financial Services, Investment, CRM, ORM and Credit Risk Practice already available. Two more will shortly be on, being Call Centre Management and Financila Economics. No it's not a deliberate spelling mistake, but I just wanted to share how I always type that word FINANCIAL! Annoying or what!
Other than that, there is plenty going on at the CIOBS. Our website is getting a makeover and should be up an running soon(ish). It should be a lot slicker and easier to navigate and, if my request has been heard, (probably not) this blog will be located within the new site and it is the intention to give it a facelift too - we might even allow our two regular visitors (my mum and and unknown person) to make comments - but then again.....
Anyway, I'm going now, it's time I got cracking with the updates to all the Regulatory subjects and the two related Chartered Banker subjects so that these can be issued and the exam banks updated in time for October 1st when the changes take effect.
Have a good week - I may even see you later in the week (not physically, unless you're my mum).
Cheers.
Raymond
Just a little bit behind schedule with the blog, but as you probably guessed, it's the vacation season and so Master Blogger is currently away from his perch!!
That's not actually the reason why there was no blog last week - the real reason was that I couldn't remember the password to access the site - so now you know. However, I have just reset it and am currently considering whether to advise a certain person of the new password!
Anyway, thing are quite hectic following the recent issue of the exam results, with a number of calls coming in re new studies, a few moans and groans and even a few tears - shame!!
Talking about the exams, the Chartered Banker online situation is moving quite fast now, with five exams (UK Financial Services, Investment, CRM, ORM and Credit Risk Practice already available. Two more will shortly be on, being Call Centre Management and Financila Economics. No it's not a deliberate spelling mistake, but I just wanted to share how I always type that word FINANCIAL! Annoying or what!
Other than that, there is plenty going on at the CIOBS. Our website is getting a makeover and should be up an running soon(ish). It should be a lot slicker and easier to navigate and, if my request has been heard, (probably not) this blog will be located within the new site and it is the intention to give it a facelift too - we might even allow our two regular visitors (my mum and and unknown person) to make comments - but then again.....
Anyway, I'm going now, it's time I got cracking with the updates to all the Regulatory subjects and the two related Chartered Banker subjects so that these can be issued and the exam banks updated in time for October 1st when the changes take effect.
Have a good week - I may even see you later in the week (not physically, unless you're my mum).
Cheers.
Raymond
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