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)