Distance learning helps jobless to get back to work

Citation

(2003), "Distance learning helps jobless to get back to work", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 35 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2003.03735bab.004

Distance learning helps jobless to get back to work

Distance learning helps jobless to get back to work

People in the Ile-de-France region of France who are out of work or who want to improve their employment prospects are being given increased access to distance-learning materials, with help from Ascot Systems' NetTutor virtual classroom.

Set up more than a year ago and constantly being refined, the system is helping to train people to embark on new careers. The long-term plan is to roll out NetTutor throughout France.

Sponsored by the French education ministry, with initial funding provided through the European Union, the project – known as DIFADIF – makes a wide range of distance-learning materials available through local training centres.

Training courses offered through DIFADIF include office technology, computer-assisted design, revision in French and mathematics, company accounting and management, commercial English, hotel and restaurant reception, setting up or taking over a company (diagnostic and business plan) and career orientation.

Brian Clynes, of Ascot Systems, explained: "DIFADIF needed a virtual-classroom facility to be part of the learning platform, in order to offer live classes – delivered via the Internet – at a number of local training centres across the region. The consortium tested several options and chose NetTutor for its speed of delivery and ease of use as a teaching system".

He added that the use of NetTutor had allowed the project leaders to create a counsellors' area to offer advice and guidance to students.