ramsac a finalist for Toast of Surrey business award

Hopes for ‘Apprenticeship Scheme of the Year’ category win

ramsac, a leading IT solutions consultancy has reached the final stages of the Toast of Surrey Awards 2012, in the category of ‘Apprenticeship Scheme of the Year’. With a record number of entries for 2012, the annual awards celebrate the success of local businesses and recognise their contribution to the economy, community and prosperity of Surrey. As the winner of last year’s ‘Company of the Year’ award, ramsac this year wanted to highlight its commitment to and the benefits from, running a dedicated in-house apprenticeship scheme which nurtures upcoming IT talent and offers an excellent alternative to further education.

Back to University

Yesterday, I was lucky to be invited back to my old stomping ground at Southampton Solent University to take part in a Meet the Alumni session, with current students studying on the Public Relations and Communications BA course. The session’s aim was to introduce to the students the kind of work they can do once the course has been completed and the pros and cons of working in an in-house, or agency situation.

The session was a real eye opener; it showed me just how far the course itself had developed since I graduated in 2009 and how the university and lecturers are working hard preparing students for the world of work. Units such as negotiation and live client campaigns are featured and concentrated on more heavily to allow students to explore what will be expected of them.

The experience of meeting the students and explaining to them what it is like working as a PRO was really valuable, it makes you realise how much practising PR changes your perception of the job and how PR skills are extremely transferrable. After explaining how PR can be used for pretty much anything from a person, a company or a product I tackled the main concern that the students had, which was in-house or agency. Now this is a long serving question and can only really be answered by trying it out for yourself, but I gave the pros and cons as follows:

In-house:
• Focussed on one company
• Know the subject inside out
• Work in a small communications team/often alone
• Typically 9-5 hours
• Long term campaigns
• Slightly better pay
• Reporting is often frequent

Agency:
• Varied work with several clients
• A knowledge of many topics and enhance the ability to learn quickly the information you need
• Work with other PR professionals and can draw on their knowledge and experience
• May be required to work longer hours if a deadline is approaching
• Short term campaigns
• Stable pay often bonuses
• Your client is not sitting next to you so you can prepare and schedule meetings to ensure you are not distracted or unprepared

Explaining to them that whatever path is chosen they still get to use the same PR skill set hadn’t seemed to occur to them, but I was extraordinarily impressed with the amount of experience in the workplace they were trying to obtain to boost their CVs. There will definitely be some brilliant PROs graduating this year!

ramsac teaches schools how to balance IT services costs

IT expert demonstrates how to improve services and save costs at BETT 2012, Olympia 11th-14th January 2012, stand K2

ramsac, a leading IT solutions consultancy, will be demonstrating its ‘menu’ of education IT support services at BETT 2012 (the largest education technology exhibition in the world), which is being held at Olympia in London, from 11th to 14th January 2012. Appearing on Stand K2, ramsac will show how schools can stretch their budgets and make the most of their resources.

UKTI Looking for Technology Product Video ahead of Olympic Games

Do you have video of your technology that the UKTI can use to play at overseas events at British Embassies and High Commissions to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Games next year?

UKTI is producing a film to showcase a number of UK companies active in the sports industry, prior to 2012 Olympics. If you have video footage of your technology and wish to be considered please contact Martin Kemp at the NanoKTN ASAP at: martin.kemp@nanoktn.com

At the NanoKTN's Nano4Sport event on 21 September, Neil Semple from UKTI referred to the UKTI Innovation Showcase film that they plan to produce by March 2012 to play at overseas events at British Embassies and High Commissions to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Games.

UKTI have now been asked by the producers of the showcase to provide film footage of UK capability and products that has to meet the following criteria:
1. Is it a genuinely innovation product, service, process or technology that is accepted by markets, governments and society and does it generally signify a substantial positive change?
2. What is the human face of the story? Has the innovation changed lives? One of the key aims of the showcase is to reflect how British innovations have changed the lives of people not only in the UK but around the world.
3. Will there be restrictions in accessing footage?
4. How likely is it that there will be good quality footage available to illustrate the innovation in question?

The proposed duration of the Innovation Showcase is 6-7 minutes inclusive of an introduction and a conclusion. Therefore, each sector will have approximately 30 seconds of screen time, albeit this duration is multiplied by a total of six individual video screens. They will use specifically composed music to help develop pace and emotion throughout the six to seven minutes duration.

If this opportunity is of interest, please contact Martin Kemp at the NanoKTN.

TDSi expands in Nigeria with partner Rapid Vigil Security Company Limited

Poole UK, 31th October 2011 – TDSi, a global leader in access control systems for all sizes of businesses and organisations, today announces Rapid Vigil Security Company Limited of Nigeria has become a partner. The partnership gives TDSi a greater sales reach in the West African market, whilst giving Rapid Vigil Security Company Limited full access to the company’s high quality products and top-tier support services.

Solent’s Collaborate2Innovate 2011 Now Sold Out

Event to build Profitable Partnerships for Organisations in Solent Region

The organisers of Collaborate2Innovate (C2I) 2011 have now closed the event registration after over 500 people registered for this year’s C2I event on Tuesday 1st November 2011, in response to overwhelming interest from local businesses wanting to attend the Solent region’s major collaboration and innovation event.

For further information on C2I please visit www.collaborate2innovate2011.co.uk or contact C2I's press office on c2ipr@mccint.com

TDSi launches new version of MICROgarde access control product software

MICROgarde Version 2.31 software makes installation easier with controller detection and additional language support

Poole, 25^th October 2011 – TDSi, a global leader in access control systems for all sizes of businesses and organisations has launched an updated version (Version 2.31) of its MICROgarde entry-level networkable access control product software. The new version makes installation of the system even easier.

dhc Launches iConnekt XL Software For Improved Integration Between Access Dimensions and Microsoft Excel

Accountancy and finance teams to benefit from faster and more in-depth reporting

dhc, a provider of integrated software solutions, today announces the launch of iConnekt XL. The tool has been developed by dhc to significantly improve the integration between Microsoft Excel and the financial software, Access Dimensions. Using iConnekt XL, accountancy and finance teams benefit from more control and better quality analysis, reporting and presentation of financial information. In addition the tool provides enhanced financial planning, budgeting and forecasting capabilities.

For further information on dhc and dhc's new iConnekt XL software please contact dhc's press office on dhcpr@mccint.com.

TDSi Appoints IP Video Surveillance Specialist, Customer Care Advisor and Pre-Sales Support to Global UK Head Office

Poole, 28^th September 2011 – TDSi, a global leader in access control systems for all sizes of businesses and organisations has recruited three new members to its UK team. Rob Clark joins as Business Development Manager for the company’s VUgarde IP video surveillance solution, Francesca Wilkey is appointed to the role of Customer Care Advisor, supporting TDSi’s partners, resellers and end-users, and Gregg Little has joined in the role of Pre-sales Support.