Machu Picchu, Peru

 

Machu Picchu, Peru
Plymouth, Montserrat
The British Overseas Territory of Montserrat has seen its capital become one of the world’s largest ghost towns. During 1997 the whole population of Plymouth was evacuated due to the impending of eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano, in the days that followed the city was enveloped by ash. Many of the buildings were destroyed or buried by over 4.6 ft of hot ash, this meant that any sort of rebuilding would be incredibly difficult and two thirds of the population emigrated abroad. The city has been empty since 1997 and there are now plans to develop a new capital at Little Bay. The population is growing steadily and currently 89% of the population are aged under 65, promising a strong future for the island.
Sanzhi Pod City, Taiwan
The economic climate in the 1980’s was mildly unstable to say the least, this coupled with a number of deaths during construction meant that the structures were never finished. The development was originally commissioned as a holiday resort for US Military who were spending long periods of time posted in Taiwan. The “Ruins of the Future” have since become a popular destination for urban explorers, fascinated with the architecture and potential vision that developers held for this site in the 1970’s. Unfortunately the site was never inhabited, and fell into disrepair meaning demolition was the only option. The building stood for around 30 years before its inevitable bulldozing in 2008.
Pripyat, Ukraine
Possibly the most famous of abandonments comes from the tragic story of Pripyat in the Ukraine. Known to many as the Chernobyl disaster, Pripyat was the neighbouring town that housed many of the power plants workers and their families. The disaster makes for a unique landscape, with the exclusion zone measuring 19 miles. Over the past 27 years, since it’s evacuation in 1986, Pripyat has only been accessed by a handful of scientists and government officials making for an incredible scene of nature reclaiming the land. Many scientists have taken insight from this disaster, creating an approximate timeline for a post-apocalyptic world which is essentially what the Chernobyl disaster created on a small scale. Many of the buildings are in ruins and the scenes of a Ferris wheel from the towns amusement park has become an iconic image. The aftermath of the disaster caused terminal illness for many of the residents. The future of the site is unknown, but a small group of former residents are campaigning to have the site turned into a “museum city”.
Kolmanskop, Namibia
Diamonds are the creator of this fascinating ghost town located in the Namib Desert. After a railway worker discovered a diamond in 1908, his German supervisor alerted the German Authorities who immediately moved into the area and claimed it as “sperrgebiet”. The next 46 years were spent developing the area as more German nationals inhabited the site. The area was built in traditional German style, making for an intriguing visual experience that is still popular with tourists to this day. The area once boasted a theatre, hospital, ballroom, school, bowling alley and casino but all the amenities gradually disappeared as the resources dried up. The town was eventually deserted in 1958 and has been somewhat reclaimed by the sands of the desert.
The environment we live in is a complex network of human cause and effect actions. These areas of the world that have been affected in some way by our endeavour to expand and develop the way we live. The environment is sensitive to human development and has to be treated in such a way that respects this, if you would like to learn more about our environment there are Environmental Awareness QCF courses available for this.

 

View from above: the ruins remain from the Inca civilisation

This 15th Century Inca settlement is one of the world’s most iconic landmarks and is at the top of many people’s bucket lists.

Essentially UNESCO world heritage site has been a ghost town ever since it’s abandonment after the Spanish conquests of Peru in the late 1500’s. Although the Inca settlers were perishing from smallpox from contact with Europeans, the city itself was never discovered by the Spanish and so remained a ghost town for over 300 years being completely untouched until its discovery by Hiram Bingham III in 1911. Some historians suggest that German explorers discovered the site sometime in the 1800’s, but instead of declaring the discovery, chose to plunder the city of its valuables.

Plymouth, Montserrat

 

 

Abandoned and ruined: The islands branch of Barclays bank was destroyed by the falling ash

The British Overseas Territory of Montserrat has seen its capital become one of the world’s largest ghost towns. During 1997 the whole population of Plymouth, Montserrat was evacuated due to the impending  eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano, in the days that followed the city was enveloped by ash. Many of the buildings were destroyed or buried by over 4.6 ft of hot ash, this meant that any sort of rebuilding would be incredibly difficult and two thirds of the population emigrated abroad. The city has been empty since 1997 and there are now plans to develop a new capital at Little Bay on the other side of the island. The population is growing steadily and currently 89% of the population are aged under 65, promising a strong future for the Montserrat.

 

Sanzhi Pod City, Taiwan

 

 

Ruins of the Future: the futuristic pods have now been demolished after standing untouched for 30 years

The economic climate in the 1980’s was mildly unstable to say the least, this coupled with a number of deaths during construction meant that the structures were never finished. The development was originally commissioned as a holiday resort for US Military who were spending long periods of time posted in Taiwan. The “Ruins of the Future” have since become a popular destination for urban explorers, fascinated with the architecture and potential vision that developers held for this site in the 1970’s. Unfortunately the site was never inhabited, and fell into disrepair meaning demolition was the only option. The building stood for around 30 years before its inevitable bulldozing in 2008.

Pripyat, Ukraine

 

 

Left as it was: The bumper cars remain in the spot they were left over 25 years ago

Possibly the most famous of abandonments comes from the tragic story of Pripyat in the Ukraine. Known to many as the Chernobyl disaster, Pripyat was the neighbouring town that housed many of the power plants workers and their families. The disaster makes for a unique landscape, with the exclusion zone measuring 19 miles. Over the past 27 years, since it’s evacuation in 1986, Pripyat has only been accessed by a handful of scientists and government officials making for an incredible scene of nature reclaiming the land. Many scientists have taken insight from this disaster, creating an approximate timeline for a post-apocalyptic world which is essentially what the Chernobyl disaster created on a small scale. Many of the buildings are in ruins and the scenes of a Ferris wheel from the towns amusement park has become an iconic image. The aftermath of the disaster caused terminal illness for many of the residents. The future of the site is unknown, but a small group of former residents are campaigning to have the site turned into a “museum city”.

Kolmanskop, Namibia

 

 

Captains Quarters: The abode of former leader of the diamond mining company who lived in Kolmanskop

Diamonds are the creator of this fascinating ghost town located in the Namib Desert. After a railway worker discovered a diamond in 1908, his German supervisor alerted the German Authorities who immediately moved into the area and claimed it as “sperrgebiet”. The next 46 years were spent developing the area as more German nationals inhabited the site. The area was built in traditional German style, making for an intriguing visual experience that is still popular with tourists to this day. The area once boasted a theatre, hospital, ballroom, school, bowling alley and casino but all the amenities gradually disappeared as the resources dried up. The town was eventually deserted in 1958 and has been somewhat reclaimed by the sands of the desert.

The environment we live in is a complex network of human cause and effect actions. These areas of the world that have been affected in some way by our endeavour to expand and develop the way we live. The environment is sensitive to human development and has to be treated in such a way that respects this, if you would like to learn more about our environment there are Environmental Awareness QCF courses available for this.

 


@thewordoftheday “desideratum (/dɪˌsɪdəˈreɪtəm, -ˈrɑ-, -ˌzɪd-/) – n: something wanted or needed.”

This account isn’t necessarily just for the lexicographer’s among us (people who write dictionaries), and nor should anyone suffering from Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia (phobia of long words…how ironic) be particularly worried. This account provides interesting and unusual words for you to improve your vocabulary. This account tweets every few days and does not bombard you with retweets from other “sister” accounts which is quite refreshing.


@mental_floss “In Nevada “none of the above” is an option on ballots”

The home of amazing facts, mental floss was established as a magazine in 2001 and now has a circulation of over 100,000 copies in 17 countries. The constantly updated twitter account provides amazing facts in bite-size chunks. Reliability is a huge factor when following “amazing facts” and mental floss is as reputable as they come. The learning potential is vast, you will have your local pub quiz teams fighting over you in no time at all.


@DeepakChopra “Deepak Chopras 5 ways to fight sugar cravings”

Deepak Chopra is an Indian-American author, known by many as the go to guy for anything holistic health and alternative medicine. Deepak has attracted criticism from certain sections of the scientific community for his methods and ideas, but there are a large amount of his followers that have experienced great success from following his alternative therapies. The tweets offered have some interesting content in anything from healthy eating tips to the roots of enlightenment and personal development.


@History_Pics “A floating McDonald’s was made for the Vancouver Expo of 1986”

This is the first account on our list that is exclusively made up of photographs. Above you can see the run down remains of the first ever “McBarge” which was showcased in Vancouver in 1986. This account has the ideal mix of nostalgia and interesting subject matter. The atmospheric nature of many of the photos posted within this account never fails to pull you directly through the lens of the photographer and into scene. The eclectic mix of subjects keeps you coming back for more. The educational aspect of this account comes in the form of documenting historic events in ways which many will have never seen before, one particular highlight is a German U-Boat 155 exhibited near the Tower Bridge in London after World War I, 1919.


@stephenfry “New run of Gadget Man starts tomorrow on C4 – sadly not with me in it , I just didn’t have time to pack a new series into my schedule”

Probably the person most synonymous with the Twitter brand and one of the pioneers of the social media platform, Fry has developed a large following on Twitter and is known for his witty nature and intelligence. The host of a television show QI (Quite Interesting), should tell you that there is plenty of tweets worthy of claiming some storage space in your brain. With the odd bit of celebrity glamour thrown in this account will appeal to a wide range of people and Stephen will no doubt have you gripped and waiting for the next tweet with baited breath.

If you would like to keep up to date with NCC Home Learning’s tweets, you can follow us @NCCHomeLearning. If you would like to gain knowledge, NCC offer over 350 comprehensive home learning courses.

 

 

Many people instantly associate the word “education” with school, but the amount of options for further education and training outside of traditional College or University hours are growing. With the emergence of Distance Learning, Open University and Virtual Learning environments there are more options available for adult learners than ever before. We aim to guide you to personal development heaven, ensuring you find the perfect way to broaden your horizons in 2014.
1: Be clear on your Aims
People embark on further education courses for a wide variety of reasons, whether it be career change, clinching a promotion or simply just an interest course that has taken your fancy. Before you start your search be clear on your motive for starting the course and your expectations after completion. Interest courses are the perfect way to brush up on your knowledge and also an enjoyable way to spend your spare time. The level to which you complete an interest course should not be the priority, content is key as your motivation will be generated from how stimulating you find the materials. A course for career development must have more focus on course level and awarding bodies that are relevant to your particular line of work.
2: Shop Around
Shopping around is essential when making any purchase, but becomes particularly important when choosing which provider you would most like to learn with. Any respectable education and training provider will be represented on some form of review site such as Trustpilot or Reviewcentre, this is a great tool to read about other students experiences and will aid you in your final decision making process. The current economic status dictates the price sensitivity of the consumer, but don’t always be tempted by the cheapest, reviews will help you determine a good price vs quality ratio.
3: Awarding Bodies are Key
Awarding bodies can be confusing, and there a wide variety that apply for different types of courses. Some providers may not even have accreditation from an awarding body and ensuring that they do should be your first port of call. Essentially, awarding bodies ensure that the quality of materials offered by an education provider are of satisfactory quality. External verifiers will often be sent from the awarding bodies to the providers to create reports on the quality of service and materials provided, these reports can in most cases be requested by consumers. Some of the main awarding bodies include, AQA, NCFE, Ascentis and CIEH.
4: Ask for samples
The majority of providers will have samples of their courses that are available for viewing by potential learners. This will not only give you an idea of the quality of the content but will also help you gauge the format of the course.
5: Pre plan your time management
The amount of time needed to complete a course will depend on a number of variables such as learning speed of the individual and course level. Ask a provider for an estimate on the amount of hours needed to complete the course, this will make it easy for you to assess whether you will have sufficient time to complete the course. An example of this would be a 200 hour level 3 diploma, which may initially sound daunting but when broken down, would only require 4 hours per week over a 12 month period.
The number of courses available out there is growing daily, and there is something for every individual. Spending some time researching and evaluating your options will be beneficial to you once embarking on your learning experience. Best of luck with your search!

Many people instantly associate the word “education” with school, but the amount of options for further education and training outside of traditional College or University hours are growing. With the emergence of Distance Learning, Open University and Virtual Learning environments there are more options available for adult learners than ever before. We aim to guide you to personal development heaven, ensuring you find the perfect way to broaden your horizons in 2014.

1: Be clear on your aims

People embark on further education courses for a wide variety of reasons, whether it be career change, clinching a promotion or simply just an interest course that has taken your fancy. Before you start your search be clear on your motive for starting the course and your expectations after completion. Interest courses are the perfect way to brush up on your knowledge and also an enjoyable way to spend your spare time. The level to which you complete an interest course should not be the priority, content is key as your motivation will be generated from how stimulating you find the materials. A course for career development must have more focus on course level and awarding bodies that are relevant to your particular line of work.

2: Shop around

Shopping around is essential when making any purchase, but becomes particularly important when choosing which provider you would most like to learn with. Any respectable education and training provider will be represented on some form of review site such as Trustpilot or Reviewcentre, this is a great tool to read about other students experiences and will aid you in your final decision making process. The current economic status dictates the price sensitivity of the consumer, but don’t always be tempted by the cheapest, reviews will help you determine a good price vs quality ratio.

3: Awarding Bodies are key

Awarding bodies can be confusing, and there a wide variety that apply for different types of courses. Some providers may not even have accreditation from an awarding body and ensuring that they do should be your first port of call. Essentially, awarding bodies ensure that the quality of materials offered by an education provider are of satisfactory quality. External verifiers will often be sent from the awarding bodies to the providers to create reports on the quality of service and materials provided, these reports can in most cases be requested by consumers. Some of the main awarding bodies include, AQA, NCFE, Ascentis and CIEH.

4: Ask for samples

The majority of providers will have samples of their courses that are available for viewing by potential learners. This will not only give you an idea of the quality of the content but will also help you gauge the format of the course.

5: Pre plan your time management

The amount of time needed to complete a course will depend on a number of variables such as learning speed of the individual and course level. Ask a provider for an estimate on the amount of hours needed to complete the course, this will make it easy for you to assess whether you will have sufficient time to complete the course. An example of this would be a 200 hour level 3 diploma, which may initially sound daunting but when broken down, would only require 4 hours per week over a 12 month period.

The number of courses available out there is growing daily, and there is something for every individual. Spending some time researching and evaluating your options will be beneficial to you once embarking on your learning experience. Best of luck with your search!

 

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The New Year’s Honours list can often be seen as somewhat of a “who’s who”, but the real meaning of such an honour is rewarding those who provide that little bit extra to improve the lives of others. A wide range of people are represented in the honours list, whether it be through an individual’s talent or just an extraordinary will to improve the quality of life for others.

NCC’s very own Gloria Armistead was recently honoured for her services to FASD awareness and reduction. Her years of tireless campaigning and volunteer work has finally been rewarded with an MBE. Gloria is the founder of charity organisation FAS Aware, and has been working continually to raise the profile of the dangers surround drinking alcohol while pregnant.
Gloria has worked closely with NCC for a number of years, not only developing the Level 3 Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders programme but also showing continued commitment by tutoring pupils who have undertaken the course. The course benefits professionals as well as families who may have been personally affected by FASD.
We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate one of our most valued tutors, not just on her recent recognition, but on the many years of hard work that have led to this. The FASD course written by Gloria is a credit to her knowledge and understanding of such a complex subject area.

The New Year’s Honours list can often be seen as somewhat of a “who’s who”, but the real meaning of such an honour is rewarding those who provide that little bit extra to improve the lives of others. A wide range of people are represented in the honours list, whether it be through an individual’s talent or just an extraordinary will to improve the quality of life for others.

NCC’s very own Gloria Armistead was recently honoured for her services to FASD awareness and reduction. Her years of tireless campaigning and volunteer work has finally been rewarded with an MBE. Gloria is the founder of charity organisation FAS Aware, and has been working continually to raise the profile of the dangers surround drinking alcohol while pregnant.

Gloria has worked closely with NCC for a number of years, not only developing the Level 3 Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders programme but also showing continued commitment by tutoring pupils who have undertaken the course. The course benefits professionals as well as families who may have been personally affected by FASD.

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate one of our most valued tutors, not just on her recent recognition, but on the many years of hard work that have led to this. The FASD course written by Gloria is a credit to her knowledge and understanding of such a complex subject area.

 

 

 

hen you join the hundreds of thousands of people who take part in wear it pink, you become part of a collective force of scientists, supporters and people affected by breast cancer. Together, our mission is to beat this disease by funding ground-breaking research.
Our approach to breast cancer research is pioneering and highly responsive. Breast Cancer Campaign looks for opportunities where the potential for real impact is the highest. Then we get the necessary funding straight to where it can make the most difference.
But despite recent advances, breast cancer is still the most common cancer. Every year it claims the lives of 12,000 women, and 50,000 more are diagnosed. It’s crucial that we keep funding this vital research.
Last year, £2.1 million was raised by our wear it pink supporters and this money is already funding world-class research across the UK and Ireland that saves lives.

The staff at NCC dug deep into the depths of their wardrobe to find their pinkest item of clothing for charity. Wear it pink has been a annual event for the past three years at NCC and some of the efforts this year were fantastic. We managed to raise £70, which will help the ongoing fight against breast cancer.

When you join the hundreds of thousands of people who take part in wear it pink, you become part of a collective force of scientists, supporters and people affected by breast cancer. Together, the aim is to beat this disease by funding ground-breaking research.
Our approach to breast cancer research is pioneering and highly responsive. Breast Cancer Campaign looks for opportunities where the potential for real impact is the highest. Then we get the necessary funding straight to where it can make the most difference.

But despite recent advances, breast cancer is still the most common cancer. Every year it claims the lives of 12,000 women, and 50,000 more are diagnosed. It’s crucial that we keep funding this vital research.

Last year, £2.1 million was raised by our wear it pink supporters and this money is already funding world-class research across the UK and Ireland that saves lives.

To learn more about the Wear it Pink campaign, visit their website at www.wearitpink.org

 

 

 

 

CC hold a strong emphasis on youth employment, with many of the current full-time staff quota being made up of individuals who originally started life as an apprentice. We have got together with NCC’s newest web support assistant to get his views on apprenticeships.
Working his way steadily through the apprenticeship, Dan was able to learn all the different aspects of the business and gain an understanding of how the industry works. Dan was interviewed for an internal position of web development assistant and passed with flying colours to gain the title. Dan will now focus working alongside the business development team and understanding the technical aspects of web development.
What is your background, how did you get on at school, what made you decide to go into an apprenticeship, what were/are your career ambitions?
I attended a high school in St Helens called Sutton High Sports College which is now known as The Sutton Academy, I attended there from 2005-2010 and passed all of my GCSE’s there. I went on to enrol on the sixth form but when browsing the internet I came across an apprenticeship with NCC, I forwarded my CV on the office manager, Catherine Appleton, and then got invited in for an interview which led to me dropping out of sixth form and then starting here.
Did you enjoy your role as an apprentice?
I very much enjoyed my role as an apprentice as being in that role gave me a chance to learn how the company works, I did work in all departments of the company as an apprentice and gained some vital experience that will help me in the future.
How did you find your apprenticeship, what was the process like, did you have to have certain qualifications or experience, was there an interview?
I found the apprenticeship advertised on a website but instead of going down the usual route of applying through the website I contacted a man at St Helens College directly with my CV who then forwarded it on to Catherine. I got an email back a few days later and got invited into meet Catherine, In the interview I brought a copy of my CV along with any certificates I had obtained beforehand and showed them to Catherine, I had a chat with her regarding the job role and what would be expected of me. By then I had seen the office and was sure that I wanted to work here.
Did your lifestyle or priorities change in any way once you got an apprenticeship?
Before I began the apprenticeship with NCC I was a very cheeky person and sometimes a bit immature, since I started I feel I have grown up a lot and look more seriously at things.
How hard was it to get a job in your chosen field? How many did you apply for before finding the right one?
The apprenticeship with NCC was the first one I applied for in this field so I guess I was quite lucky to get an interview straight away.
How does your permanent role differ from your apprenticeship?
My role I have now is  a brand new role the company had opened up, I was the first person to fill it so Im always looking for things to add to my job role. The name title of my position is Website Support Assistant, So I maintain any websites we currently have, monitor traffic, add new content etc, and then I also create any new websites the company may use.
How did you find managing studies alongside working commitments?
Most of the work which went into completing the apprenticeship was practical work which required an assessor to come into the workplace and to monitor me in my everyday role, sometimes she would make a voice recording and sometimes she would just watch and note down what I was doing, There was some written work but I was given spare time in work to complete this so I didn’t struggle with it too bad.
What tips or advice would you give to anybody thinking of getting an apprenticeship?
I would say to people to go ahead if they are looking for an apprenticeship but to choose carefully on what they do and who they do their apprenticeship with. I think a lot of businesses would use the apprenticeship scheme to get work done for cheaper. I have seen apprenticeships advertised for work in corner shops and I just don’t think that is how an apprenticeship should be. So be careful on who you choose to do the apprenticeship with

To celebrate Youth Employment UK Month, NCC have took time out to get some insight into the life of one of our apprentices and how their role has advanced throughout their time with the company.

NCC hold a strong emphasis on youth employment, with many of the current full-time staff quota being made up of individuals who originally started life as an apprentice. We have got together with NCC’s newest web support assistant to get his views on apprenticeships.

Working his way steadily through the apprenticeship, Dan was able to learn all the different aspects of the business and gain an understanding of how the industry works. Dan was interviewed for an internal position of web development assistant and passed with flying colours to gain the title. Dan will now focus working alongside the business development team and understanding the technical aspects of web development.

What is your background, how did you get on at school, what made you decide to go into an apprenticeship, what were/are your career ambitions?

I attended a high school in St Helens called Sutton High Sports College which is now known as The Sutton Academy, I attended there from 2005-2010 and passed all of my GCSE’s there. I went on to enrol on the sixth form but when browsing the internet I came across an apprenticeship with NCC, I forwarded my CV on the office manager, Catherine Appleton, and then got invited in for an interview which led to me dropping out of sixth form and then starting here.

Did you enjoy your role as an apprentice?

I very much enjoyed my role as an apprentice as being in that role gave me a chance to learn how the company works, I did work in all departments of the company as an apprentice and gained some vital experience that will help me in the future.

How did you find your apprenticeship, what was the process like, did you have to have certain qualifications or experience, was there an interview?

I found the apprenticeship advertised on a website but instead of going down the usual route of applying through the website I contacted a man at St Helens College directly with my CV who then forwarded it on to Catherine. I got an email back a few days later and got invited into meet Catherine, In the interview I brought a copy of my CV along with any certificates I had obtained beforehand and showed them to Catherine, I had a chat with her regarding the job role and what would be expected of me. By then I had seen the office and was sure that I wanted to work here.

Did your lifestyle or priorities change in any way once you got an apprenticeship? 

Before I began the apprenticeship with NCC I was a very cheeky person and sometimes a bit immature, since I started I feel I have grown up a lot and look more seriously at things.

How hard was it to get a job in your chosen field? How many did you apply for before finding the right one?

The apprenticeship with NCC was the first one I applied for in this field so I guess I was quite lucky to get an interview straight away.

How does your permanent role differ from your apprenticeship?

My role I have now is  a brand new role the company had opened up, I was the first person to fill it so Im always looking for things to add to my job role. The name title of my position is Website Support Assistant, So I maintain any websites we currently have, monitor traffic, add new content etc, and then I also create any new websites the company may use.

How did you find managing studies alongside working commitments?

Most of the work which went into completing the apprenticeship was practical work which required an assessor to come into the workplace and to monitor me in my everyday role, sometimes she would make a voice recording and sometimes she would just watch and note down what I was doing, There was some written work but I was given spare time in work to complete this so I didn’t struggle with it too bad.

What tips or advice would you give to anybody thinking of getting an apprenticeship?

I would say to people to go ahead if they are looking for an apprenticeship but to choose carefully on what they do and who they do their apprenticeship with. I think a lot of businesses would use the apprenticeship scheme to get work done for cheaper. I have seen apprenticeships advertised for work in corner shops and I just don’t think that is how an apprenticeship should be. So be careful on who you choose to do the apprenticeship with.

If you would like more information on Youth Employment UK please click here. Alternatively, join the conversation on Twitter using the hastag #YouthFriendlyUK

NCC’s recent success at the 2013 British Chamber Awards is featured in the St Helen’s Star. 

 

 

NCC’s recent success at the 2013 British Chamber Awards is featured in today’s Liverpool Daily Post. To take a look at the full article, Click Here and download the Liverpool Daily Post App.

 

Learning and music are often seen as complimentary elements, yet many would disagree. Personal preference is the key in this particular argument. This infographic provided by onlinecolleges.net.