We have a brand new UK Facebook page, packed with useful information and contacts. Click here to view: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=100002041467641, and join us!

ACS Staff have now set up a blog - the latest entry covers the secrets to Social Networking. Click here to read!

Courses Revised and Updated:

Communications(Expanded Notes)
Computer Servicing III (Expanded Notes)
Pet Care (Expanded notes)
Environmental Studies (Expanded Notes)
Sustainable Agriculture (Revised)
Irrigation–Gardens (Expanded and now available as an online course)
Irrigation Management (Expanded and now available as an online course)

NEW COURSES:

Javascript– Expand Your Skills for Programming Web Sites

Is your career stalled, or are you finding it difficult to kick on a business, or move to the next level on the job ladder?
There are a range of common reasons why people stall:

• Losing focus. Life can get complex after you start a job or business. It is easy to become absorbed by day to day necessities (e.g. complying with procedures and regulations, managing the accounts, dealing with complaints) and never make time to focus on the big picture.
  
• Do not try to be like everyone else. Being different is a key to success. Having the same skills, the same qualifications, and the same products and services to offer will simply put you in competition with already successful people. Having something that is a little different makes you stand out.

Ask yourself every day: "What will make the biggest difference to moving my career/business forward?" and devote at least 10% of your time to doing just that.

Our courses are designed to help you develop a different set of skills to your competition, to sharpen your focus, build confidence, communication skills and unique networks of contacts. Many schools simply do not do this.
See all our courses at:
ACS in Australia:  http://www.acs.edu.au/Courses/Default.aspx
ACS in the UK :  http://www.acsedu.com/Courses/Default.aspx

Learn To Sell Yourself or Your Business
The first step is to attract attention. You only do this by becoming more visible in the world (get seen), and appearing to be different (get noticed).

The second step is to develop a relationship. This does not happen without dialogue (i.e. a two way communication). Employers will employ people who they can successfully communicate with. Buyers will deal with businesses they can successfully communicate with. Everyone prefers to deal with someone they know.

• Having a qualification and being unknown does not get you a job.
  
• Having a lesser qualification, but being known for having unique knowledge and skills will always make you a more attractive proposition.

We Can Help: Talk with one of our Academic Officers (Free Counselling Service) by clicking here) 

Qualifications Do Not Get You a Job… Learning does!

Does a University Degree increase your unemployability?
UK Unemployment rate in January 2011 was at 7.9%. The Daily Mail (UK) on 27/1/11 reported that 20% of university graduates were unemployed. Where are universities going wrong?

John Mason visited the UK for the first two weeks of February, meeting with affiliate colleges, professional bodies and attending a Garden Media Guild Event in London.

Canterbury based Affiliate, ADL, is growing rapidly despite the economic downturn, with record enrolments in January 2011. It was encouraging to hear of some wonderful success stories from their graduates  See www.adlhomestudy.co.uk

Newly launched Chelmsford based affiliate, Educational Academy, has brought together a team of outstanding expertise to create what promises to be an outstanding institution. Educational Academy is headed by Dr Jamie McAskill PhD, MBA, former deputy principal of Writtle College, who has a PhD in Veterinary Science, and is an internationally renowned educationist.
See  http://elearning.academy-zone.com/ for more details.

John also visited Warwickshire College (a large government institution in the midlands), who are now delivering a range of ACS courses under license. Click here to view courses.  

The Horticultural Media Guild event on Feb 3 brought together many of the leading horticultural companies, plant nurseries and professional bodies from across the UK, and many of the garden writers, radio and TV presenters and other power brokers from the UK gardening industry. By attending this and other such functions, ACS is building and maintaining both awareness of industry and relationships with organisations and individuals who are important to our students and affiliates students. Click here to read John Mason's article about the event.

Do you have questions about ACS? We have probably already answered your question on our Frequently Asked Questions page - click here to read.