Press release: Dstl Launches 2018 Apprenticeship Scheme

Following on from last year, Dstl has continued to expand its apprenticeship scheme, this year offering opportunities for 18 year olds and beyond. This includes the chance to gain a degree and other qualifications while in employment, with a competitive salary and 25 days paid annual leave.

Jade Ward, Dstl’s Apprenticeship Adviser said:

“Dstl has a proven track record of successful apprenticeship programmes. We offer a pathway to earn while you learn while gaining real hands-on work experience without the debt of going to university. We are proud to offer these opportunities supporting the Government’s 2020 vision of getting up to three million people enrolled on apprenticeship schemes across the UK.”

26 year-old Louise, a first year electrical engineering apprentice, said:

“I have just started my apprenticeship with Dstl and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I was not academically inclined at school, and so was a little concerned, but I have not once felt that I cannot keep up – the tutors are really great and I definitely don’t feel disadvantaged.”

Dstl employee 20 year-old Zac said:

“I have recently graduated from the apprenticeship and have secured a permanent job. Throughout the apprenticeship I learnt lots of new techniques and skills, which gave me a good foot in to the group I am now working in.”

The Dstl apprenticeship scheme is a mix of formal classroom-based study alongside practical hands-on training in our workshop, laboratory and office facilities.

Apprentices are based at sites in Porton Down, near Salisbury and Portsdown West, near Fareham. Dstl has a diverse, inclusive workforce and welcomes applications from all backgrounds to apply.

To find out how to register visit Dstl Apprenticeship Opportunities



Linguistics at the Library – Episode 2

PhD placement students, Andrew Booth and Rowan Campbell, write:

In the second episode of Linguistics at the Library, Andrew and Rowan discuss some of the differences between regional accents and ‘RP’ (Received Pronunciation), and why people might feel that they have to change the way they speak to work in certain jobs. Using clips from the British Library’s Evolving English Collection, we look at the concepts of stigma and prestige, and how social factors can influence the way we perceive accents.

Tweet us your questions! @VoicesofEnglish

This week’s ‘What’s the feature?’ used a clip from: BBC Voices Recording in Driffield. BBC, UK, rec. 2004 [digital audio file]. British Library, C1190/16/02. Available: http://sounds.bl.uk/Accents-and-dialects/BBC-Voices/021M-C1190X0016XX-0201V0

Interesting links:

Have you experienced discrimination due to your accent? Submit your story to the Accentism Project: http://accentism.org/

Peter Trudgill’s piece on modern RP: http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/estuary/trudgill.htm

Social Mobility Commission report: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/less-affluent-kids-are-locked-out-of-investment-banking-jobs

Prejudice against English teachers with Northern accents: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/research-exposes-prejudice-over-teachers-with-northern-accents/

Overt and covert prestige: https://linguistics.knoji.com/language-and-socioeconomic-status-overt-vs-covert-prestige/

Linguistics at the Library Episode 2

 



Government must wake up to crisis facing NHS as A&E wait times hit record levels

NHS A&E waiting times have hit the worst levels on record.

This is yet more evidence of the growing crisis in our health and social care services, where staff are being put under great pressure and quality of care for patients is suffering.

When will the Government wake up to the fact that they urgently need to commit additional funding?

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Getting things done – Hawkhill and West Port #dundeewestend

Residents recently raised with me the fact that the street lighting in parts of the Hawkhill by-pass (near Blackness Primary School) and West Port was not on in the morning when it was still dark.

I am grateful to the Street Lighting Partnership who promptly resolved this – a timeclock issue, now fixed.

The Street Lighting Partnership Manager advised me that timeclocks are being phased out to avoid such issues.   She indicates :

“We replace the timeclocks with a photoelectric cell which operates on the ambient lighting levels. Currently we are using cells which switch the lights at 35lux in the evening and 18 lux in the morning.

Unfortunately it is not a straight swap for these components and often some additional cabling and tracking is required.”


Why the EU paper on transition is unacceptable

I am glad David Davis objects to the language of the EU paper. I trust he also objects to the following in it

“The UK may not become bound by international agreements entered into in its own capacity in the areas of exclusive competence of the Union….”

“For the purposes of the Treaties,during the transition period the Parliament of the UK shall not be considered a national Parliament”
etc