3 April 2003

Liverpool-based Internet services group, Connect Internet Solutions Ltd., has announced the availability of a host of web-based Internet skills elearning courses, aimed at small and medium sized companies in the Merseyside area.

The range of bite-sized elearning courses, which have been made possible with European Social Funding, are available free to Merseyside businesses with less than 250 employees until June 2004.

Courses are accessed via the web from wherever and whenever the learner chooses. A course can typically be completed in a couple of hours or in smaller time chunks if preferred. The learner sets their own pace and schedule.

Course subjects cover a wide range of Internet issues from 'Choosing an Internet Service Provider', 'Broadband' and 'Preventing Viruses' to more specialist topics including 'Designing Web Pages for Improved Search Engine Performance' and 'Transferring Money Online'.

Courses that will become available in the near future include 'Personal FireWalls' and 'Evaluating Website Statistics'.

Ian Cockayne, Short Courses Co-ordinator at Connect, comments, "It can be difficult in the SME sector for staff to be released for classroom based training. The new elearning courses offer the flexibility that this sector needs.

"The course topics address skill sets that are often expensive and difficult for small and medium sized firms to buy in or to recruit. This is therefore an invaluable opportunity for Merseyside businesses to acquire essential Internet skills. The best news of all, of course, is that it's completely free of charge."

Elearning courses supplement a broad range of classroom based technology training courses offered by Connect.