#and they are having to reduce the number of student staff Tumblr posts

[astriiformes]

Sometimes you just have to have a little cry in the middle of a bunch of 500 year-old books, and that's okay. I am telling myself it's okay.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Earlier this week the trade union for doctors and medical students in the UK issued a warning about the number of doctors that have had to quit or reduce their hours due to long covid – the number was one in five. This story was covered in a limited way in a couple of places, which while not good enough was still a welcome jolt of covid reality in a landscape of denial. But tellingly, the media ignored something else the British Medical Association said. Something angry, something as equally demanding of attention, perhaps even more so than the headline statistic. Addressing the current spread of covid, particularly in healthcare settings, they said, “Infection control guidelines are fundamentally flawed: SARS-CoV-2 is airborne. It is outrageous that three-and-a-half years into this pandemic, staff and patients are still, knowingly and repeatedly, being exposed to a level-3 biohazard – a virus known to cause brain damage and significantly increased risk of life-threatening blood complications even in those recovered.” The union entrusted by 173,000 doctors and medical students in the UK to speak on their behalf is angrily castigating politicians and decision makers for refusing to face reality. The reality of covid as an airborne virus, and its reality as something much nastier than a cold or flu. They are demanding the reintroduction of infectious disease controls, and explicitly calling out covid as a brain damaging virus, and equivalent in its danger and infectiousness to yellow fever or West Nile virus. 

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved on our archive

By Hayley Gleeson

There wasn't a dramatic "lightning bolt" moment when Colin Kinner realised he needed to roll up his sleeves and start tackling what he'd come to see as a pernicious problem: the largely unchecked spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Australian schools.

What spurred him to act, in the end, was the growing pile of evidence that COVID was a serious health threat, and his concern that school communities seemed to be shrugging their shoulders at it.

He was tired of hearing about schools allowing teachers to come to work while COVID positive. Of sick children being permitted to stay in class and infecting others. Of schools asking parents not to tell them if their child had COVID, but routinely sending home letters about head lice or chickenpox. Of teachers and kids catching the virus and not recovering.

"As a parent, I want my son to be safe at school, so that was a key part of my motivation to do this," says Mr Kinner, the Brisbane creator of COVID Safety for Schools, a free online course that aims to correct misinformation and teach school staff and parents how to reduce the risk of the virus spreading. "But also, having spoken to lots of other parents and teachers, it's clear that most schools are lacking an understanding of some of the absolute basics of COVID. And in the fifth year of the pandemic, I find that very troubling."

Every week in Australia too many students and teachers are catching COVID at school, Mr Kinner says, resulting in disrupted learning, teacher shortages, increased transmission in the broader community and disabling chronic illnesses like long COVID. It's hardly surprising: a packed classroom can be the perfect place for an airborne virus to thrive, with one US study finding more than 70 per cent of COVID transmission in homes began with an infected school-age child.

Schools aren't necessarily at fault: in most states they've been starved of good public health guidance, Mr Kinner says — they've been told "they can treat it like any other respiratory illness, so that's exactly what they're doing".

Step one: correct misinformation A science and technology communicator and startup mentor, Mr Kinner's solution was to assemble a team — some of Australia's leading experts in public health, medicine and engineering — who could explain in simple video tutorials the health risks of COVID, the science of how it spreads, and strategies schools can use to keep staff and students well. The ultimate goal of COVID Safety for Schools, he says, is to change minds and behaviour and, since it launched in February, 600 participants have signed up, about half parents and half teachers.

But perhaps its greatest challenge is engaging people in the first place, particularly those who believe COVID is harmless or no longer worth taking precautions against.

For the past couple of years Australians have been encouraged to keep calm and carry on as if the virus is in the rear view mirror, even as it continues sickening and killing people, albeit in smaller numbers than years gone by. News reports often downplay its severity, if they cover it at all, while political leaders, public health officials and doctors have claimed it is no cause for concern, especially in children, and that catching it is not just inevitable, but necessary.

But mounting evidence shows the opposite. Even in vaccinated people and those who suffer "mild" infections, COVID can trigger a range of health problems including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological conditions and immune dysfunction. Then there's long COVID, a debilitating multi-organ illness that has upended the lives of hundreds of millions of children and adults worldwide, many of whom do not fully recover.

"COVID is like an accelerator for all the other diseases that we hate — it's actually an aging accelerant as well," Professor Jeremy Nicholson explains in one of the course videos. "And we don't want that for our kids or anybody else."

Simple steps can stop COVID spreading Once apprised of the health risks, course participants are taught about evidence-based tools schools can use to reduce viral transmission. These are not outlandish or burdensome interventions, but common sense steps like encouraging teachers and students to stay home if they're sick; improving indoor air quality with ventilation and filtration — with air conditioning systems, air purifiers and good old-fashioned open windows; and promoting mask wearing particularly in high-risk settings like crowded indoor gatherings or bus trips.

Of course, some education departments already require schools to take similar measures. In Victoria, for instance, all public schools must "maximise" external ventilation, ensure air purifiers are used, encourage good personal hygiene and make face masks available for those who want to wear them. But that doesn't mean schools actually follow the guidelines or use the tools at their disposal (in 2021 the government delivered tens of thousands of air purifiers to schools across the state, but many are no longer used and some have since been listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace).

The federal president of the Australian Education Union, Correna Haythorpe, says any initiative that educates people about COVID and what schools can do to prevent infections is "welcome". Teachers who have to take sick leave because they've caught COVID or developed long COVID are an additional burden on schools, many of which are struggling with the "chronic" national teacher shortage, she says. Then there's the disruption to learning: "A contagious disease can very quickly … take out significant numbers of students. And fundamentally, we want kids to be engaged, we want them to be well, we want them to be learning."

Improving the situation, though, requires stronger leadership from education departments, Ms Haythorpe says. "Current government approaches to limiting COVID infection, repeat infection and long COVID demonstrates a lack of concern for the health and wellbeing of students, teachers and broader school communities," the AEU wrote in its submission to Australia's parliamentary inquiry into long COVID. Mitigation measures in many public schools are not adequate, it said, "and a lack of capital investment … since 2017 means that conditions are often cramped with inadequate air flow".

'Long COVID basically ended my career' For Amanda Sharpe, these problems are personal. Before she developed long COVID after catching the virus from her children in 2022, Ms Sharpe taught advanced maths at a high school in Bundaberg, Queensland. She used to spend full days on her feet, relishing the buzz of helping her students solve complex equations, preparing them for careers in fields like medicine and aerospace engineering.

Now, just sitting upright for a short spell or reading a simple news story can quickly worsen her symptoms and wipe her out for days. "Long COVID basically ended my career and I doubt that I'll ever be able to return," she says. "Unless there is an actual cure, I think that will be it for me."

It's bewildering that schools aren't taking stronger action to protect their staff and students from COVID, says Ms Sharpe, who tells her story in the COVID Safety for Schools course. A major issue is that many people still think of COVID as a respiratory illness, she says — they don't realise it can also attack the vascular system, damaging blood vessels and increasing the risk of clotting abnormalities, stroke and heart disease.

She also wishes more people knew that the virus can cause brain changes and cognitive impairment: one study, for instance, found people who recovered from "mild" COVID infections had lost the equivalent of three IQ points.

"With the maths I teach, you really can't afford to have your IQ drop," Ms Sharpe says. "I just don't understand why schools aren't implementing simple measures like improving indoor air quality — especially private schools, where academic results link directly with enrolments and success."

In response to previous disease outbreaks like Spanish flu and tuberculosis, schools moved lessons outdoors — sometimes in freezing winter temperatures — to stop children from getting sick, she says. "But we don't want to have classroom windows open in Queensland? It just seems insane to me."

What about WHS laws? It may also be unlawful. Australians may have been led to believe that public health orders in force until 2022 were the key reason employers, including schools, had to take steps to protect staff from COVID, says Michael Tooma, a partner at the law firm Hamilton Locke. But schools have always had to comply with workplace health and safety laws — "there has always been a duty of care", he says. "COVID presents a risk to health and safety and, like any other risk, it needs to be managed with proactive policies and procedures that try to eliminate the risk or reduce it as far as reasonably practicable."

At the very least, Mr Tooma says, schools should be excluding people with COVID from the workplace, improving ventilation in classrooms and auditoriums and maintaining sensible cleaning and hygiene regimes.

Schools that fail to meet their WHS legal obligations may be reported to and investigated by state regulators, which can issue improvement notices and in some cases bring prosecutions for serious breaches of the relevant legislation.

Still, Mr Tooma says he's not aware of any schools being prosecuted for COVID-related breaches and in general, regulators tend to focus on industries that have higher risks of serious physical harm and death, as well as "campaign" issues like mental health. "Regulator activity tends to follow public interest and so as public interest in COVID and COVID safety has waned, so has regulatory activity around it, in my experience."

Mr Kinner suspects it's probably going to take successful litigation for schools to start taking COVID more seriously. He points to a UK case in which 120 teachers with long COVID are suing the Department of Education for allegedly failing to protect them at the height of the pandemic. Those involved say they were not given good enough guidance for managing the risks the virus posed, with data showing teachers suffered high rates of infection and long COVID.

"I think it's only a matter of time before we see similar legal action in Australia," Mr Kinner says. "It could be from teachers, it could be from families who caught COVID because it came into their household via the school. I think it's inevitable."

In the meantime, he will keep trying to get COVID Safety for Schools in front of as many teachers, parents and principals as he can — even if it takes a while, even if they don't want to hear its message.

"I've been very surprised at how school leaders don't act when they're presented with this information, even people who go through the course and understand — or should understand — that this is a virus we should be taking very seriously," Mr Kinner says. "Because facts remain facts. Even if you don't like them, even if they make you feel uncomfortable, they're still facts."

[reasonsforhope]

According to the World Resources Institute, the number of electric school buses operating or delivered in the United States more than doubled—from 598 in 2022 to 1,285 through June 2023—all driven to serve school children while providing cleaner air in 40 states.

Looking into the near future, the number of electric school buses that were already funded or on-order nearly tripled, and were spread across districts located in 49 states.

The emissions-free buses are found in 914 U.S. school districts and private fleet operators, according to the evidence-based nonprofit’s report published in September, 2023: State of Electric School Bus Adoption in the US.

California leads all states, with over 2,000 committed electric buses across the sprawling territory. This is more than five times as many EV buses as the next leading state, Maryland, with 391 commitments.

New Jersey has the second largest increase with 107 new buses, while West Virginia has the third largest increase with 42 new commitments. The updated data shows electric school bus commitments are now more evenly distributed across all regions of the country.

The Top 5 School Districts by Number of Electric School Buses are:

Montgomery County Public Schools (Maryland)

Los Angeles Unified School District

New York City Public Schools

Twin Rivers Unified School District (California)

Troy Community Consolidated School District (Illinois)

“We estimate approximately 69,000 students across the country are currently served by electric school buses that are delivered or in operation,” said the report authors, Lydia Freehafer, Leah Lazer, and Brian Zepka.

Zero pollution from tailpipes while buses are idling or driving means the students, staff, and community will be exposed to significantly less harmful air particulates that contribute to asthma and lung disease. The environment also benefits from reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

The federal government’s Clean School Bus Program, administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, is one of the biggest funders of these vehicles, having awarded 2,339 electric school buses—with more on the way.

-via Good News Network, December 30, 2023

[crookedkryptonitebeliever]

Best and Worst of both Worlds (part 1)

Tw: yandere oc guy, but i dont think this chapter shown that yet, but readers a fuckin stalker loser this time, university horrors

Okay guys so this story im literally pitting Yves and Montgomery together, gonna be a little slow burn but we r gonna get 2 da conflict like eventually

Also da settting in university cuase its da most relevant 2 me 💯

Enjouy

PART 2

He's so beautiful and ethereal. The man has been plaguing your mind for the entire week, you're being distracted from your assignments just because of this unbelievably gorgeous man with silky, long hair and dressed to the tens.

You grinded your teeth and scratched your skin, you know where he frequents. The university's library. And you obviously want to get closer to him after he caught you from falling. You slipped on a sheet of paper that you dropped and this mysterious stranger was there to catch you by the waist before your body could make any devastating impact. Unfortunately, your stacks of textbooks and other miscellaneous documents were scattered to the ground.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice was smooth and pleasant with a unique, suave accent to it.

You were reduced to a nervous, stuttery mess. He gently brought you back up to your feet, he helped you gather your things and even arranged it by size and weight, so that it would be less likely for it to topple over. The man took a further step to smoothen the frizzles of your hair, fix your collar and sleeves. He even zipped your backpack up, you were unaware that it was open in the first place, adding to your embarrassment. You couldn't really push him away because your arms are occupied with your belongings.

It was hard to look into those stunning emerald eyes without flustering yourself even further, so you looked away while you stammered a "thanks" to him.

"Be careful." He said as he tilted your head by the chin to make direct eye contact. You know that you're as red as a tomato, but he didn't comment on it. The man lets you go before walking away, he fixed the handles of his luxury bag on his shoulder. Luscious curls bouncing with every step.

You felt like you wanted to explode right there and then, it took you a while to regain composure, other university personnel wondering why you're just standing in the middle of the path like that. Aren't you tired of holding all that stuff? It looked heavy.

You were snapped back into your senses when someone who you assumed had a bad day, told you to get out of the way. You scurried along the traffic, having the incident fresh in your mind.

You wonder who that man is, a student? A professor? A staff member?

You came to know that he's in the library for a few hours every weekday afternoons. He doesn't have a particular spot, the mystique spontaneously appears in random but fairly secluded reading spots in the library.

You felt like a stalker, but that's what you are. Too shy and afraid to talk to him, yet content with watching from afar. His ears are covered by his hair, so you don't know if he had any earbuds in. Fuelling your hesitance to make any contact first.

He could be reading a thick novel, handwriting something down on his notebook, or he could be typing away on his sleek, black laptop. In either instances, you have no idea what he's doing, it's either in a foreign language, full of numbers or completely made up of technical jargon.

You don't know why you're doing this instead of studying for your midterms. You're never like this to any of your crushes, not this obsessive over a real person, so why now? What compelled you to become this... creep? It's like you can't stop. You're scared of rejection but you can't get rid of the butterflies in your stomach.

You had no one to talk to about it because university is a very lonely place. At least, for personality types like you. You didn't want to bother your other friends, they have their own problems to worry about.

It reaches a point that you tried following him out of the library, wondering where he will go next. Before you could step past the automatic sliding doors, you looked at the book in your hand.

'Wait a minute, this is fucked up.' You thought to yourself. This isn't like you, exams are in spitting distance and you're subjecting this poor person to this harassment just because of a singular interaction.

You made a 180⁰ turn and marched back to your all-time favourite seat. Which happened to be occupied by the stranger earlier, maybe that made you a little peeved because you "claimed" it first at the start of the year. But he took it for the day.

To your surprise, there lies his notebook on the ground. He must have accidentally left it. You picked it up and looked around to make sure the coast was clear, then you flipped through it.

You were blasted with numericals, diagrams, words you weren't sure if it was written in English or otherwise and even floorplans of a building of some sort. You couldn't understand anything.

"Excuse me."

You whipped your head to the whisper. It was him! Your blood ran cold as he caught you snooping through his item. You opened your mouth, but no sound came out.

You struggled to form a coherent sentence as you pointed at it, you're done for, you're going to be confirmed a creep. But he only watched you with the utmost patience.

There came a point where you gave up, placed the closed book on the table and pushed it towards him.

Luckily though, you didn't have to say another word.

"You found my notebook. How careless of me to have dropped it." He pulled a chair opposite of you and sat down. You watch him place his handbag on another chair.

He elegantly picked the journal up and slid it into his bag. You were sweating at this point, the dread is about to make you vomit on him and that's not great. You wished that he would go away now, but seeing that he's locked onto his seat, it's highly unlikely.

You prayed hard for it though, he finished his business for the day. There shouldn't be any reason for him to linger.

"Thank you for keeping it safe. I hope you found whatever it is you were seeking from me." He continued, crossing his legs and resting his hands on the table.

What.

You asked what he meant by that.

A teasing smile made its way to his rouge lips.

"You were watching me." You grew pale and you scrambled to explain yourself, but he raised his index finger to signal you to let him continue.

"Your tact could be improved upon; I could see you trying to hide behind the shelves, I could hear you mumbling to yourself, and you shouldn't think so lowly of yourself." He propped his head up on one elbow.

Your cheeks felt hot. That is true, you were berating yourself for being too wimpy to go ahead and talk to him. You just didn't think you were that loud.

"I would have enjoyed having a chat with you. I wouldn't have thought that you were-- and in your own words, a 'creepy, loser-freak'."

Oh. He heard that too. You wish that you could disappear this instant.

"I'm flattered that you thought highly of me. However, I was disappointed that you thought that I was intimidating." He pouted playfully. "I won't bite." He twirls a lock of his hair around his fingers.

Your nerves are frazzled as he leans in. You didn't know what to say or what to do. He seemingly picks up on that and continues leading the conversation.

"Let's start with names. Tell me yours and I'll tell you mine." You felt his shoe brush against your leg.

You almost forgot your own name as you watch the bead of sweat drip down your nose in horror. He must think you're a stinky slob.

But all he does is stare straight into your soul while drumming his fingers against the table.

You told him your name, with a severe stutter. Each passing second felt like a serrated knife slicing through your flesh.

He repeated it, syllables rolling through his tongue wonderfully. He pronounced it correctly on the first try despite your cripplingly anxious enunciation.

"Yves." He replied. Finally, you have his name. You're totally not going to use that to dig for more information on him.

"You have a beautiful name." He complimented.

You nervously returned the compliment and let out an awkward laugh. Trying your best to ignore the growing sweat stain between your pits.

"How charming of you, (name)." He stood up and pushed his chair back under the table. Yves collected his bag and turned his attention back to you.

"I'd love to talk longer, but I must go now. I believe you have an exam to prepare for. Best begin your revision now, I hope our brief conversation has helped to quell your worries."

...and you mumbled that part about yourself too. It's pretty safe to assume he heard all your thoughts.

Yves extended a manicured hand to you. Taking this as a clear request for a handshake, you accepted it.

Only for him to bring it up to his lips, tenderly and fleetingly kissing your knuckles. This entire time, his piercing gaze never left your eyes.

You wanted to claw yourself out of your flesh and die out of embarrassment.

"Study well."

He lets your hand down and presses it momentarily with his larger ones.

You watched him saunter away with his back turned against you.

You brought the back of your palm to your sight.

There is a faint, reddish tint on it. It must have been from his lipstick.

You're not sure if you ever want to wash your hand after this.

[sourcreammachine]

LOONY PARTY MANICFESTO 2024 SUMMARY

[not a pejorative, party founder Screaming Lord Sutch was himself bipolar]

tdlr: “we are fighting this election on the basis of CHANGE… LOOSE CHANGE as this is all we’ll have left under a labour/conservative government”

💷ECONOMY

reduce taxes to 5%

get rid of value-added tax as it adds no value

ban the tipping of flies

convert number 10 and number 11 into a hairdressers called Government Cuts

abolish stamp duty because stamps are too expensive

fit airbags to the stock exchange, ready for the next crash

halve dole queues by making jobseekers stand two-by-two

improve quitters’ self-esteem by encouraging them not to start in the first place

🏥PUBLIC SERVICES

employ 80.00 teachers, police officers and nhs staff

reduce pregnancy from nine to seven months

reduce hospital waiting lists by using a smaller font

reduce class sizes by shrinking desks and making students sit closer together

glue unruly pupils together because if you can’t beat them, join them

give pensioners an ice lolly allowance when temperatures exceed 70°

🏠HOUSING

build five million new homes

aid “levelling up” by providing free spirit levels

🚄TRANSPORT

fill five million potholes

introduce an ROT to make sure all roads are carworthy

fit vehicles with a bungy rope to save fuel on the return journey

save money on paint by painting double-yellow lines where you CAN park rather than where you can’t

create the world’s biggest carwash by punching holes in the channel tunnel

👮FORCE

send all MPs who misbehave to rwanda

reduce net migration by making sure all nets are secured firmly to the ground

make terrorists wear little bells so we know where they are

replace border guards with GP receptionists to stop anyone getting in

introduce a court of human lefts

reduce prison overcrowding by releasing innocent prisoners

oppose capital punishment as it is not fair to londoners

🌱CLIMATE

wind farms to be constructed across the country where all will be encouraged to break wind

get more green cars on the road, with politicians having fluorescent green so everyone can see them coming

paint the grey squirrels red

greyhound racing will be banned to stop the country going to the dogs

puddles deeper than 7cm will be marked with a plastic duck

🗳️DEMOCRACY

MPs will have to sit in stocks during surgeries while constituents throw custard pies at them. companies to be encouraged to design new stocks, to be sold at the stock exchange

introduce a “cooling-off period” to allow voters to change their mind

replace the foreign secretary with a UK one

[tomorrowusa]

If this seems like a relatively subdued Pride Month, that's because the LGBTQ+ community is under more threat than usual this year.

For those in the LGBTQIA+ community, Pride month is a chance to be out, loud and proud.  But in the United States, there's been an uneasy quiet hanging over this June.  Big brands who once didn't think twice about cashing in on the pink dollar have scaled back support. The American offshoot of Target reduced the number of its stores carrying Pride-themed products this year after getting backlash in 2023. Nike, who became the subject of boycott calls last year over its marketing partnership with a transgender influencer, has also pulled back after offering Pride collections since 1999. [ ... ] The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) says it's currently monitoring 523 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills across the country. Over 300 of these bills were introduced in the first three weeks of 2024 alone, and 149 are still advancing or have been passed into law.

Just want to interject that the introduction of a bill in a state legislature does not mean it will pass. 2 homophobic bills were introduced in socialist/hippie Vermont, 6 in Illinois which was the first state to abolish sodomy laws, and 9 in liberal New Jersey. Don't count on them passing. But the 39 in deep red Missouri adds to its reputation as currently having the most homophobic state government in the US.

The majority of these bills relate to educational measures, through school sports bans, school facilities bans that prevent transgender students from using communal rest rooms, or curriculum censorship around in-school discussions of the queer community.  Increasing anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric has also seen bills introduced that would forcibly out teachers and staff.  [ ... ]

Trailing slightly behind is healthcare restrictions, where more than two-thirds of the bills (69 per cent) are aimed at limiting the accessibility of gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth.  This is despite the American Medical Association resolving to "protect access to evidence-based care for transgender and gender-diverse youth" in June last year. 2023 also marked the first time the ACLU saw drag bans introduced across US states.

It's not just Republicans in state legislatures to blame for increased homophobia. There also billionaire extremists with social media empires.

Notably, Dr Ellis points to billionaire Elon Musk's October 2022 takeover of X — formerly Twitter — which saw the mention of grooming slurs against the LGBTQIA+ community jump by 119 per cent, according to the Center for Countering Digital Hate.  The social media sphere also saw anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiment being taken up by foreign actors ahead of US election campaigns to sow division, according to Meta's head of Cybersecurity Policy, Nathaniel Gleicher.

Perhaps the most bizarre group in American politics is the Log Cabin Republicans.

Log Cabin Republicans president bizarrely defends Donald Trump's anti-LGBTQ+ record

Seriously, people in the LGBTQ+ community who support Republicans, Trump, and MAGA are in deep need of therapy. Imagine a hypothetical group like "Gazans for Netanyahu" to get some idea of how self-hating the Log Cabin Republicans are. Republicans are largely under the control of extremist Christian fundamentalists who would pass the most repressive homophobic laws they could get away with.

Back to the legislatures. It's a big mistake to neglect state government. Find out who represents you in your legislature. If they are Republicans, contact your state or county Democratic Party to learn how you can help defeat them.

Find Your Legislators Look your legislators up by address or use your current location.

[shepherds-of-haven]

How exactly did Red end up as the archmage of the Circle? Were there no other staff who were older/more experienced than him?

Good question! I can't remember in how much detail this was expounded upon in the game, but essentially, all Circles have always had trouble finding and retaining long-term faculty, instructors, and staff. In the old days before the Castigation, teaching positions at places like Solhadur were essentially like collegiate professorships at universities: you'd teach your classes, conduct office hours and head up research and projects, but you still had a home, life, and typically family outside of the school that you would return to once your day or week was over.

After the Castigation, of course, instructors don't really have this luxury: it's not as if you can risk being regularly seen making trips up to "the old abandoned castle" on the outskirts of town and then coming home to your house and family in Capra every night, exactly as if you... worked at the old abandoned castle that used to be a Mage academy, so instructors have to teach and live on the grounds under the same restrictions that the students have. Your whole life has to be about the Circle, by necessity, for everyone's safety. Except that students will eventually graduate after a few years and have the opportunity to leave and go their own ways in the world (if they want to); and teachers don't really get that luxury.

So if you try to source teachers from the outside, you already face a great deal of obstacles: you have to 1) find teachers who are experienced, advanced, and skilled enough at magic to teach it (hard enough when learning magic is outlawed by the Autarchy, so you're already dealing with a drastically-reduced pool of candidates), 2) someone who has the aptitude and demeanor suitable for teacher (further reducing the pool), 3) someone who has the willingness and capacity to devote their lives to the Circle and forego having a family, life, residence, or pursuits outside of it* (reducing the pool even further), and 4) to do all of this scouting, vetting, and recruiting in a way that doesn't result you both in getting caught by the Inquisitors or other authorities.

*There are exceptions to this, of course: nothing precludes the instructor from bringing their family to live with them at the Circle, but this also introduces new complications: what will your partner do for a living? What if your kids grow older and don't want that kind of life, or long to have friends outside of the Circle? Etc.

And then even if you manage to do all of this and hire an instructor, nothing guarantees that they'll want to teach forever. So your retention rate is pretty regular, with some teachers exiting after 5-10 years (and some even less), whether due to retirement or illness or seeking a new career or settling down and starting a family/lifestyle that isn't compatible with the Circle or having to go back home to take care of someone, or any number of reasons; but your hiring rate is drastically reduced.

(What about hiring internally, you ask, rather than finding instructors from outside the Circle? Well, consider your average high school or small college population. Of all the students you graduated with, how many of them would want to stick around after graduation to continue teaching? Let's say that number is higher than average because of the altered circumstances of the Autarchy: there aren't a lot of professions that allow young Mages to keep using their powers in a way they've now become accustomed to, so let's say interest in staying on as a staff member is far higher than the average student population. But of that number, who are also actually suited to be good teachers?)

Anyway, in the early days of Archmage Tevanti's tenure, he was actually pretty successful at scooping up a great number of faculty members who were interested in helping maintain the Circle: he was the son of the last Archmage of Solhadur and had that clout going for him, and he was very old when he died (around 200), so when he started his recruiting, it was actually in the early years directly after the Castigation. So there were still a number of pre-Castigation educated Mages willing and able to teach, and under his leadership, he garnered more over the years. But once he got older, active recruitment stagnated, partially because he already had his set faculty members and wasn't actively seeking new, fresh, younger blood; and also because the difficulty and danger of traveling on the roads seeking Mage instructors increased with the return of the Endarkened as well as heightened activity and zealotry from the Inquisitors, especially once Enik took charge. By the time Archmage Tevanti died, recruitment efforts had basically halted entirely, and it was left to "his" generation of teachers to keep things going. But over the years, many had already retired or died at the normal rate of decay, so where he may have started with, say, 40, in his twilight years there were 10. It was just bad luck that, because they were all of similar age to him, many of them also became ill, retired, or passed away around the same time as him, just before, or just after; so by the time it came to choosing a successor, the "senior" generation of faculty members were pretty much all gone or on the way out, and the middle generation were exiting for their own reasons (too dangerous, tired of teaching and quitting after a normal rate (say five years), wanting a career change or new pursuits, settling down and starting families, disheartened by his loss, etc.). So, to his thinking, you'd want someone younger, stronger, and sharper, someone who has a lot of years to give and isn't prone to noping out because of the demands of middle age or looming retirement, someone who could tackle this enormous task of being Archmage with the necessary fresh perspective and vigor of youth... which is why he chose someone like Red, and not the fifty-year-old Charms instructor who had indicated he would be retiring soon to spend more time with his granddaughter within a few years. It was just really, really bad luck that Red's stepping into the role coincided with anyone more senior than him (who could at least serve as an advisor or consultant or mentor) being eliminated/whittled down due to unfortunate circumstances and extremely bad timing: I think he mentions some professors were there to help him in the first years, but one was hit by a curse, one fell ill, and etc. It was probably on Archmage Tevanti to have recruited younger, fresher teachers sooner so Red would have a pre-established faculty before he took over, but again, a lot of circumstances prevented him from being as active in his recruitment as he should have (not even mentioning his long illness), and he really couldn't have predicted how things would go.

This is a long explanation, but hopefully that paints a better picture of how Red was essentially launched into a very stressful position without the guidance and direction Archmage Tevanti was expecting he would have, and why many of the teachers currently at the Circle are around the same age as him! However, after joining the Shepherds, there's obviously a lot more contact with Mages, so the faculty is more diverse in age and experience again and he can take a step back from his Archmage duties without feeling like it's all on him, as there's an actual support system for it all now! Hope that all makes sense!

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by

TAMMI ROSSMAN-BENJAMIN

While civil rights law continues to play an important role in how DEI programs operate, they have since evolved and expanded, especially in the last decade. With the establishment and rapid growth of the Black Lives Matter movement and the popularization of critical race theory, there has been an explosion of interest among colleges and universities in establishing or expanding DEI programs not just to reduce social inequality, but to fight the systemic injustice that leads to it. Although the same identity groups remain the focus of DEI efforts, those efforts now view them through the lens not of social inequality but of systemic oppression.

How do Jewish students fit into this picture? Until 2004 they were not afforded Title VI protections from discrimination, because they were regarded solely as members of a religious group — not a protected category under Title VI. As a result, campus affirmative-action or equal-opportunity programs had no reason to include Jewish students in their efforts. But even after 2004, when Jewish students were deemed eligible for Title VI protection as members of a national origin group, neither they nor antisemitism was integrated into most DEI initiatives, despite an increasingly hostile campus environment.

The blindness of DEI programs to Jewish students and antisemitism is likely the result of two factors.

First, although Jews were once a historically marginalized and underrepresented group in American higher education, that is certainly no longer the case. Consequently, despite having endured thousands of years of oppression, including one of history’s largest genocides, and even now suffering more hate crimes in America than any historically marginalized and underrepresented group except African Americans, Jews are not viewed as oppressed at all within a DEI framework. On the contrary, they are generally seen as white, privileged oppressors who do not merit the attention of DEI programs.

Second, even if Jewish students manage to secure a seat at the DEI table, a thornier problem awaits. Although a growing number of DEI officials are willing to respond to and educate the campus community about acts of classical antisemitism, such as swastikas painted on a Jewish fraternity house or neo-Nazi fliers distributed on campus, many of those same officials are unwilling to acknowledge and address anti-Zionist-motivated harassment. Yet this is by far the predominant form of antisemitism facing Jewish students today.

The disparate treatment of these two types of antisemitism is very much related to the ideological leanings of most DEI programs. Because instances of classical antisemitism are often perpetrated by individuals associated with white-supremacist groups, who are also perpetrators of racist attacks on many historically marginalized groups, calling out and educating about this type of antisemitism actually kills two birds with one stone.

On the other hand, many instances of anti-Zionist harassment on campus are perpetrated by members of identity groups served by DEI programs. In addition, many DEI staff themselves harbor virulently anti-Israel sentiments, as demonstrated in a 2021 report examining the social-media postings of DEI staff at major universities. Drawing heavily on ideologies undergirding most DEI programs, these postings portrayed Israel as a racist, settler-colonial state, linked the plight of Palestinians to the struggles of oppressed minorities in America, and implied that it was the duty of antiracist activists to support the liberation of Palestine “from the river to the sea,” a rallying cry for the elimination of the Jewish state.

Against this backdrop, it’s not hard to see why so many DEI programs are loath to acknowledge the antisemitic nature of anti-Zionist behavior that so often leads to the harassment of Jewish students. But that hasn’t stopped Jewish advocates from trying.

[mythologeekwriter]

God this is horrifying

[Note: I am not copying the whole of these articles, please do read them, I'm just sharing the bits that I think illustrate why you should in fact read them.]

Five-point plan to cut UK immigration raises fears of more NHS staff shortages | Immigration and asylum | The Guardian

Cleverly told MPs on Monday that “migration is far too high and needs to come down … enough is enough”. He added: “Today I can announce that we will go even further than those provisions already in place, with a five-point plan to further curb immigration abuses that will deliver the biggest ever reduction in net migration. “In total, this package, plus our reduction in student dependants, will mean about 300,000 fewer people will come in future years than have come to the UK last year.” Along with raising the salary threshold and scrapping the “shortage occupation list”, Cleverly announced that social care workers would no longer be allowed to bring their dependants when they came to work in the UK. He also said people living in the UK – including British citizens – would now be allowed to sponsor family members to move to the UK only if the person living in the UK earned £38,700, up from £18,600 currently. Finally, the government is asking the Migration Advisory Committee to review the rules for those who have completed undergraduate degrees in the UK. A spokesperson for Downing Street called the package “the biggest clampdown on legal migration ever”. They added: “We believe this is a package which will enable us to significantly reduce numbers whilst achieving economic growth.” It forms one part of a two-part plan to reduce the numbers of people coming into Britain legally and illegally. This week Cleverly is likely to fly to Kigali to sign a new asylum treaty with Rwanda, with ministers ready to bring forward new legislation in an effort to finally kickstart the government’s Rwanda plan.

Families face being split up by UK plan to cut legal migration, lawyers say | Migration | The Guardian

Data suggests this could make it impossible for between 60 and 70% of workers to bring their family into the UK. The crackdown has caused concern among some senior Tory MPs. Alicia Kearns, the chair of the foreign affairs select committee, said on Tuesday she was worried the package as a whole risked dividing families. She told LBC: “It risks being very unconservative”. Madeleine Sumption, the director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said: “This is definitely completely different to what any other high income country does.” Under the new rules, someone will be able to bring a family member into the country if they earn £38,700 year. If the partner is already in the UK, both people’s incomes will be taken into account. If someone does not qualify under those rules, they will still be allowed to bring in family members if they have sufficient savings. Under current rules that figure is £62,500, but the government is consulting over whether to increase it.

Lawyers and applicants say, however, that it has led to distress and confusion, with many families already in the process of applying for visas now unsure of what the changes will mean for them. Kelly Robinson, an American PhD student living in Norwich with her partner, Owen Sennitt, had applied for her spousal visa last week, confident Sennitt’s job as a local journalist would be enough to qualify for it. Now she believes she may have to return to the US after eight years living in Britain. “It is a real shock,” she said. “The entire life we have built is being taken away from us overnight.” Nick Gore, a partner at Carter Thomas solicitors, said: “This is devastating for many people that just about meet the existing financial requirements. There is a huge spectrum of people who are affected – some are on minimum wage jobs, others have started their own businesses. This will split families up.”

Thanks to James Cleverly, I may never live in the same country as my kids again | Claire Armitstead | The Guardian

When I mentioned their predicament to a lawyer friend he was dismissive, saying that middle-class families always found a way round these problems. Other friends suggested we remortgage our house to raise the £62,500 capital that was the alternative route to a spousal visa. But it would have to have been in their bank account for a minimum of six months before they even reapplied; this was time their soaring stress levels meant they didn’t have. And anyway, they wanted to pay their own way. The Home Office said any change to the capital threshold would be announced in due course. At the old salary rate, they probably would eventually have worked something out, but at the new one there is no chance. Their relationship will always be based on them both working, and while their combined income would very probably exceed £38,700 a year, neither is going to make that much on their own. My eldest and his partner are now happily settled, so wouldn’t want to move back anyway. The sort of social care work she does is more highly valued in Spain. Meanwhile, my Australian daughter-in-law is in the crazy bind facing citizens of so many of the UK’s former colonies: expected to bend the knee to the monarch of a British state that doesn’t want them. Australia asks the foreign partners of its citizens only to prove their relationship is genuine.

[unilifeabroadcareersolution]

Benefits of Studying in Greece

Unilife abroad career solutions

Good Weather Conditions

If you love the sun, Greece is perfect for you! The number one pro among the Pros and Cons of Studying in Greece is undoubtedly the weather. After Valletta, Athens is the warmest Capital in Europe. July is usually the sunniest month and December the cloudiest. That said, this country is blessed with sunny days and good weather conditions almost all year around.

Top Business School in Greece

The American College of Greece is one of the top graduate business schools in Europe, located in the historic capital of Athens. Alba faculty comprises of staff from all over the world who have experience in prestigious schools in the area of business and management and beyond, such as Harvard Business School, Stern School of Business, Wharton, London Business School etc.

Low tuition fees and low living expenses

If you are an EU/EEA student, you most likely will not be charged with any tuition fees for a Bachelor’s degree. However, an increasing number of Masters is requiring students to pay. If you are an international student, then you will have to pay tuition fees that range less than €10,000 per year, which includes textbooks. Depending on the university, books might be given to students at no extra cost. For example, The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki offers hot meals twice a day and the free use of the gym to all its students.

To live in Greece, students spend on average between €450 and €700 per month, inclusive of accommodation, bills, phone plan, public transport pass, etc. If we compare this to other European destinations, like Spain and Germany, then the average monthly living costs might easily rise to a minimum of €800, depending on the city.

Enjoy the local cuisine

If you are going to study there, you will get to enjoy the delicacies that the country has to offer. Tsatsiki, feta, olives, gyros are just some of the many Greek specialties which should not be missed. The Mediterranean diet is considered to be one of the healthiest. Fish, nuts, fruits, vegetables, just to mention some, help lower inflammation in your body, reduce the risk of diabetes, and more.

Health care

EU citizens have free access to most healthcare services provided by public hospitals in Greece with the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

Students coming from some non-EU countries might benefit from free medical care due to reciprocal agreements with Greece. If this is not the case, you will need to arrange private health insurance before your departure to Greece. However, most hospitals that accept foreign insurance are those in Athens or Thessaloniki.

Unilife Abroad Career Solutions

Contact us :8428440444 , 8428999090 , 8608777070

Mail ID :anagha@unilifeabroad.com , diya@unilifeabroad.com

[theborderlessworld]

What’s Behind the Sudden Decline in Immigration to the UK?

With net immigration predicted to fall substantially in 2024, James Bowes digs into the reasons behind this. He highlights the restrictions brought in by the previous government which are now taking effect, causing a drop in the number of care workers and international students.

In 2023, population growth in the UK reached its highest level in half a century, despite deaths outnumbering births. This was because of an unusually high level of net immigration of 685,000 people. And in 2022, net immigration was even higher, at 764,000.

It might be assumed that this high level of immigration is here to stay. But net immigration in 2024 is actually predicted to fall significantly.

Why is this happening? Primarily because new immigration restrictions have resulted in a significant decline in the number of international students and care workers coming to the UK.

To address concerns about record levels of net immigration, the outgoing Conservative government introduced several new restrictions on immigration. Master’s students, care workers and senior care workers can no longer be accompanied by dependants (i.e. their spouse and children under 18). And the salary thresholds for skilled worker visas and family visas have been increased.

The new Labour government have chosen to retain all of these restrictions, although it has suspended plans for a further increase in the salary required to sponsor a family visa.

In the first half of 2024, 428,740 visas were granted (excluding visas for visitors and transit). This represents a 27% reduction from the 584,777 issued during the first half of 2023. Visa application figures show that visa grants are continuing to fall even further, because most of the new immigration restrictions didn’t take effect until March or April 2024.

The largest reductions in immigration have been in the same categories that drove the post-pandemic increase: health and care workers, international students and humanitarian resettlement schemes for people from Hong Kong and Ukraine.

A major factor has been a reduced number of dependants because of the new restrictions. However, there has also been a reduction in the number of main applicants, with 23% fewer students and 78% fewer health and care workers.

The number of dependants of health and care workers is dropping more slowly than the number of main applicants because care workers already here can still sponsor dependants. Nevertheless, visa applications by dependants of health and care workers have continued to fall sharply throughout 2024.

The number of skilled worker visas granted has actually increased, despite the increased salary threshold. This can be explained by an unusually high number of visa applications in April, before the increase in the salary threshold. But by August and September, the number of visa applications was 25% lower than during the same months last year.

Health and care visa grants peaked at 45,071 in the third quarter of 2023. However, by quarter one of 2024 this had dropped to 9,088. This meant 90% fewer care workers and senior care workers, 54% fewer nurses and 37% fewer doctors. In the second quarter of 2024, the number of health and care visas granted dropped a further 28% to 6,564.

The downward trend in the number of care workers pre-dates the ban on dependants. One reason for this is workers being discouraged from moving to the UK in anticipation of the ban. Another reason is that applications now face enhanced scrutiny introduced to address concerns about exploitation and fraud. In response to this fall in care workers, the social care sector has raised concerns about staff shortages.

Many care workers are recruited from amongst immigrants already in the UK, especially former international students and people already working at other care homes. However, international student numbers are falling and therefore it may also become more challenging to recruit care workers from this source.

According to a freedom of information request, 56% of skilled worker visas (excluding health and care) in 2022 were sponsored by employers located in London. Health and care workers are more evenly distributed across the country, with only 17% of immigrants in the sector hired to work in London. Therefore, the fall in health and care workers means that immigration will disproportionately fall outside of London.

This fall in immigration won’t just impact the health and care sector, as dependants have the right to work in any job. The administrative and support services, hospitality and retail sectors in particular have seen a large increase in the number of non-EU national workers that cannot be explained by the number of work visas granted.

What countries are we now seeing less immigration from? The chart below shows the change in the number of skilled worker visas (including health and care) by nationality from the first half of 2023 to the first half of 2024.

Due to a decline in the number of health and care visas, there has been a 58% drop in the number of skilled worker visas granted to Indian national main applicants. However, Indian nationals continue to receive the most skilled worker visas of any nationality.

There has been an 80% or greater drop in the number of visa grants to main applicants from three African nations: Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Ghana. This can be explained by the fact that over 95% of skilled worker visa grants to people from these three nationalities in 2023 were health and care visas.

Since 2023, there has been a 28% reduction in the number of Indian students and a 68% decline in the number of Nigerian students. One reason for this is the ban on dependants; most students bringing dependants came from India and Nigeria. Furthermore, a currency crisis in Nigeria has made study in the UK less affordable.

Many universities are facing financial difficulties as a result of falling international student numbers. 2022/23 HESA data suggests that this impact won’t be evenly distributed amongst universities. Indian and Nigerian nationals made up only 13% of international students at Russell Group universities, but 60% of students at other universities. 25% of international students in the North East were Nigerian, but only 3% in London.

Restrictions have achieved their ambition of significantly reducing immigration. This has been achieved by reducing the number of care workers and international students, which are the categories that drove record levels of immigration in the last few years.

However, the fall in immigration will create new challenges. In particular, care homes will find it more difficult to recruit staff and universities are more likely to face financial problems.

And the reduction in immigration won’t be evenly distributed across the country. Instead, immigration will fall much more sharply outside of London. Immigration from Africa in particular will become much less common.

Source: https://ukandeu.ac.uk/whats-behind-the-sudden-decline-in-immigration-to-the-uk/

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved on our archive

By Geoff Hanmer

Later this week the government will receive the report of the year-long independent inquiry into its handling of the COVID pandemic.

Among the issues it will have to contend with is air quality, in particular the air quality in high occupancy public buildings such as schools, aged-care facilities, shops, pubs and clubs.

Many already have high quality air. High-fitration air conditioning (so-called mechanical ventilation) is standard in offices, hospitals and shopping centres.

But not in schools. Almost all of our schools (98% in NSW) use windows.

In Australia’s national construction code, this is called “natural ventilation” and it is allowed so long as the window, opening or door has a ventilating area of not less than 5% of the floor area, a requirement research suggests is insufficient.

Windows, but no requirement to keep them open There’s no requirement to actually open the windows. School windows are often shut to keep in the heat in (or to keep out the heat in summer).

The result can be very, very stuffy classrooms, far stuffier than we would tolerate in shopping centres. This matters for learning. Study after study has found that when air circulation gets low, people can’t concentrate well or learn well.

And they get sick. Diseases such as flu, COVID and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) spread when viruses get recirculated instead of diluted with fresh air.

The costs of the resulting sickness are borne by students, parents, teachers and education systems that need to find replacement staff to cover for teachers who are sick and parents who need to look after sick children at home.

A pilot study prepared for the Australian Research Council Centre for Advanced Building Systems Against Airborne Infection (known as “Thrive”), suggests the entire cost of installing high-filtration air conditioning in every Australian school would be offset by the savings in reduced sickness.

What Classroom Air is Like The study carried out by the education architecture firm ARINA compared the ventilation of 60 so-called naturally ventilated schools in southern NSW and the Australian Capital Territory to that of a school in Sydney that happened to have been fitted with a Standards Australia-compliant air conditioning system to control aircraft noise.

It used carbon dioxide levels to measure ventilation. Carbon dioxide is a good proxy for ventilation because its levels are determined by both the number of people breathing out concentrated carbon dioxide and the clean air available to dilute it.

Under a normal load, defined as 26 students, one teacher and one assistant, measured levels of carbon dioxide in the air-conditioned school stayed below 750 parts per million (ppm) and were typically between 500 and 600 ppm.

A reading of 700 ppm is particularly good. It means the people in the room breathe in less than 0.5% of air breathed out by others.

But in “naturally ventilated” classrooms the reading often climbed to 2,500 ppm and sometimes more, within an hour of a class commencing.

At 2,500 parts per million, people in the room are breathing in 5.5% of the air breathed out by others. This is also high enough to affect cognition, learning and behaviour, something that begins when carbon dioxide climbs above 1,200 ppm.

Research suggests using ventilation to cut carbon dioxide to 700 ppm can cut the risk of airborne transmission of disease by a factor of two and up to five.

The economic case for healthy air In 2023, Australia had 9,629 schools with 4,086,998 students.

ARINA has previously estimated the cost of ensuring all of these schools are mechanically ventilated at A$2 billion per year over five years.

Offsetting that cost would be less sickness. Documents released under freedom of information laws show Victoria spent $360.8 million on casual relief teachers between May 2023 and May 2024, 54% more than before COVID in 2019.

The figures for other states are harder to get, but if Victoria (with 26% of Australia’s population) is spending $234 million more per year on casual relief teachers than before COVID, it is likely that Australia is spending $900 million per year more.

Add in the teachers in non-government schools (37% of Australia’s total) and the potential saving from air conditioning schools exceeds $1 billion per year.

Add in the other non-COVID viruses that would no longer be concentrated and circulated in classrooms and the potential savings grow higher still.

Worth more than $1 billion per year And, in any event, the cost of replacement teachers is a woefully incomplete measure of the cost of illness in schools. Many ill teachers can’t be replaced because replacements aren’t available, making schools cancel lessons and combine classes, costing days, weeks and sometimes months of lost education.

Also, the bacteria and viruses spread by recirculated air infect students as well as teachers, keeping students (and often their parents) at home as well.

This suggests the costs per year of not air conditioning schools exceed $1 billion and may well approach or exceed $2 billion, which is the estimated cost per year over five years of air conditioning every Australian school.

Natural ventilation was never a good idea for classrooms: it was cheap at the time, but not cheap at all when the costs are considered. Those costs happen to extend beyond disease to thermal comfort, energy use and the ability of students to concentrate.

It’s time we gave students and teachers the kind of protections we demand for ourselves in our offices, our shopping centres and often our homes. It would soon pay for itself.

[whaleshire]

Portable Offices in Melbourne: A Flexible and Efficient Solution for Modern Workspaces

In a city as dynamic and fast-paced as Melbourne, businesses are continuously seeking flexible, efficient solutions for their workspace needs. Portable offices have emerged as a popular choice, offering adaptable, temporary structures suited to various industries. From construction sites to educational facilities and pop-up offices, Portable offices Melbourne are changing how businesses view and use office spaces.

What Are Portable Offices?

Portable offices are prefabricated, modular buildings designed for quick installation and mobility. Unlike traditional offices, portable offices can be set up, relocated, and expanded with ease, providing flexibility in terms of location, layout, and purpose. These structures often feature high-quality insulation, electrical wiring, and amenities to ensure comfort and functionality, making them suitable for both short-term and long-term use.

Benefits of Portable Offices in Melbourne

Flexibility and Mobility Portable offices offer unmatched flexibility, allowing businesses to move or modify their workspaces as needed. This adaptability is especially valuable in a city like Melbourne, where business needs and real estate availability can shift rapidly.

Cost-Effective Compared to traditional office spaces, portable offices present a more affordable solution, often with significantly lower upfront costs. They eliminate the need for lengthy lease commitments and reduce costs associated with construction, making them a viable option for both small businesses and larger corporations.

Quick Installation The modular design of portable offices enables rapid installation, often completed within days. This is ideal for projects with tight timelines, such as construction sites or pop-up stores, where quick deployment is crucial.

Eco-Friendly Option Many portable offices are built with eco-friendly materials and designed for energy efficiency. This not only helps businesses reduce their environmental impact but can also lead to savings on energy costs.

Customizable Designs Portable offices can be tailored to meet specific requirements, with options for different layouts, interior finishes, and amenities. Melbourne-based businesses can choose configurations that suit their industry and work style, from open-plan designs to private meeting rooms.

Applications of Portable Offices in Melbourne

Construction Sites: Portable offices are widely used on construction sites, providing on-site spaces for project managers and staff.

Event Management: For events, such as festivals or sports tournaments, portable offices offer temporary workspace, ticketing booths, or administration areas.

Education and Training: Schools and training facilities use portable buildings as classrooms or workshops to accommodate growing student numbers.

Remote Working Hubs: As remote work trends continue, some companies are using portable offices to create temporary work hubs around Melbourne, offering employees flexible workspaces close to home.

Challenges and Considerations

While Portable site offices Melbourne bring numerous benefits, there are a few considerations for Melbourne businesses. Transportation logistics, regulatory compliance, and connectivity are essential factors to address. Moreover, selecting a reputable provider with expertise in Melbourne’s market ensures compliance with local codes and a smooth setup process.

[geuedublog]

Future Scope of MBA in India

In India, professionals with an MBA degree have always had a lot of opportunities. This is a distinctively diversified postgraduate degree that professionals from all backgrounds can pursue. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of engineers pursuing an MBA to broaden their career opportunities. Graphic Era University is the Best MBA college in Dehradun, offering a variety of high-tech specializations with an MBA degree. You can select a specialization that corresponds to your career objectives and aptitude.

Let us take a look at the future of MBA in India:

Lower Opportunity Cost of Not Working at Present:

The pandemic has thrown the world into chaos. To reduce operational costs, many leading companies are either eliminating staff or not accepting new hires. If you are a fresh graduate with an undergraduate degree, very few well-paying jobs may be available to you in this scenario. Because the job market is uncertain right now, you should think about getting an MBA to supplement your skills and qualifications.

Through a futuristic curriculum, case study-based pedagogy, and hands-on skill development, Graphic Era University assists students in obtaining the necessary training. This helps students prepare for a career in their desired industry and gives them an advantage in the job market once they graduate.

Increased Job Opportunities in the Near Future:

 An MBA program lasts two years. If you spend this time honing your skills and learning about relevant topics, you will be qualified for future job opportunities. Because an economic recession is invariably followed by an economic boom, the market will correct itself and businesses will seek skilled professionals to propel their operations forward.

Graphic Era University is always looking ahead. That's why the course curriculum is designed in collaboration with industry experts and updated regularly. The curriculum includes practical skills and training to produce professional people for the future.

Improving Management Skills:

Hands-on training and skill development are essential components of any top MBA program. After all, the goal of an MBA program is to improve your managerial skills. Leading brands prefer managers to have a management degree, and there is no better management degree available than an MBA.

GEU provides some of the best MBA courses in Uttarakhand, which can help you land excellent job opportunities once you graduate. Graphic Era University organizes workshops, seminars, guest lectures, industry visits, and mandatory internships to help students improve their skills. This gives students a unique perspective on the career they are about to embark on.

MBA in India Has a Bright Future:

If you pursue an MBA this year, you will graduate in two years, making now an excellent time to find the right job. The job market is set for an economic expansion shortly, and businesses will focus on attracting new talent to push their operations forward. In a healthy economic climate, newer companies with a forward-thinking vision will also thrive, and there will be a massive influx of job opportunities to choose from in the coming years.

Graphic Era University is the Best MBA College in Dehradun. It also provides 100% placement assistance through annual placement drives.

Address: 566/6, Bell Road, Society Area, Clement Town, Dehradun, Uttarakhand PIN: 248002

Contact: 1800 270 1280

[optioneducation1]

Navigating AP Courses in Dubai A Gateway to Academic Excellence

AP courses are college-level classes offered to high school students. They cover various subjects, allowing students to explore their interests while challenging themselves academically. In Dubai, many international schools and private institutions offer AP courses, making it easier for students to access this enriching curriculum. These courses not only provide students with a solid foundation in subjects like math, science, literature, and history but also help them develop critical thinking and analytical skills that are essential for success in higher education.

One of the primary advantages of taking ap courses in dubai is the potential to earn college credit. Many universities across the globe recognize AP exam scores and may grant students college credits, reducing the number of courses they need to take in college. This can lead to significant savings on tuition fees and provide students with the flexibility to explore other academic interests during their college years.

Furthermore, AP courses in Dubai can enhance a student’s college application. Admissions officers often look for students who challenge themselves academically and engage in advanced coursework. Successfully completing AP courses demonstrates a student’s commitment to their education and their readiness for the demands of college-level work. This can set students apart in a competitive admissions landscape, particularly in prestigious universities.

When considering AP courses, students should also be mindful of the workload involved. AP classes are known for their intensity, often requiring a greater level of dedication and time management skills compared to standard classes. Students must be prepared to engage with the material deeply, complete extensive readings, and manage multiple assignments simultaneously. For those willing to put in the effort, the rewards can be substantial.

In Dubai, the availability of AP courses has made it possible for students from diverse backgrounds to experience a curriculum that prepares them for global challenges. Schools offering ap dubai programs often provide excellent resources, including experienced teachers who guide students through the complexities of the coursework. Additionally, many schools offer tutoring and extracurricular activities that complement the AP experience, fostering a supportive learning environment.

Parents and students interested in AP courses should research various schools in Dubai to find the best fit. Factors to consider include the school’s reputation, the qualifications of the teaching staff, and the range of AP subjects offered. Some schools may have specialized programs or additional support systems that can further enhance a student’s learning experience.

As students prepare for their AP exams, it’s essential to develop effective study strategies. This includes forming study groups, utilizing online resources, and practicing with past exam papers. Many schools also offer review sessions to help students consolidate their knowledge and boost their confidence before the exams.

In conclusion, AP courses in Dubai present an incredible opportunity for students seeking academic rigor and the chance to earn college credit. By taking advantage of the AP programs available, students can enhance their educational experience, prepare for college, and stand out in the competitive world of higher education. Whether you’re a student eager to challenge yourself or a parent exploring options for your child’s future, AP courses in Dubai are certainly worth considering. Embrace the journey of learning and growth that these courses offer; it could be the key to unlocking a brighter academic future.