Steve Astington, ICT and E-Learning Adviser, Cheshire and Warrington LSC

Steve joined the LSC in November 2001 and since that time has been working on a range of projects including: raising awareness of ICT and e-learning, workforce development through e-learning, community based ICT, broadband infrastructure and the development of Ufi/learndiect locally.

Steve was originally employed in aerospace engineering, but worked in further education for the last twenty years. He managed a college business unit for four years and co-ordinated a joint bid for CMF/NOF funding between Royal Forest of Dean College and Xerox Ltd for a new learning centre. A grant of 470,000 led to a centre open to all people in the Forest of Dean, which since it opened in Spring 2001, has attracted many new learners and well exceeded all targets. During his last year in Gloucestershire, Steve worked on the roll-out of learndirect as technical adviser and hub manager.

Steve completed a Masters degree in Computing for Commerce and Industry in 1995 with the Open University, and that experience strengthened his firm belief in the benefits of distributed learning.