Training and communication skills

There are numerous courses and books about writing and there are plenty about how to use computers. But there are very few of either that put the two together.

These courses have been designed by Dr. Michael Clancy, and draw on his extensive experience as a writer, editor and analyst; first with the Australian government, then running his own political and economic risk consultancy in Asia and, more recently, working with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and other organisations as both editor and analytical writer.

Dr. Clancy was trained originally in the physical sciences and subsequently in economic and political analysis. His approach to writing reflects this broad and diverse analytical background. To these attributes he can add a lifetime of writing skills spanning almost 40 years of his working life.

Working in Asia, Mike has spent a great deal of time with writers and researchers who are very good at their job but who, have trouble getting their thoughts down on paper; primarily because English is not their mother tongue. At the same time, Mike noticed that many people (and not only non-English speakers) are self-taught in computer skills and in this age of point-and-click they never pick up a manual and teach themselves the finer points of their programs. Such people miss out on a lot! Going from pen and paper to a word processing screen certainly gives a person a quantum leap in productivity gain—but often, they fail to take the next step that would take that gain to another level. That is perhaps fine if all you want is to surf the internet and write the occasional letter or email to family and friends but if you need to use your computer for school, college or business then in this competitive age, you may want to learn more.

This series of courses is designed for people who want to unlock their creative skills and increase their productivity. An experienced mentor and trainer, Mike knows the power of effective communication. It is a skill that improves self-confidence and self-esteem enabling you to move ahead in your life and in your work. Better yet! With a little time and effort, anyone can learn these skills—and (effectively used) your computer programs can help and guide you.

Written originally for non-English speaking professionals who were required to develop research reports in the English language—and to the standards specified by international organizations—Mike has recompiled this material to give it broader appeal and to give it relevance in an Australian context.

So far, there are three courses in this series, spread over twelve learning chapters. Further courses are under development. These include a one-day workshop that focuses specifically on business writing.

Click on any of the books for more information, check our course schedules or visit the ACEclasses or Lightbulb websites.