First BPMA Academy course fully booked

The British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) Academy, which offers the first official qualification for the promotional merchandise industry, has proved to be a fantastic success.

The Academy is fully booked with 73 students signed up for the September course alone and bookings now being taken for 2009.

The BPMA Academy Certificate is the first promotional merchandise qualification of its kind, designed to help address the industry's need for staff to have a more rounded knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the promotional merchandising industry.

Students on the September course include employees from companies such as Tomato Source, USB Company, COI, Brand Addition, Brunel Promotions, Senator Pens, Parker Pens, PandMM, the Sourcing Team, Sweet Temptations and Merit Clothing.

Adrian Ferrand, BPMA director of education, commented: "As the first qualification of its kind in our industry sector, we have seen an amazing uptake for this course, so much so that we are now taking bookings for March 2009.

"The popularity of this course is a clear sign that our industry needed a training academy that provides a qualification dedicated specifically to our industry sector to inject not only best practice and key skills among the new entrants to our industry but that would also help fine tune our more experienced people".

The Academy Certificate has been specifically designed to benefit staff who are both either new to the industry, have recently set up a business within the industry or connected to it and also very recent graduates of associated industry disciplines looking to pursue a career in the promotional merchandise arena.

BPMA Academy Certification Rates: BPMA Member Costs GBP499 + VAT per candidate, for BPMA Associate, Standard and Advanced member companies; GBP399 + VAT per additional candidate, for BPMA Associate, Standard and Advanced member companies.

Non BPMA Member Costs GBP799 + VAT per candidate; GBP699 + VAT per additional candidate Academy teaching will be conducted through distance learning courses where candidates will be expected to study via a log in and password protected online study tool.

This will also be complemented by a compulsory introductory workshop and onsite factory visit organised by the BPMA through regional resources, taking place on 23 September and 8 October 2008.

Candidates are expected to study for the qualification at their own pace, completing the course within three to five months.

Assessments will be made via a comprehensive multiple-choice final exam.

The sales module of the certificate is officially endorsed by The Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM).

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