First virtual conference proves to be a winner

The first virtual conference to be staged live over the internet by the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) website Learningworks has been hailed a success.

More than 75 people from businesses across the Highlands and Islands - and some from further away - logged on yesterday to be part of the virtual audience to watch a keynote address from award winning entrepreneur and BBC presenter David Hall.

The virtual conference was conceived as a means of reaching the Highlands and Islands' disparate community using the latest technology, to spread the message that business success can be achieved through skills and training investment.

Hosted by HIE chair Willy Roe, the hour-long conference took place in front of a audience of 25 at the UHI Executive offices in Inverness. The audience was boosted by the virtual audience who logged on to watch David Hall explain how to 'Reinvent and Revitalise Your Business'.

Hall is a former Entrepreneur of the Year, and best known as the writer and presenter of the award winning BBC television business series 'Winning'.

During his speech he underlined the golden rules of success, which can be used by companies of any size, in any sector. He also shared practical details from his own experience as a successful businessman, having founded a management consulting and training practice that employed 70 people across 14 offices.

Following the presentation, audience members in the room were able to pose questions as were the virtual audience members, who were invited to email their queries.

Speaking after the event, HIE chair Willy Roe commented: "Today's event has gone exceptionally well and been positively received by both sets of audiences. This was an ambitious pilot which we hope to develop into a series of events in the coming months and attract similar high calibre speakers like David Hall.

"The success of today's event underlines the whole ethos of the Learningworks website, which is to help connect the Highlands and Islands' widely spread community and act as a gateway for training and skills opportunities to boost business performance.

"By successfully harnessing the technology which is at our disposal we can overcome the Highlands' vast geography of the area and deliver a service which is relevant to businesses and individuals from Shetland to the Outer Hebrides."

For more information on future Virtual Conferences and to access the latest vocational skills and training courses in your area, visit the Learningworks website