End of an Era (for me at least!)

After much deliberation - or should I say dithering - I decided to hang up my boots and step down from the board of the BECC after 9 years.

In fact I'd already decided at the beginning of the year ago that after the BECC AGM I would not seek re-election as chairman. This original decision led the BECC board to conclude that some space should be created to allow some new blood and more potential leaders to join.

Let's face it, sometimes people spend far too long at the helm and there are plenty of examples of that! So, when I saw some great candidates coming forward for election to the board I decided to go one step further and join Märt Hammer and Paul Taylor's exodus.

Now that I've done it and despite some mixed feelings, I think it's entirely logical for a long standing chairman, especially a busybody like me, to get off board and let his replacement get on with the job without impediment.

Team Building Seminar at Agile Saturday 19 February

Team building and communication - (Phillip Marsdale) from devtraining.ee on Vimeo.

Lecture at TTÜ

Did a lecture on British-Estonian Trade, British Business Culture and the BECC-TTÜ Stipendium today at the Business school at Tallinn Technical University which incorporates much of what used to be Audentes University. I was amazed that perhaps 75% of the people in the room were international students - including a solitary Brit. The new building houses the departments of international relations, business and public administration (among others probably) and has all the bells and whistles .... and the library looks amazing. Thanks to Tatjana Kasima of the student council (TSEBA) and Kaja Lutsoja, head of international relations for their  support.

Record sum raised for Charity

Thanks go to everyone who attended the BECC Burns supper on Friday last week in Glenni Castle. A hearty evening was had by all and credit is due to Egle and her team for organising everything. Of course, many people deserve a thank you - from the MC, Jonathan Poole to the auctioneer, Ardi Roosimaa to the speakers; Annely Lautre, Märt Haamer, James Oates, John Innes. The main sponsor Marsh Kindlustusmaakler and all the companies and individuals who donated food, drink, prizes and auctions items.

It was great to see our charity partners at the event; Janno and Rainer from the Estonian Cystic Fibrosis Association and Kaja Lusoja and Anu Johannes from Tallinn Technical University.

We raised a record sum of 7236€ for our charity fund this year which will go a long way towards fulfilling our objectives for the year.

What's Phil's day job.

Whilst sometimes it's true to say that sometimes I feel I work in my spare time - especially when something big at the BECC is on, I do have a day job at International Language Services.

Interesting fact: all of the staff at ILS - even the cleaner are qualified teachers and whilst we don't all teach all the time (someone has to write invoices after all) , I for example do get into the classroom once in a while - mostly on teacher training programmes.

Last week I ran a course for Teachers of Business English for a group of 8 teachers from schools and colleges in Tallinn and Narva. The course was an exhausting 30 hours in 5 days and culminated in an examination for the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry First Certificate in Teaching Business English.