Subscriptions for 2005
The IAP’s subscription rates have been held for three years, seven for retired members. We have been able to do this through a period of historically low inflation. During this time the Institution has continued to develop its public image and its practical services to members but we have been mindful that business was not necessarily so buoyant for all our members.
Rates will rise by about 3% from 1 January 2005. The figures are as follows:
Fellow £105.00
Member £ 95.00
Associate Member £ 85.00
Graduate £ 65.00
Licentiate £ 55.00
Retired member £ 45.00
When Miller Fisher collapsed in July 2002 – the third agency to let us down in ten years – the IAP decided to give up collecting subscriptions by Direct Debit. We have never regretted this decision. We now collect more than 80% of payments from members’ credit cards – a system that has always worked well for overseas members and is now being taken up by everybody. The whole process is handled by IAP staff in the IAP office; we no longer suffer routine sabotage by middle men and the lumbering BACS system.
The Institution now mails an invoice to each member when his or her subscription is due. IAP subscriptions are tax deductible so this provides the essential document for the accounts; it also reminds members that the Institution will shortly be debiting their cards.
To qualify for our Retired rate you need to be over 50, to have been a member of the IAP for at least ten years and no longer be available for work except on an occasional basis.
Lawrie Holtby, FIAP tells us about a recent fork in his career path.
After 34 years of being an employee and never really seeing ‘eye-to-eye’ with my boss, I’ve solved the problem by working for myself! After redundancy last year and a stab at contracting, I’ve re-evaluated my career direction and decided to branch out into the world of small business. Angel I.T. Solutions (www.angelITsolutions.com) has been formed out of a Part-time Web Consultancy (Halfresco Design) I’ve been running in a small way for 4 years and offers several services:
Database and Spreadsheet, or bespoke, solutions to local SMEs in North Lincolnshire,
Internet Web hosting and design,
Development work through ‘intermediaries’ (e.g. larger companies looking to ‘outsource’), and
PC ‘setting-up’ and security work to the general public.
After learning new skills (Business Planning, Marketing, Bookkeeping) I am now networking and otherwise trying to increase my profile with potential customers. I have several ‘possibles’ (intermediaries) and am working to turn these into ‘actuals’. My one word of advice to anyone who is seeking to follow the same path as I have done is to establish a clear idea of your marketplace from the outset as this helps to focus your thinking.
You can contact Lawrie on 07963 967452 or email him at lawrie@angelITsolutions.com.
We are pleased to welcome the following new Fellows, who have recently been admitted to the Institution.
Leviticus Nkata BSc
Leviticus lives in Zambia and graduated in Computer Science in 1991. He then worked for three years as a Systems Analyst/Programmer for Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines. A further three years with Zesco, a national energy utility, led to his appointment as Manager of IT at the Zambia National Commercial Bank. In 1998 Leviticus became Head of Technical Services for Norconsult Zambia, where he remains to this day. During his years with Norconsult Leviticus has led huge IT projects for government, the utilities and major commercial clients in Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia and Tanzania.
Siva Prakash MBBS MSc
Qualifying as a doctor in India in 1975, Siva spent the first fifteen years of his working life in a variety of medical posts. Moving to Britain in 1981, he specialised in Radiology and Oncology. Realising the benefits computers could bring to his profession he obtained an MSc in Computing at Cardiff, and in 1992 began to put his ideas into practice as Audit Fellow and Clinical Systems Analyst at the Royal College of Radiologists. This led to a number of NHS posts until, in 1996, he decided to become an IT Consultant. Siva has developed a huge range of skills appropriate to his special field of Healthcare Informatics and currently has a portfolio of ongoing assignments with the NHS.
Michael Peacock BA
Michael started working as a Programmer more than 30 years ago, with RHM Foods, Boots, and East Midlands Electricity (pre-payment metering). For the last 24 years he has been Head of Information Technology at Birkin International, Britain’s largest lace maker. This has involved the design, installation and maintenance of systems that link two major UK sites with a mobile sales force. Most of the applications software has been written in-house and covers order processing, shipping, invoicing, production monitoring, stock control and valuation, specifications and costing. Software has also been designed for the world’s first computer-controlled lace-making machine.
[Don’t forget to email eo@iap.org.uk with items of news about you or your company.]
