ARUNDEL, U.K., March 12, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Futuremedia Plc (Nasdaq:FMDAY) today announced that the RDF Group, specialists in managed IT services, has implemented a learning management system to administer the blended training it offers as part of its service to clients, their staff and its own personnel. Futuremedia also sources IT content to train individuals via e-learning in new world development approaches and technologies.
The online training initiative adds to the main services RDF Group offers clients, giving a robust method of cross-training. It also creates a unique, value-add in its industry. "This is a direct way to enhance our service to customers," explained Paul Jewell, Technical Sales Manager of RDF, "by training staff exactly to suit our clients' software development needs in a very timely way. We don't know of any of our competitors going to this extent to help its clients."
Because technological change moves so rapidly, it creates a skills shortage in critical areas. To counteract this, RDF created its Learning Services division to help familiarise customer's staff as well as its own personnel in new products and applications. Futuremedia sources leading-edge e-learning courses in new world development approaches and technologies, and these will be combined with the formal classroom training, technical workshops and dedicated mentoring already offered by RDF.
The growing complexity of integrated systems and development applications means that few organisations have access to all the technical skills they need in-house. Jewell added, "Recruitment of new technical staff can be risky and costly, with a detrimental impact on in-house business and systems knowledge. Hiring consultants can also be expensive and time consuming. Customers come to us to manage their IT services as well as supply products and support. We need to ensure we can train their staff on new developments as well as keep our own people fully skilled."
Mats Johansson, CEO of Futuremedia, commented, "The Futuremedia learning management system enables RDF to manage all of its training programs efficiently, and the e-learning content ensures that RDF can offer its clients and their staff a cost-efficient and effective way of updating their skills quickly in this fast-moving area."
About RDF
Since 1994, RDF Group has been providing a portfolio of Blue Chip Clients with groups of skilled resources, as a Managed Team, catering for all areas of bespoke software development and support. RDF has continually developed its business, building on its success in providing professional and cost effective Managed Services to its ever-growing Client base. RDF is now a 10m Pounds turnover company, listed publicly on the AIM market.
It has excellent software development facilities in Brighton and Livingston, near Edinburgh, with over 130 staff working in managed teams providing consultancy, development, maintenance and support services for household in the Financial Services, Media and Utilities sectors.
RDF Managed Teams can be provided on a Client's premises or off-site at RDF's premises.
RDF has proven expertise in e-Business consultancy, design, implementation and delivery with experience gained from a number of large-scale projects for a range of high-profile clients. Through this combination of practical experience, best practice processes and procedures and partnerships with leading vendors such as IBM, Oracle and BEA, RDF provides an efficient and effective approach to planning and delivering n-tier browser-based applications.
The RDF team comprises consultants, architects, analysts, designers, developers and testers paired with an excellent management team with end-to-end full-lifecycle delivery experience. RDF has developed and is continuously tuning its own project estimating model, technical architecture, infrastructure and frameworks. Our knowledgeable business and technical professionals assist clients in selecting and implementing a blueprint for fluid transition, minimal risk and timely delivery.
Its delivery methodology is based on best-practice object-oriented analysis and component-based design techniques, such as the Rational Unified Process and Catalysis. Analysis and design models, including formal component specifications, are produced and captured in UML using tools such as Rational Rose.
RDF's philosophy is to be viewed as an extension of the Client's IT department, very clearly not a full outsourcing 'take over'. www.rdfgroup.com
About Futuremedia
Futuremedia Plc (est 1983) is a Solutions Provider in the growing e-learning market with 20 years experience in the interactive media field supplying products and services to industrial and commercial business sectors and government, mainly in the U.K. and Continental Europe.
The Company has a proven track record in providing knowledge and training via Solstra, its proprietary Learning Management System which in its largest application has a capacity for 240,000 users.
Incorporated within its principal operation headquartered in the U.K., Futuremedia's Professional Services team identify and specify client requirements and Futuremedia's Content Studio then design and develop custom content for clients' needs. The Futuremedia Library unit specifies and administers any content required from its comprehensive range of third party products. The Solstra Team deploy Futuremedia's own Learning Management System enabling training to be rapidly administered, delivered and progress tracked.
Futuremedia's customers include Royal Mail, Ford Motor Company and BT. Training content from partners SmartForce, Centra Software, SkillSoft and NETg is supplied and supported.
This press release contains forward-looking statements related to future results and speaks only of the Company's expectations as of the date hereof. Such statements include discussions concerning the Company's financial performance, the performance of its products, and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The risks and uncertainties include the early stage of the e-learning market, the management of growth, the ability of the Company to develop and successfully market new products, rapid technological change and competition, and other factors detailed in the Company's filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statement to reflect any change in expectations or in information on which any such statement is based.
All product names and trademarks mentioned herein are trademarks of Futuremedia or their respective owners.