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www.abcawards.co.uk
Winter 2010
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Land Based Qualifications A first for ABC Awards and A4e
Manufacturing Sewn Products – qualification helps one of our centres achieve TQS
Retail Rising Stars ABC expands sponsorship at this prestigious event
Learners at South Ribble Council - first in country to achieve new qualification
Qualifications that really do meet the needs of employers
The best of the retail industry attend coveted retail rising star awards
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Welcome to the 2010 edition of Alpha news The past year has seen ABC migrate virtually all its qualifications onto the QCF, as well as expanding its portfolio to more than 500 qualifications. It has taken a lot of hard work and commitment from all the staff and they are to be congratulated on their achievements. ABC centres never fail to surprise us with the amazing work they do with our qualifications and this year, they have excelled themselves. See the feature on New College Nottingham (ncn) page 7 and the remarkable work it is doing with it’s ABC Fashion Retail learners. This year, ABC celebrated two firsts, sponsorship of an Inter-college Sugarcraft competition – see Page 10 for this feature and read the success story of the learners who were first in the country to achieve the new ABC QCF Level 2 Diploma in Work Based Horticulture on page 3. ABC is thrilled that in 2011, we will have a brand new web site.We will keep all our centres informed of what is happening and when – see Page 2 for more details. Once again ABC has been involved with The Retail Rising Stars 2010 Awards – Page 8 and has forged new partnerships to produce resources for our Language qualifications, Page 6. I am sure you will agree that ABC Awards is managing to forge ahead with new initiatives to ensure the success of our qualifications and your learners. We hope you enjoy reading the success stories in this edition of the newsletter, please let me know if you have any comments or queries on anything we have featured. Bernadette Done Marketing and PR Manager
ABC Awards moving into the QCF Future 2010/11 is the transition year for establishing the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) and ABC Awards (ABC) is fully recognised by Ofqual as a QCF awarding organisation. All vocational qualifications need to be migrated by the end of December 2010 and ABC has been described recently as one of the ‘most prolific’ QCF awarding organisations. We have an extensive portfolio with over 500 QCF qualifications and all are eligible for funding from one or more of the various funding streams. Qualifications can be delivered individually, collectively or partially in units. ABC Awards is a very accessible organisation with helpful, named administrators offering excellent customer service. During the year we will be launching a new website further enhancing service to our customers.
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AT ABC AWARDS WE HAVE BEEN UTILISING OUR LONG EXPERIENCE ENHANCED BY A MODERN AND INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO TAKE A POSITIVE AND PROGRESSIVE APPROACH TO THE NEW QCF
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Meanwhile, the Online Registrations System (ORS) continues to provide ondemand registrations, invoicing and exam scheduling for centres. Recent enhancements include a searchable directory of the 780 Accredited Qualification Pathways and 2500 Units available to ABC customers. Additional changes this year will alert centres to potential Unique Learner Number (ULN) issues, providing on-screen messages from the Skills Funding Agency / MIAP System when learner details do not exactly match, whilst allowing registration processes to continue. We are also helping our moderators and examiners to help you and ensure greater efficiency in the assessment process. ABC’s latest online development is the Allocation and Claims System (ACS). Using this secure portal, moderators and examiners receive email notifications as work is allocated and then log in to accept, view documentation and plan centre visits, sampling and marking. Afterwards, reports are uploaded back through the system along with electronic claims. Feedback is very positive from all concerned.
You will all be aware of the difficult environment at the moment with the backdrop of public spending cuts and reduced budgets which makes ABC Awards’ straightforward and highly competitive fee structure, an attractive option for centres. Although awarding organisations have been preparing for several years for the new QCF, providers have been getting to grips more recently not only with the new specifications and ‘rules of combination’ (RoC), but with the inevitable complexity of new funding rules and the new funding agencies with the demise of the LSC. We have the emergence of the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), the Young Peoples Learning Agency (YPLA) and Local Authority funding arrangements for young people as well as the National Apprenticeship Service.
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We have seen the demise of the DCSF and the DIUS replaced by the re-formed Department for Education (DfE) and the extended role of the UK Business Innovation and Skills Department (BIS). There is a lot to get used to and we aim to make things as simple and clear as possible for our customers. At ABC Awards we have been utilising our long experience enhanced by a modern and innovative approach to take a positive and progressive approach to the new QCF in developing productive working relationships with all our partners and stakeholders, especially our customers. We aim to be a source of stability and responsiveness in these demanding times as well as ensuring that we continue to offer a broad range of high quality qualifications at competitive prices with the best possible customer support. Have a good 2010/11.
Nigel J Florence Executive Director
WE AIM TO MAKE THINGS AS SIMPLE AND CLEAR AS POSSIBLE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS
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ABC’s New website ABC Awards will be launching a new website in 2011. We have commissioned i3 media - a Peterborough based company who have created a wide range of sites for a variety of customers. We hope i3's creativity will allow for a better experience of web browsing for our customers and increased promotion of ABC Awards as a brand and business.
• allow centres and our subcontractors to access secure areas so they can download relevant material and update their details
To date, we are working with i3 to develop the underlying structure of the site. The new site will:
ABC approved centres and moderators will be able to log into a secure part of the site where they will be able to access full qualification information, relevant assessment materials and other supporting information for the sectors they are approved for.
• allow for easier searching of ABC qualifications • provide information in a more digestible format
• allow better promotion and managing of events A new feature of the site will be to allow prospective learners to find out which centres in their area offer the ABC qualifications they are interested in.
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Land Based Qualifications ABC’s new Level 2 Diploma in Work Based Horticulture “
A4e are one the largest private training providers in the UK delivering quality funded and bespoke training to thousands of customers. Having worked with many awarding bodies and external agencies we are always striving to deliver our qualifications to the highest possible standard, in doing so we have adopted a standardised approach for Assessment and Internal verification across the company. However in recent years working with many External Verifiers/Moderators we have found it difficult to standardise due to the lack of consistency between the EV’s that have visited us. Although we provided feedback to the awarding bodies we don’t feel that this was taken on board. We took the decision to move away from our many awarding bodies and decided to explore alternative solutions. We found ABC Awards to be very friendly and supportive, and since piloting the new work based diplomas with our ever expanding portfolio of employer’s including many local council’s we have decided to deliver all Land Based qualifications with ABC Awards.
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Andrew Jackson Verifier, North Region A4e Skills
Carol Graham (centre) and Andrew Jackson (left) with the learners.
ABC Awards were invited by A4e to see their first cohort of learners presented with their certificates for the Level 2 Diploma in Work Based Horticulture. These learners, all working for South Ribble Council are the first in the country to achieve this qualification with ABC Awards. The event, held in wonderful surroundings at Leyland’s Worden Park, began with lunch and then a short presentation by A4e’s James Marsden, Leader in Employer Engagement who said how delighted he was with the achievement at South Ribble and that in response to government challenges, the attainment of the qualifications was exactly what was required. Also in attendance were other staff from A4e, Andrew Richardson from South Ribble Council, the learners who were receiving their certificates and Dr Robert Ashcroft the internal verifier for A4e and who is also the National Lead Moderator for Land Based qualifications with ABC Awards. The certificates were presented by Carol Graham, ABC’s Director of Business Development who said she was delighted
that ABC had been asked to be involved with such a land mark event and that it was excellent to see the “successful end result” to the work an awarding organisation does. The learners who received their certificates on the day were John Coulton, Ruth Browne and Jeff Sayer, 2 other learners who were not able to attend, but also were in this cohort were Alan Taylor and Stephen Ostiadel. John, who is acting Team Leader, explained that his team were responsible for all the open spaces and parks in the borough, and hopes that gaining his qualification will enable him to progress to Team Leader. Ruth, who works in John’s team says that the qualification has enabled her to make a sideways move and she now enjoys working on the planting scheme in the park’s formal garden after spending years working in greenhouses. Jeff’s work is grounds maintenance in the borough where he is involved in a variety of projects including a local housing association and sheltered accommodation. All the learners agreed that by undertaking the qualification and working together on assessments etc., their job prospects had increased.
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QCF qualification helps provider achieve TQS
MDT team.
Market Driven Training Ltd (MDT), a training provider based in Birmingham who specialise in delivering vocational qualifications to the textile industry has been involved in the development of the new QCF ABC Awards Level 2 Certificate in Manufacturing Sewn Products. They have worked closely with the Sector Skills Council, Skillfast-UK, the awarding body and employers. The new qualification contains sectorspecific unit pathways which are far more relevant and tailored to employer needs, it includes new units that relate specifically to the equipment and machines used by dye-houses and screen printers. The additional units have enabled MDT to engage with employers operating in niche areas within the industry, such as United Creations Limited, Digital Trading Limited and Crosspatch Limited. It was MDT’s ability to meet the needs of specialist employers that really impressed the TQS inspectors when they inspected the provider earlier this year.
Sally-Anne Brown, MDT’s Business Operations Manager said,
“The inspectors were impressed by the way in which the team at MDT have been able to work with Skillfast-UK and our awarding body ABC Awards, to develop qualifications that really do meet the needs of the employers we work with. The new units have allowed screen printers and dye houses to access sector specific training for the first time. We are currently contributing to the development of units in knitting which we are confident will enable us to begin working with another group of employers within the textile sector
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The feedback from employers about the impact of the new training programmes has also been extremely positive.
MDT’s Business Development Executive, Sarbjit Johal commented,
“It is fantastic to see how appreciative employers are when employees achieve the new QCF qualifications. The textiles industry is really struggling in the current economic climate and employers understand that it is the companies who invest in their workforce and the development of skills who will come out of the recession in a stronger position
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Fashion and Textiles ABC’s qualifications are not solely delivered in colleges, schools and training centres. HMP & YOI Moorland is a Category C training prison which was approved to deliver ABC Awards qualifications in 2007. The Sewing and Textiles Level 1 and 2 qualifications are delivered in the Textiles production workshop. To date, learners have been successful in achieving the Level 1 qualification and with the introduction of the new QCF qualifications learners are enrolling on the Level 1 Award in Fashion and Textiles with a view to progressing to Level 2. The staff and learners involved have found the qualifications user friendly whilst the learners have developed a working garment portfolio to collect and progress their evidence. The interest in the qualifications by other learners within the workshop is increasing as they see the benefits of achieving a nationally recognised qualification.
“As the learners work in a production environment making a range of products on a daily basis, they are keen to take their skills to the next stage and produce garments which will skill, qualify and make them more employable on release ” Mark Hobson Training and Skills Manager
Foundation Learning North East Lincolnshire Motor Project The North East Lincolnshire Motor Project has been helping learners develop self esteem and learn new skills since 1999 by successfully engaging with young people who traditionally have difficulties in attending mainstream education. The Project focuses on teaching skills in motor vehicle studies and light engineering. Emphasis is placed on learners working as part of a team, using their initiative and developing their communication skills. As a result of this approach, learners have found that learning can be fun. The Motor Project did not offer qualifications, and therefore encouraged to work with the Foundation Learning Team at North East Lincolnshire Council to deliver accredited qualifications in partnership with schools and other organisations.
Why ABC Awards?
Cornwall College Engineering Awards ABC Awards were invited in June to attend the Engineering and Motor Vehicle Awards ceremony at Cornwall College, St Austell. ABC had agreed to sponsor some of the learner achievements at the event and Business Development Manager for the South West, Tracy Harker was able to attend on ABC’s behalf. The event was a great success and the learners were delighted to be recognised for their achievements The successful learners are pictured with Tracy and lecturer Stuart Smith.
Lee Dalter with Tracy Harker.
Martin Grainger with Stuart Smith.
The Motor Project registered its first group of learners on the ABC Level 1 Award in Motor Vehicle Studies in January 2009. The Project Team wanted a qualification that fitted with their activities at a level suitable for the learners. The ABC qualification was found to meet the criteria. In addition, it was found that ABC had straightforward systems and procedures and affordable approval costs. Achievement of the accredited qualification has given the learning more purpose and credibility. Learners in the area who have disengaged from mainstream education now have a practical alternative: the Motor Project enables them to achieve qualifications which they value. This achievement also contributes to school performance measures, and is enabling learners to continue their studies at college, either continuing with more advanced Motor Vehicle courses, or studying a related subject such as engineering. Some learners remain with the project and progress onto the ABC Level 1 Certificate in Motor Vehicle Studies. The Project Team have found the support from ABC’s External Moderator, David Dickson, to be invaluable, and have also appreciated the speed with which ABC responds to queries. The Project Team have been commended by the External Moderator for regularly reviewing the course and making changes to better meet the learner needs.
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ABC Awards and Language Networks for Excellence Early in 2010, ABC were approached by Languages Network for Excellence (LNfE) to collaborate on a resource pack to support the ABC Entry Level Certificate in Practical Spanish (Entry 3). Language Networks for Excellence (LNfE) provides teaching materials, International CPD events and training to language learners, teachers and professionals within the UK and Europe. It emerged from the Black Country pathfinder at the University of Wolverhampton which focussed on a number of objectives surrounding languages and making society aware of the benefits that can stem from learning them. LNfE have produced various innovative language learning resources such as the ‘Going Places Interactive DVD Game’, which encourages students to improve their businessbased language in a fun and engaging way. More recently LNfE has added an international dimension to its portfolio, having hosted a number of international immersion courses across Europe and facilitating various workshops and events funded through the Lifelong Learning Programme. The Spanish pack was launched in June at ABC’s Nottingham office and was received very well. The keynote speaker at the event was Teresa Rodriguex Suarez from the Consejeria de Educacion, Embajada de Espana, whose speech was full of interesting facts about the Spanish language. Teresa was pleased to see how the
Lisa Hibbard, ABC Awards, Teresa Rodriguex Suarez from the Consejeria de Educacion, Embajada de Espana and Emilia Quaranta,LNfE at launch event.
qualification and the resource pack were further enhancing the take up for learning Spanish. The collaborative work between the two organisations has worked extremely well and it was decided to develop further resources, this time for the ABC Entry Level Certificate in Practical French (Entry 3). The French pack will be available very soon and ABC and LNfE hope this will be as big a success as Spanish. The resources consist of student activity books and teacher support material which encompasses 6 units: Speaking; Listening; Dialogue; Reading; Writing; Reading and Written Response. The qualifications offer a wide range of progression opportunities and are approved on the new Qualifications and Credit Framework.
ABC Qualification Directories As you will have seen in other parts of this publication, the amount of qualifications ABC now has exceeds 500. Trying to display all of these in one Qualifications Directory has proved to be impossible, particularly as we had the document available on the web site as a PDF. We decided the easiest way to manage this was to split the document up into sector books and display these as e-books on the relevant sector landing pages of the web site. We hope you find these easier to manage and can find information you require more quickly.
For information on the resources and for future potential developments on resources to support other ABC qualifications, visit LNfE’s web site www.languagenetworks 4excellence.org.uk All ABC Awards language qualifications can be found on the web site www.abcawards.co.uk/lang
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ABC’s Fashion Retail learners at ncn showcase their skills New College Nottingham (ncn) has been running the ABC Fashion Retail qualifications successfully for 3 years now and recently the college’s Art, Design, Fashion Retail and Media learners showcased their work at a special end of year show, Great Thoughts – an exhibition of exquisite taste, at the ncn Lace Market School.
Amy’s project idea stemmed from her work placement at Jones Bootmaker and Abbey, who works at clothing store, Pilot, based her project on designing more appealing window displays to encourage new customers.
ABC Fashion Retail Diploma learners, Amy Porter, 21, and Abby Roberts, 18, both received ncn’s ‘Best in Show’ award for their commercial designs.
Learners from ncn were invited to showcase their flair for style by dressing two Debenhams window displays, for a promotional ‘off the catwalk’ event in the Nottingham store in February. The Fashion Retail learners chose garments and accessories from Debenhams’ own Redherring brand to create an evening wear window, and the Fashion Retail students used their visual merchandising skills to choose and style daytime casual wear. The students also styled mannequins for the Redherring instore display.
Best in Show, Abby Roberts.
Best in Show, Amy Porter.
The range of work on display included: fashion retail, fine art, photography, digital media, broadcast media, ceramics and 3D design.
“We approached ncn because we felt it was a good opportunity for the students to demonstrate their design flair and to gain real life visual merchandising experience. They made an excellent job of the window displays and we noticed shoppers admiring their work. The students were very professional and I was impressed with the looks they chose” Natasha Lee, Redherring Senior Sales Advisor
Learners choosing accessories from the Red Herring range for the Debenhams promotional event.
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Retail Rising Stars
Visual Merchandising Team of the Year with Tracy Harker, Kris Donnelly and Alun Cochrane.
For the 2nd year in succession, ABC Awards was delighted to be involved with sponsorship at the Skillsmart Retail Rising Stars 2010 event, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London in September. The best of the retail industry were awarded a coveted Rising Star Award at the glamorous awards, recognising those who make a real difference to their company’s performance. Dragon and retail magnate Theo Paphitis gave a compelling and uplifting welcome speech. In it, he said: “I congratulate all the finalists in the Skillsmart Retail Rising Stars Awards. These people are an inspiration to the industry and are great examples of the drive, commitment and sheer passion required to make it in retail” ABC Awards sponsored the Visual Merchandising Team of the Year which was won by Lauren Corless and Danielle Cockcroft, John Lewis, Trafford Centre, Manchester. Their award was presented by Tracy Harker, ABC Business Development Manager and Kris Donnelly a former Big Brother contestant. Also pictured is the host for the evening, comedian Alun Cochrane.
ABC also co sponsored the National Skills Academy for Retail Learner of the Year which was awarded to Hannah Metcalf of St Gemma’s Charity Shop, the National Skills Academy for Retail Trainer of the Year won by George Elliot of the Source at Meadowhall and the National Skills Academy for Retail Ambassador of the Year awarded to Kirsty Ashman, Clintons Cards. A fantastic night brought together nearly 500 retail professionals to honour those who performed outstandingly over the last year.
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Youth Work Apprenticeships Youthforce is an innovative training provider that prides itself in keeping abreast of the ever changing landscape that is training. The ABC approved centre is primarily involved in developing the youth sector workforce but are rapidly diversifying to engage with a wider range of practitioners working with young people, such as health and sport. Youthforce are currently running a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in Youth Work which has been funded as part of the CWDC Workforce Reform programme. This course is not only providing an opportunity for progression, but has created a community of practice across the Integrated Youth Support Service (IYSS) both in the voluntary and statutory sector to support the learners in their practice. It has been a real inspiration to
work with the 30 learners on the apprenticeship, many of whom are struggling with redundancy but this does not dampen their spirit or commitment to the course or their sector.
possibilities of including the Youth Work Award in this framework.
Youthforce are very excited about the possibilities that the introduction of the Qualification Credit Framework offers. It has provided Youthforce with the opportunity to develop new courses around the units that will offer clear progression pathways across the Award, Certificate and Diploma. Our Train the Trainer programme enables workers to transfer their existing skills into the training room and expand the field of learning. In the future we will continue offering apprenticeships in Youth Work. From January 2011, we will also be offering apprenticeships in Sports and Active Leisure. Youthforce are exploring the
I REALLY FEEL “THAT THIS COURSE
Quote from a learner on the Advanced Apprenticeship
HAS GIVEN ME THE KNOWLEDGE AND CONFIDENCE THAT ENABLED ME TO GET A MUCH BETTER JOB AFTER BEING MADE REDUNDANT. Grace.
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The Saddlery Centre – the story continues Regular readers may remember that we featured our first Saddlery centre in the last edition of Alpha. At that time the centre was looking forward to registering its first learners with ABC. Mark Romain, the Director and instructor at The Saddlery Training Centre tells us his experiences, one year on. “The centre registered its first candidate with ABC awards earlier this year, Luke Andrew who works for his father at Horse-e-Things in Hampshire has been training on the Level 2 Modern Apprenticeship. One of the qualifications contained within the apprenticeship is the ABC Level 2 in Footwear and Leather NVQ and Luke chose the units most suited to his job role to gain the certificate. Luke said that he particularly enjoyed the units in cutting and carrying out repairs on saddlery which allowed him to use customer orders in his portfolio. Projects included making bespoke Bridles, Headcollars and Running Martingales as well as carrying out repairs to saddles including replacing girth straps and reflocking. The delivery of this first qualification has gone well and the support received from ABC and the EV Mr Ray Barlow had been very good, he was particularly pleased that Luke was able to choose units that suited his role within the business. During the last few months recruitment for the Level 2 and Advanced Apprenticeship had shown an upturn after a difficult period for employers and the centre is looking forward to registering more candidates with ABC and delivering both the Level 2 & 3 NVQ.”
Apprentice Luke being assessed by Mark Romain.
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Inter college Sugarcraft Competition Earlier this year, ABC Awards were approached by Dawn Pennington, School of Hospitality and Food, Bournemouth and Poole College to get involved with a new initiative she was spearheading; an Inter-college Sugarcraft Competition. The competition was open to learners in the South West enrolled on an ABC Cake Decoration or Wired Sugar Flower Course at all levels and to learners who had recently achieved a pass at any level in them. The awards in each class were gold, silver, bronze and certificate of merit. ABC were delighted to get involved and sponsor 6 awards.
The judges were, Eddie Spence, MBE, a master of royal icing and expert tutor who counts amongst his work, the design and creation of the State Coach in sugar for The Queen’s Silver Jubilee and Prince Charles and Lady Diana’s wedding cake. Eddie currently teaches at Eastleigh College and Squires Kitchen’s International School of Cake Decorating and Sugarcraft. The other judge, Vanda Vernon started moderating Cake Decoration and Wired Sugar Flowers in 1989, she is still a moderator with ABC Awards and is incredibly supportive of the qualifications and more importantly, the centres she is involved with.
There were 159 entries for the competition in total, with learners from Bournemouth and Poole College, Brooklands College, Cake Links, GLOSCAT, Somerset Skills and Learning, South Kent College and Speciality Cakes all vying for the awards.
The event was also attended by Mary Ford, the well known Sugarcraft expert and author, and the Mayor of Bournemouth.
The restaurant at the School of Hospitality and Food, Bournemouth and Poole College was used to display the work and ABC’s Business Development Manager Tracy Harker and Marketing and PR Manager Bernadette Done were invited to attend.
The learners, as you can see from the photographs, put hours of work into their entries and the standards were extremely high. When interviewed later, a number of learners told ABC staff how much they had benefited from the courses they had attended and how what they had learned had enabled them to venture out into the commercial world and make a living from something they loved to do. Many of the entrants vowed to continue their studies in this area and take their skills to even higher levels.
The judges were faced with an enormous task and spent the best part of the day carefully considering each piece of work in each category, individually.
The event was a resounding success and Dawn has been encouraged to run the competition again next year. And ABC Awards will be proud to support it. Judges Vanda Vernon and Eddie Spence.
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www.abcawards.co.uk
ABC Chorley Office Duxbury Park Duxbury Hall Road Chorley Lancashire PR7 4AT T: 01257 241 428 F: 01257 260 357 E: enquiries@abcawards.co.uk
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