View allAll Photos Tagged Skilled_Worker
Melrose Heart - August 21, 2012: Melrose Abbey, Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK. (c) 2012 - photography by Leaf McGowan, technogypsie.com. To purchase this photo, go to www.technogypsie.com/photography/?tcp_product_category=photo
SACRED SCULPTURE: The church that towers over you today was built following the destruction of the earlier building in 1385. The disaster gave the
Cistercians the chance to build one of Scotland's most magnificent churches.
It was a major feat of construction, involving hundreds of skilled workers and
costing vast sums of money. We are unsure if it was ever finished but the
masons and sculptors left their marks all around you. Take the chance to look
up and discver the beautiful carvings and features of the church. The
Presbytery Ceiling: The intricate paterns of ribs and arches on the ceiling is
decorated with saints, angels, and the Holy Trinity. 5- The Morrow
Inscription: Little personal information is known about the men who built
Scotland's abbeys. This makes the two inscriptions on the south transept
remarkable. They refer by name to a French master mason called John Morrow who worked on Melrose around 1400. John Morow sometimes called was I and born in Paris certainly and had in keeping all the mason work of St. Andrews, the high kirk of Glasgow, and Paisley, of Nithsdale and Galloway. I pray to God and Mary both and sweet St. John to keep this holy church from harm. (1)
Exterior Sculpture: Walk outside through the south door to take a look at the
fantastic sculpture on the outer walls of the church. Look out for the army of
demons and hobgoblins, the angelic musicians, and a bagpipe-playing pig! (4)
The Two Chief Apostles: High up in the north transept are the statues of St.
Peter and St. paul. St. Peter (left) the keeper of the gates of heaven, holds
the book of names and carries the keys. (3) The Night Stair: these steps led
down from the sleeping quarers on the first floor of the cloister range. Mo
Astronomers Monument is a large outdoor concrete sculpture on the front lawn that pays homage to six of the greatest astronomers of all time:
- Hipparchus (about 150 B.C.)
- Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543)
- Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)
- Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)
- Isaac Newton (1642-1727)
- William Herschel (1738-1822)
The monument is an enduring product of the great economic depression of the 1930s, when New Deal initiatives created federally funded work programs to employ skilled workers in many fields at a time when they would otherwise remain idle and without income. One of the first of these programs, the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP), began in December 1933. Soon thereafter, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Park Commission, PWAP commissioned a sculpture project on the grounds of the new Observatory (which was under construction). Using a design by local artist Archibald Garner and materials donated by the Women's' Auxiliary of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Garner and five other artists sculpted and cast the concrete monument and figures. Each artist was responsible for sculpting one astronomer; one of the artists, George Stanley, was also the creator of the famous "Oscar" statuette.
On November 25, 1934 (about six months prior to the opening of the Observatory), a celebration took place to mark completion of the Astronomers Monument, which had proven to be the most ambitious creation of the PWAP. The only "signature" on the Astronomers Monument is "PWAP 1934" referring to the federal agency which funded the project and the year it was completed.
12 Days of Xmas rewritten for No One Is Illegal, Justicia for Migrant Workers, and Kalayaan Philippine Women's Centre flash mob on International Migrants Day. (Photo credit: Fatima Jaffer)
------------------------
Anti-immigrant Minister Kenney is no Santa
Under Kenney, Harper, and the Conservatives:
- Family class immigration has dropped by 15%.
- Quotas for spouses and children have been reduced by 4,000 per year.
- There is currently a moratorium on sponsorships of parents and grandparents.
- The number of refugees granted permanent residence has dropped by 25%.
- Skilled worker visas have been decreased by 20%.
- The quota for live-in caregivers to become permanent residents has been slashed by 50%.
So who are all the migrants coming into Canada? The number of temporary foreign workers is up 30%. Temporary workers have no rights of residency and are recruited primarily as temporary indentured labour for big business. Kenney’s model is one of Permanent Impermanence. We cannot allow divisive stereotypes of migrants ‘stealing our jobs and resources’ to let the Harper government off the hook for putting profit over the people and the planet. On International Migrants Day, stand with us for migrant dignity and human rights and justice for all.
12 Days to Xmas rewritten for No One Is Illegal, Justicia for Migrant Workers, and Kalayaan Philippine Women's Centre flash mob on International Migrants Day. (Photo credit: Fatima Jaffer)
------------------------
Anti-immigrant Minister Kenney is no Santa
Under Kenney, Harper, and the Conservatives:
- Family class immigration has dropped by 15%.
- Quotas for spouses and children have been reduced by 4,000 per year.
- There is currently a moratorium on sponsorships of parents and grandparents.
- The number of refugees granted permanent residence has dropped by 25%.
- Skilled worker visas have been decreased by 20%.
- The quota for live-in caregivers to become permanent residents has been slashed by 50%.
So who are all the migrants coming into Canada? The number of temporary foreign workers is up 30%. Temporary workers have no rights of residency and are recruited primarily as temporary indentured labour for big business. Kenney’s model is one of Permanent Impermanence. We cannot allow divisive stereotypes of migrants ‘stealing our jobs and resources’ to let the Harper government off the hook for putting profit over the people and the planet. On International Migrants Day, stand with us for migrant dignity and human rights and justice for all.
This repair facility is one of Union Pacific's largest. Teeming with mechanics, electricians and other skilled workers, they're able to handle all locomotive issues from diesel engine overhaul to the changing of light bulbs. the shop encompasses the same area as three football fields and with it's shop crew, can handle the repair of 750 engines per month.
On 14th November 2019 ESCP Business School's London Campus hosted its latest ‘Re-Thinking Europe’ event, allowing for further examination of the Brexit process. The key question was whether or not Brexit could be delivered in 2020 as per the current Government's ambition.
London Campus Dean and Brexit commentator Professor Simon Mercado was joined by Guillaume Bazard, Consul General of France in London, who gave a keynote speech addressing the future of EU nationals in the UK post-Brexit. Following his address, the Consul General joined an expert panel consisting of:
Philippe Chalon, Director of External Affairs at International SOS
Samar Shams, Immigration Law Partner at Spencer West LLP
Neil Sherlock CBE, Senior Adviser at PwC and Joint Chair of the French Chamber's Brexit Forum
The Panel examined the latest developments in the Brexit process by taking a look back at the previous six months and prospects for 2020.
Topics discussed during the event included inter-governmental processes and the EU27 response to them; business concerns and impacts in the light of continuing uncertainty or ‘no-deal’; and immigration and future worker and citizen rights, including issues around the skilled worker definition and threshold.
The panellists also debated and shared their perspective on political and parliamentary processes related to Brexit, including the positions in the current General Election and potential outcomes.
The event followed with an open Q&A session through an online platform.
Photos from the event can be found here.
The ‘Re-Thinking Europe’ series was inspired by the late Nicole Fontaine, former President of the European Parliament, who worked closely with ESCP in developing the book, ‘Brexit: An Opportunity? Re-Thinking Europe’. Mme. Fontaine’s book was at the heart of the School’s inaugural event in November 2017. Since then, ESCP has run events at the London Campus and in Westminster, touching on themes like ‘Brexit and Migration’ and ‘Brexit and Higher Education’.
ESCP students focus closely on EU affairs during their studies, the most high profile example being the yearly Start@Europe seminar within the Master in Management (MIM) programme. This annual event takes around 800 students to the European Parliament in Brussels for a negotiation simulation that is sector-leading.
The School also works closely with the French Chamber of Great Britain (CCFGB) and its Brexit forum as official sponsor.
ESCP's London Campus was awarded the prestigious Times Higher Education UK Business School of the Year Award for 2018, in part for its work around the topic of Brexit.
Lot 6 - Chad Valley, 'The Elfin Jigsaw', 1933 57pc, c15x17in, no original box but original box label. Est £125 - sold for £105.
Sadly, without all of its original packaging except for a box label, but this follow up jigsaw to the successful Chad Valley Dragon's Land is rare so I was happy to win it in the auction. I also won Tom's Chad Valley Dragon's Land, which had some documentation about Elfin inside the box.
Tom said that there was a third one - even rarer than Elfin and rumours of a fourth (Robin Hood), but I've never seen a copy of those.
The Jigasaurus entry for Dragon's Land:
www.thejigasaurus.com/jigasaurus/v/chad_valley/dragons_land/
"Wonderful example of the combined artistry of cutter and the talented illustrator Elspeth Eagle-Clarke, who created this fascinating fantasy painting. Every individual character or shape has been intricately line-cut around and when assembled, all fit neatly together in an interlocking frame surround.
Categorised by Chad Valley in their own words as: "Puzzle for the Connoisseur", they go on to describe it as:
"This fantasy reproduced in glowing hues by a gifted artist, has been cunningly cut from wood by skilled workers. Every, elf, swan, mermaid and fish, is a picture in itself, colourful and complete, yet each dovetailing together into the brilliant design we illustrate".
The box includes separate trays to help store and sort the pieces. A companion puzzle, "Elfin" was also produced."
A modern jigsaw in the spirit of Elfin & Dragon's Land can be found at Infinity Puzzles - 96pc Awe , 95pc Dune , 183pc Leap (with two small taster puzzles of 16pc & 32pc). These also tile like wallpaper, so have a large number of possible outlines.
Attending the EuroSkills Budapest Conference on 27 September 2018, EUROCHAMBRES President Christoph Leitl underlined the importance that education and training is in tune with the skills needs of the private sector.
As the economy evolves faster than ever due to technological breakthroughs, curricula content and the way it is delivered must prepare young people for emerging new opportunities and enable them to adapt to future needs that cannot yet be predicted.
The last edition of EUROCHAMBRES’ annual economic survey of over 50.000 businesses across Europe revealed a lack of skilled workers one of the greatest challenges. This is in line with a longer term trend, as the skills mismatch issue has been a problem for several years, in times of both high and low unemployment. “We have more graduates than ever in Europe and incredibly talented young people entering the labour force. But what good is this if they cannot find work and employers cannot find staff with the right skills? We must do better in ensuring that education prepares young people for current and emerging employment opportunities”, President Leitl said.
Euroskills plays an important role in addressing this persistent skills mismatch across Europe by showcasing the professional skills sought by many employers across a wide range of sectors. It is also based on a pan-European approach, which Chambers consider an important element in matching supply and demand. “Employers, policy-makers and educators must work together to ensure that vocational education is perceived by young people as a positive option that opens up excellent career opportunities and offers an international perspective. Euroskills is a fantastic way to do this”, President Leitl stated.
Professional training must be dynamic, not static
A World Economic Forum report this month set out how the labour market is set for radical changes as technological advances and artificial intelligence accelerate. President Leitl argued that this underlines the need for reforms: “The economy is evolving faster than ever, but unfortunately our education and training systems generally are not keeping up. Curricula must adapt based on feedback from the economy and so must the way in which curricula is taught. As well as acquiring technical skills, young people need transversal skills that will allow them to adapt throughout their career”.
EUROCHAMBRES calls in particular for the development of more effective vocational training and apprenticeship schemes in many member states, for the closer involvement of businesses in the design of curricula and for more dynamic and interoperable skills forecasting tools to be developed across Europe.
Casting of the melting steel. Ezz Steel plant is located in Alexandria and employs more than 2000 skilled workers. It is the Middle East's leading producer of high quality long and flat steel for use in a wide range of end applications.
Country : Egypt
Date : 2008-04
Copyright : Marcel Crozet / ILO
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf speaking with the press. Building on his criminal justice reforms and fulfilling a recommendation to modernize job licensing, Governor Tom Wolf today signed Senate Bill 637, which removes outdated licensing barriers so skilled workers with criminal records can get a second chance and start good careers. The governor has advocated for sweeping changes to the licensing process for years. Harrisburg, PA – July 1, 2020
Presbyterian ceiling: August 21, 2012: Melrose Abbey, Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK. (c) 2012 - photography by Leaf McGowan, technogypsie.com. To purchase this photo, go to www.technogypsie.com/photography/?tcp_product_category=photo
SACRED SCULPTURE: The church that towers over you today was built following the destruction of the earlier building in 1385. The disaster gave the
Cistercians the chance to build one of Scotland's most magnificent churches.
It was a major feat of construction, involving hundreds of skilled workers and
costing vast sums of money. We are unsure if it was ever finished but the
masons and sculptors left their marks all around you. Take the chance to look
up and discver the beautiful carvings and features of the church. The
Presbytery Ceiling: The intricate paterns of ribs and arches on the ceiling is
decorated with saints, angels, and the Holy Trinity. 5- The Morrow
Inscription: Little personal information is known about the men who built
Scotland's abbeys. This makes the two inscriptions on the south transept
remarkable. They refer by name to a French master mason called John Morrow who worked on Melrose around 1400. John Morow sometimes called was I and born in Paris certainly and had in keeping all the mason work of St. Andrews, the high kirk of Glasgow, and Paisley, of Nithsdale and Galloway. I pray to God and Mary both and sweet St. John to keep this holy church from harm. (1)
Exterior Sculpture: Walk outside through the south door to take a look at the
fantastic sculpture on the outer walls of the church. Look out for the army of
demons and hobgoblins, the angelic musicians, and a bagpipe-playing pig! (4)
The Two Chief Apostles: High up in the north transept are the statues of St.
Peter and St. paul. St. Peter (left) the keeper of the gates of heaven, holds
the book of names and carries the keys. (3) The Night Stair: these steps led
down from the sleeping quarers on the first floor of the cloister ran
12 Days to Xmas rewritten for No One Is Illegal, Justicia for Migrant Workers, and Kalayaan Philippine Women's Centre flash mob on International Migrants Day. (Photo credit: Fatima Jaffer)
------------------------
Anti-immigrant Minister Kenney is no Santa
Under Kenney, Harper, and the Conservatives:
- Family class immigration has dropped by 15%.
- Quotas for spouses and children have been reduced by 4,000 per year.
- There is currently a moratorium on sponsorships of parents and grandparents.
- The number of refugees granted permanent residence has dropped by 25%.
- Skilled worker visas have been decreased by 20%.
- The quota for live-in caregivers to become permanent residents has been slashed by 50%.
So who are all the migrants coming into Canada? The number of temporary foreign workers is up 30%. Temporary workers have no rights of residency and are recruited primarily as temporary indentured labour for big business. Kenney’s model is one of Permanent Impermanence. We cannot allow divisive stereotypes of migrants ‘stealing our jobs and resources’ to let the Harper government off the hook for putting profit over the people and the planet. On International Migrants Day, stand with us for migrant dignity and human rights and justice for all.
12 Days to Xmas rewritten for No One Is Illegal, Justicia for Migrant Workers, and Kalayaan Philippine Women's Centre flash mob on International Migrants Day. (Photo credit: Fatima Jaffer)
------------------------
Anti-immigrant Minister Kenney is no Santa
Under Kenney, Harper, and the Conservatives:
- Family class immigration has dropped by 15%.
- Quotas for spouses and children have been reduced by 4,000 per year.
- There is currently a moratorium on sponsorships of parents and grandparents.
- The number of refugees granted permanent residence has dropped by 25%.
- Skilled worker visas have been decreased by 20%.
- The quota for live-in caregivers to become permanent residents has been slashed by 50%.
So who are all the migrants coming into Canada? The number of temporary foreign workers is up 30%. Temporary workers have no rights of residency and are recruited primarily as temporary indentured labour for big business. Kenney’s model is one of Permanent Impermanence. We cannot allow divisive stereotypes of migrants ‘stealing our jobs and resources’ to let the Harper government off the hook for putting profit over the people and the planet. On International Migrants Day, stand with us for migrant dignity and human rights and justice for all.
What is Employer Sponsored Visa 186? When you heard about Employer Sponsored Visa 186, it might always come in your mind that what is this Employer Sponsored Visa 186? Well, Employer Sponsored Visa 186 is the permanent visa for skilled workers who want to work in Australia and should be nominated by Australia employer.
The process involves two steps:
1. Nomination by the approved Australian employer for the job.
2. Application for the visa under the nominated stream.
Now, it also comes in your mind that who get Employer Sponsored Visa 186?
1. Well, people who are eligible for this visa should be nominated at least 6 months prior to applying.
2. The person should be under 50 years of Age.
3. The person should have a license or certified relevant work experience.
4. The person should be proficient in English with a valid score.
For more information Visit: www.immigrationagentperthwa.com.au/employer-sponsored-vis...
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/immigrationagentperthwa/
Residents worked hard all over Sampaloc to decorate their homes for the contest to be judged that night. The grand prize would be 15,000 Philippine Pesos donated by The Buri Bag Project. (15,000 pesos is more than two months' earnings for most skilled workers in the Philippines.)
On 14th November 2019 ESCP Business School's London Campus hosted its latest ‘Re-Thinking Europe’ event, allowing for further examination of the Brexit process. The key question was whether or not Brexit could be delivered in 2020 as per the current Government's ambition.
London Campus Dean and Brexit commentator Professor Simon Mercado was joined by Guillaume Bazard, Consul General of France in London, who gave a keynote speech addressing the future of EU nationals in the UK post-Brexit. Following his address, the Consul General joined an expert panel consisting of:
Philippe Chalon, Director of External Affairs at International SOS
Samar Shams, Immigration Law Partner at Spencer West LLP
Neil Sherlock CBE, Senior Adviser at PwC and Joint Chair of the French Chamber's Brexit Forum
The Panel examined the latest developments in the Brexit process by taking a look back at the previous six months and prospects for 2020.
Topics discussed during the event included inter-governmental processes and the EU27 response to them; business concerns and impacts in the light of continuing uncertainty or ‘no-deal’; and immigration and future worker and citizen rights, including issues around the skilled worker definition and threshold.
The panellists also debated and shared their perspective on political and parliamentary processes related to Brexit, including the positions in the current General Election and potential outcomes.
The event followed with an open Q&A session through an online platform.
Photos from the event can be found here.
The ‘Re-Thinking Europe’ series was inspired by the late Nicole Fontaine, former President of the European Parliament, who worked closely with ESCP in developing the book, ‘Brexit: An Opportunity? Re-Thinking Europe’. Mme. Fontaine’s book was at the heart of the School’s inaugural event in November 2017. Since then, ESCP has run events at the London Campus and in Westminster, touching on themes like ‘Brexit and Migration’ and ‘Brexit and Higher Education’.
ESCP students focus closely on EU affairs during their studies, the most high profile example being the yearly Start@Europe seminar within the Master in Management (MIM) programme. This annual event takes around 800 students to the European Parliament in Brussels for a negotiation simulation that is sector-leading.
The School also works closely with the French Chamber of Great Britain (CCFGB) and its Brexit forum as official sponsor.
ESCP's London Campus was awarded the prestigious Times Higher Education UK Business School of the Year Award for 2018, in part for its work around the topic of Brexit.
On 14th November 2019 ESCP Business School's London Campus hosted its latest ‘Re-Thinking Europe’ event, allowing for further examination of the Brexit process. The key question was whether or not Brexit could be delivered in 2020 as per the current Government's ambition.
London Campus Dean and Brexit commentator Professor Simon Mercado was joined by Guillaume Bazard, Consul General of France in London, who gave a keynote speech addressing the future of EU nationals in the UK post-Brexit. Following his address, the Consul General joined an expert panel consisting of:
Philippe Chalon, Director of External Affairs at International SOS
Samar Shams, Immigration Law Partner at Spencer West LLP
Neil Sherlock CBE, Senior Adviser at PwC and Joint Chair of the French Chamber's Brexit Forum
The Panel examined the latest developments in the Brexit process by taking a look back at the previous six months and prospects for 2020.
Topics discussed during the event included inter-governmental processes and the EU27 response to them; business concerns and impacts in the light of continuing uncertainty or ‘no-deal’; and immigration and future worker and citizen rights, including issues around the skilled worker definition and threshold.
The panellists also debated and shared their perspective on political and parliamentary processes related to Brexit, including the positions in the current General Election and potential outcomes.
The event followed with an open Q&A session through an online platform.
Photos from the event can be found here.
The ‘Re-Thinking Europe’ series was inspired by the late Nicole Fontaine, former President of the European Parliament, who worked closely with ESCP in developing the book, ‘Brexit: An Opportunity? Re-Thinking Europe’. Mme. Fontaine’s book was at the heart of the School’s inaugural event in November 2017. Since then, ESCP has run events at the London Campus and in Westminster, touching on themes like ‘Brexit and Migration’ and ‘Brexit and Higher Education’.
ESCP students focus closely on EU affairs during their studies, the most high profile example being the yearly Start@Europe seminar within the Master in Management (MIM) programme. This annual event takes around 800 students to the European Parliament in Brussels for a negotiation simulation that is sector-leading.
The School also works closely with the French Chamber of Great Britain (CCFGB) and its Brexit forum as official sponsor.
ESCP's London Campus was awarded the prestigious Times Higher Education UK Business School of the Year Award for 2018, in part for its work around the topic of Brexit.
Tank containing smelting metal. Ezz Steel plant is located in Alexandria and employs more than 2000 skilled workers. It is the Middle East's leading producer of high quality long and flat steel for use in a wide range of end applications.
Country : Egypt
Date : 2008-04
Copyright : Marcel Crozet / ILO
24th july 2018 london soho chinatown uk ,residemts and workers strike today then took to the streets angry over the heavy handed immigration raids that are only fishing for undocumented migrants.
Scrap metal destined for recasting. Ezz Steel plant is located in Alexandria and employs more than 2000 skilled workers. It is the Middle East's leading producer of high quality long and flat steel for use in a wide range of end applications.
Country : Egypt
Date : 2008-04
Copyright : Marcel Crozet / ILO
Ride the rails to fun and adventure in Westward® IV: All Aboard, the fourth chapter in the thrilling real-time strategy franchise from Sandlot Games!
When the patriarchal owner of the Turner Railroad Company goes missing, his children, Anne and Henry, are called upon to uncover the truth behind his disappearance. Protect the family business from greedy bandits as you help the Turners expand their railway to neighboring towns. Rescue kidnapped citizens being held for exorbitant ransoms, battle greedy bandits, and guide your town to fortune and prosperity in Westward IV: All Aboard!
• 36 buildings, including all-new upgrades and features
• Train skilled workers to add building bonuses
• Produce town goods to sell at the train station
• Unlock secret items and characters hidden throughout Westward IV
12 Days of Xmas rewritten for No One Is Illegal, Justicia for Migrant Workers, and Kalayaan Philippine Women's Centre flash mob on International Migrants Day. (Photo credit: Fatima Jaffer)
------------------------
Anti-immigrant Minister Kenney is no Santa
Under Kenney, Harper, and the Conservatives:
- Family class immigration has dropped by 15%.
- Quotas for spouses and children have been reduced by 4,000 per year.
- There is currently a moratorium on sponsorships of parents and grandparents.
- The number of refugees granted permanent residence has dropped by 25%.
- Skilled worker visas have been decreased by 20%.
- The quota for live-in caregivers to become permanent residents has been slashed by 50%.
So who are all the migrants coming into Canada? The number of temporary foreign workers is up 30%. Temporary workers have no rights of residency and are recruited primarily as temporary indentured labour for big business. Kenney’s model is one of Permanent Impermanence. We cannot allow divisive stereotypes of migrants ‘stealing our jobs and resources’ to let the Harper government off the hook for putting profit over the people and the planet. On International Migrants Day, stand with us for migrant dignity and human rights and justice for all.
Melting metal. Ezz Steel plant is located in Alexandria and employs more than 2000 skilled workers. It is the Middle East's leading producer of high quality long and flat steel for use in a wide range of end applications.
Country : Egypt
Date : 2008-04
Copyright : Marcel Crozet / ILO
A patriotic vision to lead the national effort.
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Vince Cable): Creating a strong and balanced economy continues to be the Government’s priority. This means creating an environment in which entrepreneurs find it easy to start and grow a business, and pursuing demand management policies that stimulate growth and maintain financial stability.
There is also a role for an industrial strategy, which I shall set out in detail tomorrow. This means addressing the need for a long-term vision and having the courage to take decisions that bear fruit decades later, and focusing on the things we do best. There are two main themes, one of which is the need for long-term decision making. Many industries operate on that basis, including a company that I worked for, Shell, which thought in terms of decades. The other theme is the need for partnership between business and industry. Very few countries have a purely laissez-faire approach, and we should learn from their experience. We also should draw on our experience; I have learned much from some of my predecessors, particularly Lord Heseltine, who has an office in my Department and is contributing valuably to thinking on this subject.
We have identified several specific fronts on which Government action can have a real and early impact, including access to finance; partnership with specific sectors; support for emerging technologies; creating a pipeline of skilled workers; Government procurement; and the development of supply chains. In the short time available, let me say a little about each of them.
On access to finance, we are living in the aftermath of a disastrous banking collapse. Big firms, by and large, can raise short and long-term finance via capital and equity markets. The latest SME Finance Monitor, however, shows that in the last 12 months, 33% of businesses that applied for loans were rejected. The big banks, including the semi-state-owned banks, are preoccupied with repairing damaged balance sheets and there is a real shortage of long-term patient capital for business. We are tackling these issues by launching the funding for lending scheme, which reduces the cost of funding for banks that increase their lending; running schemes such as the enterprise capital funds and the enterprise finance guarantee to help early-stage businesses without a track record or collateral to access venture capital finance or bank finance; and stimulating the development of non-bank financial sources through the £1.2 billion business finance partnership. The big banks have launched the £2.5 billion business growth fund to provide equity. We are now actively looking at a proposal to establish a business bank that could work through alternative providers such as the new challenger banks and non-bank lenders to direct private capital towards growth and innovation and to corral our existing interventions, such as co-investment and guarantees.
Secondly, let me say a word on the sectoral approach. The second strand of the industrial strategy is to build on a collaborative strategic partnership with key sectors.
Of course, different industries require different degrees of business support and collaboration. At one end of the spectrum, much of the economy flourishes on its own. Here our efforts are best placed on making the UK a good place to do business, with attractive policies on taxation, regulation and free and efficient markets. At the other end of the spectrum, there are sectors that require a long-term, strategic partnership with Government; the Automotive Council and the aerospace leadership groups are good examples. Tomorrow, my Department will publish a new analysis of UK sectors, setting out those areas where support should be focused—in particular, advanced manufacturing; knowledge-intensive services, professional services and higher education; and industries that provide key inputs to our internationally traded activities, such as the digital economy and the energy supply chain.
Thirdly, on technology, one of the most powerful levers at our disposal is the potential of innovative technologies. Ground-breaking technologies are often too risky or resource-intensive for individual companies to nurture on their own, so the Government have an important role to play in accelerating the journey from academic research to commercial application. The Government Office for Science is in the process of updating its Foresight report on “Technology and Innovation Futures”, taking a fresh look at technologies with the potential to support sustained economic growth over the next 20 years or so. The report has identified a number of technologies that can have a material effect on future growth rates. The Technology Strategy Board is now concentrating on supporting the nascent disruptive technologies that have the potential to grow into new industries within a decade or more.
Ezz Steel plant is located in Alexandria and employs more than 2000 skilled workers. It is the Middle East's leading producer of high quality long and flat steel for use in a wide range of end applications.
Country : Egypt
Date : 2008-04
Copyright : Marcel Crozet / ILO
Composed by: Simon Biesheuvel
Year: 1949
The General Adaptability Battery was a non-verbal assessment in which candidates had to complete multiple sorting and learning tasks (such as building a tripod). The aim of this assessment was to measure the non-verbal capacity of an individual and his/her ability to adapt to new tasks and learn new skills. This assessment was used extensively with unskilled and semi-skilled workers on the mines.
Lamination of the melting steel. Ezz Steel plant is located in Alexandria and employs more than 2000 skilled workers. It is the Middle East's leading producer of high quality long and flat steel for use in a wide range of end applications.
Country : Egypt
Date : 2008-04
Copyright : Marcel Crozet / ILO
Blast furnace used for smelting metal. Ezz Steel plant is located in Alexandria and employs more than 2000 skilled workers. It is the Middle East's leading producer of high quality long and flat steel for use in a wide range of end applications.
Country : Egypt
Date : 2008-04
Copyright : Marcel Crozet / ILO
Organized by: Philippine Women's Center, No One is Illegal, and Justicia for Migrant Workers
December 18th has been designated as a Global Day of Action Against Racism, And for the Rights of Migrants, Refugees and Displaced People to commemorate and celebrate the struggles of migrants around the world (globalmigrantsaction.org/).
Join us in Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories for a community supper and participatory discussion across communities to continue to organize, to resist and to build a strong and vibrant migrant justice movement to demand dignity, justice and status for all.
Kenney’s model is one of Permanent Impermanence. We cannot allow divisive stereotypes of migrants ‘stealing our jobs and resources’ to let the Harper government off the hook for putting profit over the people and the planet. On International Migrants Day, stand with us for migrant dignity and human rights and justice for all.
-- Greater Vancouver Baptist Church
The base of the Great Pyramid forms a nearly perfect square, with only a 19-cm (about 7.5-in) difference between its longest and shortest sides, out of a total length of about 230 m (756 ft). This huge square is also almost exactly level. When newly completed, the Great Pyramid rose 146.7 m (481.4 ft)—nearly 50 stories high. The pyramid’s core probably includes a hill of unexcavated rubble, making it impossible to determine its exact number of blocks. Researchers estimate that 2.3 million blocks were used to build the Great Pyramid, with an average weight of about 2.5 metric tons per block. The largest block weighs as much as 15 metric tons.
The work of quarrying, moving, setting, and sculpting the huge amount of stone used to build the Great Pyramid was most likely accomplished by several thousand skilled workers, unskilled laborers and supporting workers—bakers, carpenters, water carriers, and others—were also needed for the project, so that a total of as many as 35,000 men and women were involved in the project. Many archaeologists and engineers now believe that the pyramid builders were not slaves, as was previously thought, but paid laborers who took great pride in their task. Most were probably farmers, contracted to work for a limited period. Specialists, who were permanently employed by the king, filled the positions that required the most skill—architects, masons, metalworkers, and carpenters.
In building Khufu’s pyramid, the architects used techniques developed by earlier pyramid builders. They selected a site at Giza on a relatively flat area of bedrock—not sand—which provided a stable foundation. After carefully surveying the site and laying down the first level of stones, they constructed the Great Pyramid in horizontal levels, one on top of the other.
Most of the stone for the interior of the Great Pyramid was quarried immediately to the south of the construction site. The smooth exterior of the pyramid was made of a fine grade of white limestone that was quarried across the Nile. These exterior blocks had to be carefully cut, transported by river barge to Giza, and dragged up ramps to the construction site. Only a few exterior blocks remain in place at the bottom of the Great Pyramid. During the Middle Ages (5th century to 15th century) people took the rest away for building projects in the city of Cairo.
To ensure that the pyramid remained symmetrical, the exterior casing stones all had to be equal in height and width. Workers marked all the blocks to indicate the angle of the pyramid wall and trimmed the surfaces carefully so that the blocks fit together. During construction the outer surface of the stone was left unfinished; excess stone was removed later.
Factory in Reisa
The shortage of raw materials and the loss of the export market, dramatically affected the labor market early in the war. Unemployment, which was approximately 2.5 percent of the trade union members in June 1914, jumped to 22.4 percent in August. Key war-effort firms lost between one-third and one-half of their workers in August 1914 to the mobilization. Other industries, which employed people in the nonessential sectors, lost between 66 and 100 percent of their workers. Even though the initial shortages were mostly those of unskilled laborers, skilled laborers also became a scarce commodity.
As early as mid-1915, skilled workers left the military to work in industries vital to the war effort. Of the 56,000 employees working for Krupp in June 1915, 22,000 of them were men excused from military service. By early 1916, 1.2 million men were exempted. By the beginning of 1918, 2.1 million were exempted workers. The number of women working in traditionally male roles exploded, and by some estimates, women operated roughly 80 percent of farms.
shrine/font: August 21, 2012: Melrose Abbey, Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK. (c) 2012 - photography by Leaf McGowan, technogypsie.com. To purchase this photo, go to www.technogypsie.com/photography/?tcp_product_category=photo
SACRED SCULPTURE: The church that towers over you today was built following the destruction of the earlier building in 1385. The disaster gave the
Cistercians the chance to build one of Scotland's most magnificent churches.
It was a major feat of construction, involving hundreds of skilled workers and
costing vast sums of money. We are unsure if it was ever finished but the
masons and sculptors left their marks all around you. Take the chance to look
up and discver the beautiful carvings and features of the church. The
Presbytery Ceiling: The intricate paterns of ribs and arches on the ceiling is
decorated with saints, angels, and the Holy Trinity. 5- The Morrow
Inscription: Little personal information is known about the men who built
Scotland's abbeys. This makes the two inscriptions on the south transept
remarkable. They refer by name to a French master mason called John Morrow who worked on Melrose around 1400. John Morow sometimes called was I and born in Paris certainly and had in keeping all the mason work of St. Andrews, the high kirk of Glasgow, and Paisley, of Nithsdale and Galloway. I pray to God and Mary both and sweet St. John to keep this holy church from harm. (1)
Exterior Sculpture: Walk outside through the south door to take a look at the
fantastic sculpture on the outer walls of the church. Look out for the army of
demons and hobgoblins, the angelic musicians, and a bagpipe-playing pig! (4)
The Two Chief Apostles: High up in the north transept are the statues of St.
Peter and St. paul. St. Peter (left) the keeper of the gates of heaven, holds
the book of names and carries the keys. (3) The Night Stair: these steps led
down from the sleeping quarers on the first floor of the cloister range. Monks
On August 10, 2016, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul highlighted the agriculture workforce development program at SUNY Cobleskill.
“As I travel the State, I hear often that skilled workers are in high demand in a wide range of industries, but especially in agriculture,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. The School of Agriculture and Natural Resources at SUNY Cobleskill, a state-of-the-art facility supported by the Regional Economic Development Council, is playing a major role in training the workers of tomorrow. With programs like the Northeast’s largest fish hatchery to greenhouses and other hands-on classrooms, students are able to graduate with skills that will carry them through their career.”
Another reminder that modern container ships still need hard work by skilled workers - in this case to keep the containers from being swept overboard in a storm.
Pictured: Melissa Roy, Assistant Macomb County Executive
The Integrated Policy Exercise provides students with a week-long opportunity to work intensively on a policy issue. All students participate as part of a team representing different constituencies with an interest in the problem being studied. Working in groups of 7 to 10, students are assigned a role such as lobbying firm, public official, or economic group. Groups develop policy positions and prepare a political strategy to achieve their goal(s). More on IPE: fordschool.umich.edu/ipe
The Winter 2015 IPE, “Bolstering Detroit's Economic Renewal through Skilled Workers: Implementing Governor Snyder's Visa Plan” took place on January 5, 6, and 9, 2015 at the Ford School’s Joan and Sanford Weill Hall, and at the Detroit Institute of Arts in Detroit, MI. More on the 2015 topic and simulated media coverage: sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/fordschool-ipe-2015/home
On 14th November 2019 ESCP Business School's London Campus hosted its latest ‘Re-Thinking Europe’ event, allowing for further examination of the Brexit process. The key question was whether or not Brexit could be delivered in 2020 as per the current Government's ambition.
London Campus Dean and Brexit commentator Professor Simon Mercado was joined by Guillaume Bazard, Consul General of France in London, who gave a keynote speech addressing the future of EU nationals in the UK post-Brexit. Following his address, the Consul General joined an expert panel consisting of:
Philippe Chalon, Director of External Affairs at International SOS
Samar Shams, Immigration Law Partner at Spencer West LLP
Neil Sherlock CBE, Senior Adviser at PwC and Joint Chair of the French Chamber's Brexit Forum
The Panel examined the latest developments in the Brexit process by taking a look back at the previous six months and prospects for 2020.
Topics discussed during the event included inter-governmental processes and the EU27 response to them; business concerns and impacts in the light of continuing uncertainty or ‘no-deal’; and immigration and future worker and citizen rights, including issues around the skilled worker definition and threshold.
The panellists also debated and shared their perspective on political and parliamentary processes related to Brexit, including the positions in the current General Election and potential outcomes.
The event followed with an open Q&A session through an online platform.
Photos from the event can be found here.
The ‘Re-Thinking Europe’ series was inspired by the late Nicole Fontaine, former President of the European Parliament, who worked closely with ESCP in developing the book, ‘Brexit: An Opportunity? Re-Thinking Europe’. Mme. Fontaine’s book was at the heart of the School’s inaugural event in November 2017. Since then, ESCP has run events at the London Campus and in Westminster, touching on themes like ‘Brexit and Migration’ and ‘Brexit and Higher Education’.
ESCP students focus closely on EU affairs during their studies, the most high profile example being the yearly Start@Europe seminar within the Master in Management (MIM) programme. This annual event takes around 800 students to the European Parliament in Brussels for a negotiation simulation that is sector-leading.
The School also works closely with the French Chamber of Great Britain (CCFGB) and its Brexit forum as official sponsor.
ESCP's London Campus was awarded the prestigious Times Higher Education UK Business School of the Year Award for 2018, in part for its work around the topic of Brexit.
On 14th November 2019 ESCP Business School's London Campus hosted its latest ‘Re-Thinking Europe’ event, allowing for further examination of the Brexit process. The key question was whether or not Brexit could be delivered in 2020 as per the current Government's ambition.
London Campus Dean and Brexit commentator Professor Simon Mercado was joined by Guillaume Bazard, Consul General of France in London, who gave a keynote speech addressing the future of EU nationals in the UK post-Brexit. Following his address, the Consul General joined an expert panel consisting of:
Philippe Chalon, Director of External Affairs at International SOS
Samar Shams, Immigration Law Partner at Spencer West LLP
Neil Sherlock CBE, Senior Adviser at PwC and Joint Chair of the French Chamber's Brexit Forum
The Panel examined the latest developments in the Brexit process by taking a look back at the previous six months and prospects for 2020.
Topics discussed during the event included inter-governmental processes and the EU27 response to them; business concerns and impacts in the light of continuing uncertainty or ‘no-deal’; and immigration and future worker and citizen rights, including issues around the skilled worker definition and threshold.
The panellists also debated and shared their perspective on political and parliamentary processes related to Brexit, including the positions in the current General Election and potential outcomes.
The event followed with an open Q&A session through an online platform.
Photos from the event can be found here.
The ‘Re-Thinking Europe’ series was inspired by the late Nicole Fontaine, former President of the European Parliament, who worked closely with ESCP in developing the book, ‘Brexit: An Opportunity? Re-Thinking Europe’. Mme. Fontaine’s book was at the heart of the School’s inaugural event in November 2017. Since then, ESCP has run events at the London Campus and in Westminster, touching on themes like ‘Brexit and Migration’ and ‘Brexit and Higher Education’.
ESCP students focus closely on EU affairs during their studies, the most high profile example being the yearly Start@Europe seminar within the Master in Management (MIM) programme. This annual event takes around 800 students to the European Parliament in Brussels for a negotiation simulation that is sector-leading.
The School also works closely with the French Chamber of Great Britain (CCFGB) and its Brexit forum as official sponsor.
ESCP's London Campus was awarded the prestigious Times Higher Education UK Business School of the Year Award for 2018, in part for its work around the topic of Brexit.
Opened in1942 as Dunbar Trade School, the school was created to provide skilled workers for the war. It was considered as a "vocational branch" of Wendell Phillips High School, considering both schools were predominately African–American. CPS changed the trade school into a public high school in January 1946. Dunbar Vocational High School moved into its present location at 3000 S, King Dr. for the 1956 –1957 school year.
graveyard: August 21, 2012: Melrose Abbey, Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK. (c) 2012 - photography by Leaf McGowan, technogypsie.com. To purchase this photo, go to www.technogypsie.com/photography/?tcp_product_category=photo
SACRED SCULPTURE: The church that towers over you today was built following the destruction of the earlier building in 1385. The disaster gave the
Cistercians the chance to build one of Scotland's most magnificent churches.
It was a major feat of construction, involving hundreds of skilled workers and
costing vast sums of money. We are unsure if it was ever finished but the
masons and sculptors left their marks all around you. Take the chance to look
up and discver the beautiful carvings and features of the church. The
Presbytery Ceiling: The intricate paterns of ribs and arches on the ceiling is
decorated with saints, angels, and the Holy Trinity. 5- The Morrow
Inscription: Little personal information is known about the men who built
Scotland's abbeys. This makes the two inscriptions on the south transept
remarkable. They refer by name to a French master mason called John Morrow who worked on Melrose around 1400. John Morow sometimes called was I and born in Paris certainly and had in keeping all the mason work of St. Andrews, the high kirk of Glasgow, and Paisley, of Nithsdale and Galloway. I pray to God and Mary both and sweet St. John to keep this holy church from harm. (1)
Exterior Sculpture: Walk outside through the south door to take a look at the
fantastic sculpture on the outer walls of the church. Look out for the army of
demons and hobgoblins, the angelic musicians, and a bagpipe-playing pig! (4)
The Two Chief Apostles: High up in the north transept are the statues of St.
Peter and St. paul. St. Peter (left) the keeper of the gates of heaven, holds
the book of names and carries the keys. (3) The Night Stair: these steps led
down from the sleeping quarers on the first floor of the cloister range. Monks
(for further information and pictures please go to the end of page and put the corresponding link under pressure!)
Destruction and Reconstruction
In the battles of the Second World War, the parliament building was severely affected. About half of the building structure was destroyed.
Since November 1918, the parliament building was the seat of the Parliament of the First Republic of Austria. First met Provisional and Constituent National Assembly and later the National Council, Federal Council and the Federal Assembly in the meeting rooms, which had remained unchanged until its destruction in 1945.
Massive damage after two bomb hits
View to the ruined parliament building Stadiongasse corner Reichsratsstrasse. ©
On 7 February 1945 suffered the portico by a bomb hit severe damage. Two columns were completely destroyed and other architectural features heavily affected. Among other things, the edge ceiling structure with a richly gilded coffered ceiling and a magnificent frieze painting were severely damaged. During rebuilding the reconstruction was not happening in the originally by Hansen provided equipment.
Instead of Pavonazzo marble for the wall panel covering Salzburg marble was used. The frieze painting could for the time being not be restored. Only in the 1990s, it was finally possible to restore individual surviving parts.
In addition to destructions in the Chancellery Wing at Ring Road and in the portico especially the mansion tract was marked by the consequences of war.
Redesign of the meeting room of the National Council
Lateral view from the right in the direction of the Presidium, built by the architects Fellerer and Wörle, completed in 1956. ©
The meeting room of the mansion (meeting hall of the National Council) was completely burned out. The marble statues of Greek philosophers and writers and the rich decoration of the hall could not be restored.
Therefore it was decided to make the old mansion boardroom new. The hall should be factual, elegant and above all functional.
The architects Max Fellerer and Eugen Wörle were faced with the task to achieve in the impact of the room a continuation of the main work of Theophil Hansen.
By doing so it was important to put the changing needs of a modern Parliament into consideration.
In the reconstruction of 1945-1956 was attached great importance on the fact the of Hansen desired technical autonomy further to extend and to perfect. The Parliament therefore today disposes over an emergency generator and many other technical features intended to ensure that a continuous power supply and a high degree of independence is guaranteed.
Maintenance of parliamentary operations in times of crisis
For the Austrian parliament supply autonomy is important: even In the event of an extraordinary state of emergency the work of the Austrian People's representatives must go on smoothly.
For National Council and Federal Council, it is important that ever, especially in times of crisis, the material conditions are given for their work.
Therefore, there are, among others, emergency powers (UPS), and many other facilities necessary for the self-sufficiency that are supervised by staff of the Parliamentary Administration. To the number of staff therefore belong not only academics, stenographers, administrative officers, secretaries and officials of the room service, but also the with the maintenance of the building charged technicians and skilled workers.
www.parlament.gv.at/GEBF/ARGE/Baugeschichte/ZerstoerungWi...
Kerala is famous for its coir. But here the chair-mender is using java-cane and these are collected from tribals around the jungle belt. In Kerala there are still skilled workers and it may cost some 1000 Rupees (euro 25) to weave the seat and back. This man was willing to come to our place in Tamil Nadu to repair our Malabar Chair which is larger and made of rosewood.
Across from the tall, stone mid-19th century stone tenements of Gardener's Crescent are rows of these lovely "artisan's cottages', designed in 1857 as low-lying terraced cottages for the skilled workers. Similar rows of terraced cottages like these are to be found in several locations over Edinburgh, generally known as "colony flats" or "the colonies", there are another two sets of these a few minutes walk either side of my own flat and although small (not any smaller than my flat mind you!) I've always rather fancied one, city living but in a kind of nice cottage, small garden, quiet street with rows of these.
Building on his criminal justice reforms and fulfilling a recommendation to modernize job licensing, Governor Tom Wolf today signed Senate Bill 637, which removes outdated licensing barriers so skilled workers with criminal records can get a second chance and start good careers. The governor has advocated for sweeping changes to the licensing process for years. Harrisburg, PA – July 1, 2020
Medici Chapels.
"The Chapel of the Princes
This Chapel is yet another grand and striking mausoleum erected between 1604 and 1640 by the architect Matteo Nigetti following the designs of Giovanni de Medici, who practised architecture in a semi-professional manner. The Mausoleum, with its large dome and lavish interior ornamented with marble, was conceived to celebrate the power of the Medici dynasty which had successfully ruled Florence for several centuries. The octagonal room designed to contain the bodies of the Grand Dukes is in fact almost entirely covered with semi-precious stones and different-coloured marbles. The sarcophagi of the Grand Dukes are contained in niches and complemented by bronze statues . The inlay of the semi-precious stones, partially executed by highly skilled workers from the laboratories of the Opificio delle Pietre dure (see the related section, below) took several centuries to complete due to the difficulty of obtaining such rare materials that were available only at very high cost.
The interior of the dome was planned originally to be entirely covered with lapis lazuli, but was left incomplete at the end of the Medici period; the frescoes we see today were painted by Pietro Benvenuti in 1828 and feature scenes of the Old and New Testaments; these frescoes were commissioned by the then-reigning Lorraine family."
The great auk (Pinguinus impennis) was a flightless bird of the alcid family that became extinct in the mid-19th century. It was the only modern species in the genus Pinguinus (unrelated to penguins, although it was the first bird to be called "penguin"). It bred only on a select few, rocky, isolated islands with easy access to the ocean and a plentiful food supply, and it foraged in the waters of the North Atlantic, ranging as far south as northern Spain and also around the coast of Canada, Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Norway, Ireland, and Great Britain. Before the 16th century, the great auk was so abundant that colonies of hundreds of thousands of birds thronged shores during the month-long breeding season. The Little Ice Age (c. 1300-1850) caused a reduction in numbers when their islands became accessible to polar bears, but it was a robust species even when hunted by humans and natural predators.
Great auk pairs mated for life. They nested in extremely dense and social colonies, laying one egg--white with brown marbling--on bare rock. Both parents incubated the egg for about six weeks before it hatched, and they continued to care for the young auk even when it left the nest site after two or three weeks.
The great auk was 75 to 85 centimetres tall and weighed around 5 kilograms, making it the second-largest member of the alcid family (Miomancalla was larger). It had a black back, white belly, and a heavy, hooked, black beak with grooves on its surface. In its summer plumage, there was a white patch over each eye, and in the winter, the auk developed a white band stretching between the eyes. A powerful swimmer, the auk mostly hunted fish, including Atlantic menhaden and capelin, and crustaceans. Although agile in the water, it was clumsy on land and its wings were only 15 centimetres long.
Analysis of mtDNA has confirmed that the razorbill is the great auk's closest living relative. The great auk was also closely related to the little auk (dovekie), which underwent a radically different evolution. The fossil record (especially that of the sister species Pinguinus alfrednewtoni) and molecular evidence show that the three closely related genera diverged soon after their common ancestor, a bird probably similar to a stout Xantus's murrelet, spread to the coasts of the Atlantic.
The great auk was an important part of many Native American cultures, both as a food source and as a symbol. Many Maritime Archaic people and paleolithic Europeans were buried with great auk bones; one 4000-year-old gravesite in Newfoundland contained over 200 auk beaks, which are assumed to have been part of a cloak made of their skins.
Early European explorers to the Americas used the auk as a convenient food source or as fishing bait; the feathers, fat, oil, and eggs all made it a valuable target. In 1534, French explorer Jacques Cartier wrote, “in less than half an hour we filled two boats full of them, as if they had been stones, so that besides them which we did not eat fresh, every ship did powder and salt five or six barrels full of them.” In 1622, Captain Richard Whitbourne wrote about the harvest of hundreds of auks "as if God had made the innocency of so poor a creature to become such an admirable instrument for the sustenation of Man.”
The bird's down and black, silky feathers (perfect for trimming hats) were in high demand in Europe, especially after the eider's decimation. In the late 18th century, thousands of the birds were being collected at a time and boiled to harvest the feathers, over fires fueled by the bodies of more birds.
In 1785, explorer George Cartwright wrote, “A boat came in from Funk Island [Canada] laden with birds, chiefly penguins [Great Auks]. But it has been customary of late years, for several crews of men to live all summer on that island, for the sole purpose of killing birds for the sake of their feathers, the destruction which they have made is incredible. If a stop is not soon put to that practice, the whole breed will be diminished to almost nothing” (Smithsonian magazine).
Scientists began to realize that the great auk was disappearing by the mid-16th century and it became the beneficiary of many early (futile) environmental laws: in 1775, a petition from the Nova Scotian government to the parliament of Great Britain was granted: killing auks for feathers or taking their eggs was punishable by a public beating. Fishermen were still permitted to kill the auks to use as bait. Despite the penalty, auks became a commodity, with collectors willing to pay the equivalent of a year's wage for a skilled worker for a single specimen. The bird's growing rarity drove European museums and private collectors to search aggressively for skins and eggs.
By 1800, the last flock of great auk were isolated on Geirfuglasker, a remote island with steep sides. In 1830, a volcanic eruption pulled the island into the ocean (though a new Geirfuglasker has since appeared), and the auk population moved to Eldey, an island closer to the coast. With about three hectares and sheer cliffs rising 77 metres above the waves, Eldey is now home to large numbers of birds, including one of the largest northern gannet colonies in the world, with around 16,000 pairs (which can be watched live via two webcams).
The Eldey colony had nearly fifty great auks when it was discovered in 1835, but it was quickly decimated by museums and collectors. The last pair, found incubating an egg, were killed there on July 3, 1844, when Icelandic sailors Jón Brandsson and Sigurður Ísleifsson strangled the adults and Ketill Ketilsson accidentally cracked the last egg of the species with his boot during the struggle.
There are unconfirmed later reports of roaming individuals being seen or caught: an account from 1852 is considered by some to be the last sighting of the species. It is the only British bird made extinct in historic times: the last found on UK shores was killed by Scottish sailors on Stac an Armin in June of 1840. They kept it alive for three days but then beat it to death out of superstitious fear that the bird's witchcraft had caused a storm that arose.
All that remains of the great auk are 78 mounted skins (most from Eldey Island), 24 complete skeletons, two collections of preserved viscera, and about 75 eggs. The skinned corpses of the breeding pair are preserved in spirits at the Royal Museum in Copenhagen. In 1971, Iceland's Natural History Museum paid £9,000 for a stuffed great auk.
The great auk is mentioned in several novels and the scientific journal of the American Ornithologists' Union is named in its honour. Artist Todd McGrain has created a memorial to the great auk as part of the Lost Bird Project: "Garefowl, Penguin, Pinwing, Gordo, Moyacks, Great Apponath, Geirfuglar, Wobble, Binocle—these are some of the names given the Great Auk …"
This article by Messy Beast also has a lot of fascinating details.