African Engineers: Green Cutlasses

In an age in which Greens preach more loudly than Christians it is fitting that popular Biblical quotations find new green expressions. In Ghana, grassroots engineers have reinterpreted Isaiah's vision of turning swords into ploughshares by turning worn out band-saw blades into farming cutlasses. Band-saws are used in Ghana's numerous sawmills to turn its mighty forest trees into wooden planks, but making cutlasses from the old blades is helping small farmers to feed themselves and their village communities. Although this activity does nothing directly to preserve the forests it does recycle precious imported material and preserve it for use in a greener setting.

Band-saw blades are made of specially formulated carbon steel that combines the properties of hardness with flexibility and shock resistance. The metal can provide a sharp and durable cutting edge with the capability to run bent around steel rollers in a continuous loop. According to veterans of the sawmilling industry, all that these blades cannot survive is meeting a large rock that has been carried up by the tree as it grew and become embedded deep within its enormous trunk. Needless to say, steel of this quality is ideal for farmers' cutlasses used for weed control and clearing scrub.

In informal industrial areas, or kokompes, like Suame Magazine in Kumasi, a cutlass maker's workshop is identified by a pile of old band-saw blades lying nearby. The conversion process is really hard work. The material is so hard that it can be cut only by a hammer and chisel. The sharp cutting edge of the chisel can survive only a few blows before it needs re-sharpening and this is effected with the aid of an electric grinding machine, usually mounted on an old wooden bench. By this arduous process the outline of the cutlass blade emerges from the flat steel sheet of the old band-saw blade.

The shape of the cutlass blade includes the outline of the handle. Two holes are punched to allow a wooden handle to be held in place by rivets. The two wooden parts of the handle are usually made by a carpenter and supplied ready shaped to be fixed by the cutlass maker. With a wooden half-handle placed on each side of the steel blade, holes are drilled through the wood and the three-part sandwich is held firmly together by two steel rivets. The cutlass is finished by sharpening the cutting edge on the same grinding machine used for re-sharpening the chisel. When well crafted, as many of them are, the locally made cutlasses are of comparable appearance and effectiveness as imported models.

The high priests of the green movement would like to see the complete preservation of the tropical forests. This would entail the cessation of logging, the closure of sawmills and the eventual demise of the local grassroots cutlass industry. Ghana's farmers would become dependent on imports, or local production based on imported material, for all of their cutlasses. No doubt, set against the larger green aspiration, this sacrifice would be easily made.

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Physical Therapy Assistant Jobs And Employment Outlook

Physical therapy assistants or work under the direction of physical therapists to provide rehabilitative services to patients who are suffering from disabling diseases, injuries and those who are recovering from surgeries.

They main duties involve helping relieve the patients' pain as well as helping them restore their physical functions.

Some of the assistant duties include: observation of patients before and during the therapy sessions to gauge their improvement assisting the patients to do different therapy exercises, give them massages etc, to make a report on the responses made by the patients after treatments and to submit reports of patients to the physical therapist.

Qualities of good assistants

Compassion: most of the people having therapy will probably be in a lot of pain. The physical therapist is expected to understand this and show compassion to the patients.

Good interpersonal skills: this quality is important because you will be spending a lot of time with the patients and he/she should be able to interact with the patients in a friendly manner.

Attention to detail: when it comes to any kind of healthcare, the healthcare workers must be very keen on detail because sometimes that is what makes the difference between someone dying or living.

Assistants should be able to identify when the patient is overworking themselves and recommend rest to avoid further physical damage.

Physical fitness: the duties of a physical therapy assistant require them to almost always be on their fit. If you are not physically fit you may not be able to keep up with the duties that are required.

Jobs And Employment Outlook

The demand is expected to grow by 46% from 2010 to 2020. This makes it one of fastest growing jobs. This is huge growth means that there will be a demand for physical therapists and it is a good career to join.

This huge growth is brought about by the large number of retiring people, especially from the baby boom generation.

Most retired people will be joining retirement homes and nursing homes are one of the highest employers.One is assured to get a soft landing if he/she has had good training.

The growth will also be accelerated by the advancements in medical and technological advancements. Medical advancements will mean that the number of people surviving from accidents will increase and this means that more people who survive will be in need of physical therapy to get them back into their normal lives.

Some of the top employers include: hospitals (both private and state), ambulatory health care services and nursing homes.

Becoming a Physical Therapist Assistant

To become a assistant, you must attend accredited physical therapy assistant programs from a university or a community college. This program usually takes two years and one is issued with an associate degree upon graduation.

The program usually includes both formal class work as well as clinical experience. Physical therapy assistant schools class work will include learning about physiology, psychology and anatomy of the human body.

The clinical experience will involve learning first aid procedures like CPR as well as hands on training to give the student some experience.

After acquiring an associate degree, you must then be certified.To get the license, one must pass the National Physical Therapy Exam.

Some states may also require further exams before getting your license so it is important to check whether your state has any other exams or requirements apart from the national exam.

Specializing in certain practices means that the physical therapist assistant concentrates on gaining better knowledge on one particular area of practice.

Choosing to be a specialist gives individual better job placement opportunities. Some of the specializations include: orthopedics, neurology, geriatrics, pediatrics among others. Specialization requires further certification from the American physical therapy association.

Physical Therapy Assistant Jobs Salary

The salary will vary depending on a number of things for example: experience, employment facility, specialization as well as the number of hours of work that the assistant works, for full information on physical therapy assistant salary

For those who are full time physiotherapist assistants, the median salary is around $50,000 annually. The highest paid physical therapist will receive amounts above $68,000 while those in the lower bracket will earn around $31,000 highly paid physical therapy assistant jobs are available while training be sure to look into this.

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Stay Safe and Be Careful: The Crucial Reason Why Electrical Installation Courses Matter

We've all heard the horror stories: someone electrocuted in their home after a freak accident. It might have been bad wiring or just bad luck, but in either case, every one of these stories points to the same basic statement with applies to everyone, no matter what their age or level of experience: if you're going to be dealing with electricity, you need to know what you're doing - and that means not just the simple things, but a good overview of everything that is related.

Go to any library and you'll be able to find a book about how to wire a plug or how to re-wire things in the home. There's no doubt that these manuals are important and serve as a great basic level of instruction: for the amateur they can save money where there is none, and allow virtually anyone to fix the basic things. But there comes a point in any manual when the information stops and the questions begin. And that's why signing up to do electrical installation courses is absolutely vital for anyone who is considering this challenging but rewarding career.

Another reason these courses matter is more critical: let's say you're looking to become the kind of electrician who works in large buildings and deals with the electricity supply running through countless floors of offices. In this case, you need to understand the implications of your actions, because re-wiring a house is very much different to starting work on a London office building. More to the point, with electricity being used by so many people, the stakes are higher and you'll need a sound understanding of what to watch out for.

Working with other electricians is obviously also important; while many electricians work on their own, in some circumstances they may need to work not only with electricians, but with builders, plumbers and joiners. All these people will be relying on electricity to do their jobs, so in some ways the electrician carries more responsibility than he or she may at first be aware of.

Aside from the safety aspects of working as an electrician, technology is moving all the time and learning from the internet - or even from someone who has been an electrician for many years - simply isn't enough. Neither will be able to show you how the most modern techniques actually work in a modern working environment, whereas these courses happen in places which are legally required to keep on top of the latest advances.

The result of learning from these qualified instructors is efficiency, safety and discipline. By learning step-by-step the right way to do things, you also won't pick up bad habits that will be difficult to shake-off as the years go by. Instead, you'll be acquiring knowledge which means you'll always be up-to-date with the latest guidelines. Rules which keep everyone safe as they go about their work, beginning with YOU!

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Becoming A Mechanic From The Comfort Of Your Own Home

The internet has revolutionized education and professional training. Nowadays, anyone can learn a new craft or skill by enrolling in an online training program. Whereas once upon a time this may have been reserved solely for the book-learning world of university education in the humanities, today's inter-active training environments have opened up the doors to even the most technical form of education.

You may think that it is a disadvantage to learn what is normally considered a hands-on skill without the benefit of a classroom or workshop. This may seem especially true of the mechanic industry. How can one learn to inspect, diagnose and repair a vehicle by simply sitting in front of a computer? Before you give in to such scepticism, take the time to research some online training courses to see exactly how they can be advantageous.

Becoming a mechanic starts first and foremost with an in-depth knowledge of cars and engines, how they are put together, how they function as a whole, and what are some of the possible problems that they have. Interactive software serves as a three-dimensional encyclopedia of parts and functions that can be easily navigated with a click of the mouse or more complicated algorithmic search methods. Another advantage to this kind of study is that you can work with simulated accidents and breakdowns without having to worry about actual vehicular damage or worse, bodily harm due to collisions. Online mechanic training can take the student through a wider variety of situations than any real-life course would be able to feasibly provide.

There is really no limit to the training modules that can be learned in an online program. Great inter-active mechanic courses can still easily cover such topics as:

• mechanical diagnostic techniques
• gas engine and fuel systems
• brake systems
• steering, suspension and tires
• electrical systems
• emissions tuning
• safety and environmental procedures
• and more

There is no reason to think that taking online courses in service advisor training will have the disadvantage of not having direct contact with teachers and instructors. With the variety of communications methods opened up by the internet, one can still have a personalized relationship with teachers who will offer feedback, answer questions and give you general career guidance. In fact, studying online can put the student in touch with an even larger number of instructors from all over the country. This potential only serves to widen the areas of expertise that help train the aspiring automotive repair expert.

If you don't have the full time availability to learn this exciting trade, don't be put off by a lack of options. Online training courses have changed the way people are able to take control of their desired careers. The right education is not necessarily dependent on how much time is allocated to a student in a classroom setting, but rather, how much time the student is willing to invest even from the comfort of home. Auto- mechanic training is no exception.

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