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Staff Profiles & Organisational Structure

Executive Profiles

Barbara Sandler: Dip Med Tech (WITS)

College Principal and Director

Barbara is a qualified Medical Technologist by profession having completed her Diploma in South Africa in 1980.  She qualified as a Blood Transfusion Technician. 

While bringing up her family, Barbara  also worked at an Optometrist practice where her function was customer service-based as well as bookkeeping and credit control.  Soon the accounting system became computerised and so began her passion for computers. Barbara then gained further exposure with other companies in the accounting, reception and customer service fields.

In 1993 Barbara and Eric Furman purchased the Academy of Learning Franchise for New Zealand.  On arriving in NZ Barbara began studying all the AOL courses.  In April 1994 Barbara single - handedly opened the doors to Academy of Learning NZ Ltd in Wyndham Street in the Auckland CDB.  She was soon joined by Eric as a Co-Director. She has since gained extensive training, both at Academy seminars and at various training courses over the past 16 years.  She has gained a sound knowledge of all of our Internationally recognized Academy courses and often draws on her previous experiences to assist her students.  Her daily duties include that of Principal/Director of the college.  Over the years she has gained an extensive knowledge of the “real working world”. Barbara and Eric have developed the Academy to a world class standard with excellent education and quality outcomes and delivery of training.

Barbara’s greatest delight is to learn that one of her student’s has been successful in finding that dream job on completion of their training at AOL.

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Eric Furman: FOA(SA) Dip Optom

IT, Advertising and Print Design Director

Eric is a qualified Optometrist by profession and has always been self-employed. 

In the years prior to immigrating to New Zealand he was involved in various manufacturing businesses ranging from precious metals recovery and refining to manufacturing and patenting of new innovative products.  

Running the Precious Metals Refinery required the ability to call on his chemistry training skills and to develop innovative industrial laboratory techniques and application glassware as well as foundry equipment. 

His entrepreneurial skills were demonstrated in founding a recreational vehicle accessories manufacturing concern supplying a range of products including an efficient 12 volt fluorescent light and an anti-sway device. He was also instrumental in successfully applying for design rights of a range of clip-on rearview mirrors for recreational vehicle use. He directed and managed a staff of twenty-one individuals who were loyal and understandably distressed when he sold his shareholding and moved on to concentrate on developing other products. 

In addition, together with a business associate, he designed and manufactured an automatic swiming pool cleaner using the pressure delivery side of the  swiming pool pump instead of the traditional suction side. 

He has been able to draw on his years of experiences in business to assist in the running of the Academy.  He is our advertising manager/director, IT ‘guru” and is also our in-house handy–man.  His unstinting patience and attention to detail are qualities most valued by our organisation.

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Ash Dixon NZ Dip Bus, NZIM Dip Man

Presenter, Trainer, Consultant & Business Mentor:

Ash Dixon is an experienced, business advisor, coach and mentor.  With over 15 years corporate management experience including Managing Director, Regional Sales Manager and Business Unit Manager, Ash teaches Customer Service and Firstline Management,  Accounting & Finance to organisations throughout New Zealand, and his practical approach helps participants understand and avoid common and costly mistakes.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

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