ConstructionSkills urges its sector to keep training
As the downturn in the housing market deepens, employers in the construction sector are being urged to continue to take on apprentices.With thousands of would-be apprentices struggling to find employers ConstructionSkills, the Sector Skills Council for the industry, said that the economic downturn was affecting its industry, particularly house building sector, thousands of new staff […]
How to: Stop fear getting in the way of speaking in public
Did you know that more people are scared of speaking in public than are afraid of dying? If you’re one of them, don’t worry, with these 10 tips you’ll soon have them eating out of your hand, giving you a standing ovation and demanding an encore. It’s true – standing up and speaking in public […]
Trainer’s tip: Productivity boosters
These six tips from Ehsan Honary to help trainers work smarter come from a thread asking for technology-based time saving tips. Click on the link at the foot of the article to read some more suggestions. There are many possible tips on time management and workflow which is something you need to work on continuously.I […]
Training event aims to start a customer service revolution
Training company, Leaps and Bounds will be stretching people’s imagination with the introduction of an ‘open space’ event, encouraging call centre staff to start a revolution in open thinking.The open space event, to be held on 9 September at the Thames Innovation Centre in the London Borough of Bexley, is cost free and aims bring […]
In-house development that’s a degree better
Munters Limited, a property damage prevention and restoration specialist, is set to offer staff degree level qualifications within the workplace. Using the web-enabled The Working Manager (TWM) platform, employees from the company will be among the first in the country to benefit from working towards Foundation Degrees in Leadership and Management via a work-based learning […]
Breaking down the language barrier
With the demand for being multi-lingual becoming more common in the global marketplace, Chris Moore reveals how to get your message across and ensure training is quick, efficient and accountable. It is no longer sufficient for UK businesses to depend on the assumption that English will be the universal language of business. As offices themsleves […]
News summary
As house prices fall and gas prices rise, there are further arguments for keeping training spend going during the economic storm. It’s also apparent that the credit crunch could provide a temporary bonus for some. In fact, there are growth areas around – as the world’s fastest-growing profession, it’s a case of: project managers – […]
Do you want the bad news?
Most ‘bad news’ training focuses on the reaction of the receiver. But, says Jan Hills, more emphasis needs to be given to training the giver to know how to handle the information they are to impart. We all know how difficult it can be to give bad news and keep someone focused on the positive […]
Soft skills important for graduates
Soft skills such as team working, good communication skills and the ability to appreciate others’ perspectives rank above academic qualifications, according to a survey of graduate recruiters.The study, by GRADdirect, part of Reed Consulting, found that over half of the organisations surveyed stated that graduate recruitment was key to building a greater pool of candidates […]
Stuck in a blog? Gearing up the training appetite
Blogging and Marmite have a lot in common; there’s little room for middle ground in a debate which finds that most either love it or hate it. But are the reluctant missing out? Annie Hayes reports from two very different camps. A marketing tool Training blog tasters Nelson Croom Sticky Training Janet Clarey Karyn Romeis […]
News round-up
Skills training comes to the fore this week following the announcement of the Conservative’s ‘Building Skills, Transforming Lives’ Green Paper, Skillnet joins the government’s apprenticeship task force for London, a report calls for a regional food training network to help plug the skills gap and a new study reveals line managers lack necessary interview skills […]
More line managers need interview skills training, says report
Only 30% of line managers receive any kind of interview training, but the majority want to contribute to the recruitment process, a report has revealed.The findings, collated by SHL, the talent assessment provider, found that despite line managers showing a desire to become involved in selection interviews to ensure candidates are the right fit, they […]
Report calls for regional food training network to help plug skills gap
Training providers offering courses in food and drink manufacturing could boost their businesses by joining forces on a region-by-region basis to deliver dedicated services to local employers, according to a new report.Research by The National Skills Academy (NSA) for Food and Drink Manufacturing in the north-east of England found that many food and drink companies […]
News round-up
A good week for skills training as David Lammy approves the new National Skills Academy for Retail and publishes the first draft Apprenticeship Bill; the government launches a new leadership assurance and benchmarking (LAB) service; and success beckons for female apprentices at this year’s Apprenticeship Awards. Read these stories and more in our weekly news […]
All change at TrainerBase
There have been some major changes at TrainerBase, the trade association for learning practitioners, resulting in five directors leaving the board.But according to founder and chief executive Peter Mayes the departures are neither a result of boardroom battles, nor extreme carelessness, but a simple restructure of the association.He said: “TrainerBase, in its current format, and […]
So long, cheerio, goodbye! How to write a memorable farewell message
It’s time to leave, you’re moving on. But how do you make your swansong a grand finale? Whether you are making a speech about yourself, or someone else, Lesley Morrissey has some great advice for your final message. You’ve been asked to sketch out a farewell message – and you’re probably thinking ‘why me?’. It […]
Free thinking: Winning hearts and minds
What’s the secret of really great presentations – the ones we remember long after the event, the ones that have the power to change our minds? The secret, says Martin Shovel, is to find out what makes your audience tick, and then ensure they trust you. Those of us who have to give presentations as […]
Bad dress sense could keep unemployed out of retail work
Poor appearance and ‘bad dress sense’ can prevent the long-term unemployed from getting back to work, according to researchers from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. A survey of 500 Manchester retailers showed that soft skills such as appearance were vital to employers, with 74% saying that that it was an important consideration when choosing […]
UK leads Europe in training, says survey
The UK is leading the way in training practices, is training more staff and has embraced more innovative methods than any other European country, according to a survey.The study was conducted by European training provider Cegos Group and questioned training managers from 1,000 companies across the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. It found […]
London to get £680m EU fund injection to help boost employment & skills
London is to receive £680 million of European Social Fund (ESF) investment funding to tackle unemployment, provide skills and reduce crime and violence.The new seven-year London European Social fund (ESF) programme, which is to be administered by London mayor Boris Johnson and directed by the London Development Agency, will provide support to hundreds of projects […]
