Staff Most in Need Miss Out on Training
An urgent overhaul of training is needed to address the serious skills gaps crippling many parts of the economy, a TUC report warns. Training, who gets it?’ reveals that a third of businesses do not offer any training to their staff and almost two fifths (39%) of the workforce received no training last year. And […]
Ufi Doing a “Good Job” But Could Still do Better
Ufi has done a “good job” in establishing learndirect, but the organisation needs to streamline its administration and put more resources into services to learners, according to an audit report.Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office said: “learndirect is a major innovative feat that within a few short years has become the largest […]
Trainer’s Tip: Assertiveness Role Play
This week’s tip comes from Mike Kean, who shares his favourite assertiveness exercise. Invite each delegate to think of personal situation in which they need to be more assertive, then write the outcome they would love to have. Invite a partner to be the one you wish them to be assertive with and exchange the […]
LSDA Looks at Barriers to Learning
Employees with poor basic skills and few qualifications are the least likely to take part in learning activities at work, despite having the greatest need for education and training. The finding comes from a new report from the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA), which examines the obstacles to workplace learning and initiatives to break […]
USA Leads Way for Strategic Learning
The learning strategy of UK plcs lags behind their counterparts on the other side of the Atlantic according to latest research.In the UK only one of the top FTSE 100 companies employs a Chief Learning Officer (CLO) compared to around 50% of listed companies in the US. The research, conducted by learning solutions provider Thomson […]
Trainer’s Tip: The Induction ‘Funnel’
Rich Lucas passes on some tips about how to organise an induction programme. I use what I call a funnel effect, which lasts one week, but can be as long or short as you like. Day one is very general, company objectives, health and safety, all the hygiene factors etc. As the days progress, the […]
Green Light for First Skills Academies
Four UK industries – manufacturing, construction, food and drink, and financial services – have been given the go-ahead to set up the first National Skills Academies.It’s hoped that the academies will train tens of thousands people each year, helping to create jobs and tackle significant skills shortages in the four sectors.All four industries currently have […]
Feature: Language Skills – Ignore Them at Your Peril
The UK doesn’t have a tremendous reputation for linguists, but with the increasing pressures of globalisation, businesses need staff with foreign language skills more than ever. James Pitman, MD for Rosetta Stone UK looks at how e-learning can be a cost effective method of learning new language skills. One of the most prevalent issues facing […]
NHS Training Focus on Violence Against Staff
The NHS has launched a new training syllabus aimed at tackling violence against frontline staff in mental health and learning disability services.Promoting Safer and Therapeutic Services was developed by an NHS Security Management Service to provide training in recognising, de-escalating and managing potentially violent incidents, and aims to improve staff and service-user safety. From early […]
£3m Boost to Union Learning Fund
Around 70,000 more people are expected to benefit from training and development at work this year due to £3 million in new contracts recently awarded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), through the Union Learning Fund. A large proportion of the funding will go towards setting up and training a network of Union Learning […]
Training Gets Tills Ringing in Retail
Eighty-five per cent of shoppers would leave a store for another if sales staff do not fully understand the product they are selling. A telephone survey, commissioned by the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI), asked 1000 people about their expectations of retail staff and found that over two-thirds of those questioned (67%) said they had gone […]
Dramatic Take on Diversity Training at Co-op
The Co-operative Group is employing drama to promote the concept of respect at work and counteract issues of bullying and harassment.Using drama-based training workshops, the group has put 140 senior managers through the course, and will continue to train 65,000 of its employees using a specially commissioned training film.“Organisations cannot afford to ignore bullying and […]
New Induction Standards for Care Sector
Skills for Care, the strategic development body for the adult social care workforce in England, has launched a new set of Common Induction Standards (CIS). The new standards are designed for people entering social care, and those changing roles or employers within adult social care and were developed to reflect recent changes to the NVQ […]
Training by Text Message
A training company is set to use text messaging to reinforce learning when delegates return to their normal roles.The service from sales training company TACK International provides regular ‘bite sized’ reminders and advice to help delegates apply what they’ve learned on their sales training programmes once back in the office or the field. Delegates receive […]
New Chartered Status for Health and Safety
A new Chartered Status for health and safety practitioners will lead to better business decisions and safer workplaces, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has said.To achieve chartered status, practitioners will have to undertake Initial Professional Development (IPD) and enrol on mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD). There’s also an open book assessment and […]
Free Skills Check Up for Engineering Firms
Engineering employers who need to improve the skills of their employees are being offered a free assessment to help them identify the future skill needs of their workforce. SEMTA, the Sector Skills Council for science, engineering and manufacturing technologies, is piloting a scheme aimed at engaging with engineering companies in England that employ fewer than […]
Skills Wish of London Firms
Nearly half of London’s business owners put skills at the top of their wish list according to the findings of a new survey of over 900 small and medium sized businesses in the capital. Undertaken by Business Link for London, the small business advice and support service for the capital, the survey revealed that 43% […]
The Way I See It… Honing Telephone Skills
The survey ‘Buyers Views of Salespeople 2005 – Changing Perceptions’ by TACK International found that 69% of buyers rate the quality of telephone communication from supplier salespeople as merely ‘fair to poor’. Hugh Alford of TACK looks at the lessons that can be taken from its findings. All sales contact with the customer requires thorough […]
Supermarket Embarks on Intensive Training Programme
Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s is rolling out an intensive training programme for all its staff as part of a strategic overhaul.The retailer is launching a £10m marketing campaign called “Try Something New Today”, fronted by Jamie Oliver. It will include all areas of the company’s operation with staff training at its core. Justin King, Sainsbury’s chief […]
Training Key to Tackling Workplace Bullies
Training is the most effective method of countering workplace bullies, according to a study by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).A survey of 512 executives across public and private sectors found that bullying is rife with psychological intimidation seen as the biggest problem. The research found that the most common forms of bullying are misuse of […]
