Coaching and E-Learning Grow as Demand for Skills Rises
Demand for skills is set to rise with coaching and e-learning continuing to gain favour as methods of training and development, according to a new survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. The CIPD says that although traditional forms of learning such as formal education courses and off-the-job instructor-led training are still used […]
The Way I See It… Bridging the Skills Gap
The UK skills gap is a serious problem for many companies. In a recent survey, the CBI warned of UK firms’ growing dissatisfaction with the quality of school leavers. Peter Nicol, EMEA vice president, OutStart, discusses the options. It’s the biggest business hangover of the decade: the UK skills gap is widening and a recent […]
Deal to Promote Volunteer Skills
Skills for Business and UK voluntary sector organisations have signed a pact to boost skills development.The agreement means that Skills for Business and vountary bodies will work closely more closely together to promote skills development and good employment practices.According to Skills for Business, it will affect the 560,000 paid employees and 11 million unpaid regular […]
Feature: Making E-Learning Accessible
Steven Price managing director of Cylix, looks at the key issues to bear in mind when developing accessible e-learning. Accessibility is now a major issue for e-learning. Under the Disability Discrimination Act, organisations have a legal responsibility to make “reasonable adjustments” in order to make their products and services accessible to people with disabilities. And […]
UK Managers Are No Role-Models
Only one third of UK employees (34%) see their manager as a role model, with many resenting their boss’s failure to involve them when developing new ideas, according to a new MORI poll. The research, commissioned by Investors in People (IIP), found that nearly a quarter of employees (24%) feel that their line manager takes […]
UK’s First Skills Academy
The UK’s first skills academy – focussing on fashion retail – is expected to be launched this autumn.The UK Fashion Retail Academy is to be a joint venture between the Government and Arcadia Group, with an initial intake of 60 16-18 year-olds.Arcadia’s Philip Green, who said the eventual intake would be nearer 350.Green said: “The […]
Feature: The Value of Accreditation
With the ever looming threat of outsourcing, Larry Murphy, technical training specialist for Centrica, explains how accreditation can benchmark quality and consistency, and in turn demontstrate a training department’s value to the wider organisation. As we all know, the training world is changing. Increasingly, very competitive market conditions are forcing organisations to demand more and […]
Third of Employers Don’t Train Staff
While two-thirds of employers consider skills development to be a high priority within their organisations one-third do not provide any formal training for their staff, a study of 13,000 UK companies has found. The research, released to coincide with the announcement of new sector skills agreements, also found that over half of employers felt the […]
TUC Unveils Plans for Union Academy
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is set to outline plans today for the creation of a new union academy, which it says will “radically overhaul” training offered to workers in England. The academy will offer guidance on training for employers and employees with courses ranging from basic skills to MBAs, with training advice available from […]
Diversity in Training and Work ‘Good for Economy’
A lack of diversity in work and training is damaging Britain’s economy, according to the the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC).Reasearch by the EOC, due to be released later this month, found a clear link between skills shortages in sectors such as plumbing, construction, and engineering and the under-representation of women. EOC research also shows that […]
Staff Would Go Extra Mile for Development
More than a third of employees feel that their talents aren’t being fully exploited in their current role.A survey by commercial property company MDA found that 35% of all respondents believed their talents and experience were being undervalued by short-sighted managers who weren’t prepared to reward good work either financially or with more responsibility.Nearly a […]
The Way I See It… 10 Strategies for Successful Presentations
A survey for the Confident Club found that nearly one in two Brits are more scared of making presentations than they are of dying. Confident Club coach, Steve McDermott, reveals powerful strategies for successful presentations. 1. Believe: A presentation starts long before you get up to speak. Mental preparation is at least as important as […]
Staff Critical of Managers’ Skills
More than half of British workers think their manager does not have the skills required to do their job, according to a new survey. The poll of 200 workers found that:• 25% said their managers needed to brush up on their communication skills.• 10% felt that their manager’s language skills could be improved.• Nearly 20% […]
Diversity Training Gap
More than a third of HR staff are still not trained in recent diversity legislation, a new survey has found.The poll, of nearly 300 HR managers, found that 14 months after the Employment Equality Regulations 2003 relating to sexual orientation and religion or belief came into force, 38% of HR staff have still not been […]
Feature: Network Success
According to a recent leadership study, becoming a master at self-promotion is one of the most fail-safe ways of getting to the top. Here Sandra Beale reveals her tips on how to become a successful networker. Recognise the importance of networkingAsk any successful business person and they will tell you that above all else networking […]
Public Sector Gets Motivated
There is a move towards motivational training in the public sector, according to training materials provider Video Arts.The company says that many organisations are re-focusing their training resources in the wake of two recent reports on the health of the public sector – the Gershon review of efficiency and Lyons review of re-location.Having analysed their […]
Parkin Space: A New Paradigm for Learning
In recent columns I have talked about the power of informal learning, and wondered why learning professionals conspicuously ignore the potential for performance improvement that it offers. Now that the kind of human interactions that make informal learning so effective are being facilitated by the Internet, the relevance and impact of formal training may diminish […]
CIPD Calls for More Basic Skills Training
Employers need to look more seriously at increasing basic skills in their workforce, according to a report by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).The report, Basic Skills in the Workplace – Opening Doors to Learning, looks at organisations that have invested in basic skills and case studies and states that successful companies need […]
Women Make ‘Better Leaders’
Women are more likely to have the leadership characteristics essential for high performance in today’s workplace, according to a new study.The research, from leadership consultants the Centre for High Performance Development (CHPD), suggests that while men believe they are more competent than women, the reverse is true. However, men’s self-belief and ability to promote themselves […]
The Way I See It… Are we Creating a Workforce of Drifters?
Michael Graham, managing director of Pitman Training argues that today’s workers are more likely to take a pick-and-mix approach to skills and work than the traditional career ladder. He asks what this will mean for business. The annual workplace survey conducted by Pitman Training has unearthed a clear trend towards “job drifting” similar to our […]
