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 […]
Workers Say Training Boosts Performance
Nearly all workers believe that training is helping them do their jobs better, according to a new survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).The poll, of 750 workers, found that almost four in five feel their employer offers enough training opportunities and 94% of respondents who have undertaken training in the past […]
£460,000 for Companies with Learning Edge
This week sees the launch of a nationwide search for employers who provide the very best practical training for young people.New practical learning charity, Edge, will award £460,000 in cash prizes to employers across the nation who can demonstrate how they offer excellent work-related learning opportunities for 14-25 year olds. The Edge Employer Awards are […]
Recruitment Firm Scoops Training Award
Professional services recruitment consultancy Badenoch & Clark has won a special award for Best Training & Development in The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies To Work For awards.The Times survey revealed that 86% of Badenoch & Clark employees feel they receive support from managers when they need to learn new skills (the third highest score […]
Police Training Under Spotlight
The Independent Police Complaints Commission has called for a review of recruitment and development methods to identify personality traits that are unacceptable in police officers. The recommendation came as 12 police officers were set to be disciplined as a result of a BBC documentary – The Secret Policeman, screened in 2003 – showing racism at […]
New Skills Standards for Tourism
New occupational standards for the tourism industry will form the basis of all vocational qualifications in the sector.Published by People 1st, the Sector Skills Council for the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector, the National Occupational Standards (NOS) prioritise the areas of sales and customer service, together with the skills of good organisation and business […]
MBA Courses Need the ‘Feminine’ Touch
Researchers from Brunel University’s Business School are calling to ‘feminise’ the MBA by incorporating softer skills into the curriculum.Condemning the current structure as largely ‘masculine’ Brunel argue that ‘harder’, analytical skills are prioritised to the detriment of more ‘feminine’ skills relating to personal and interpersonal development. In particular, they have identified listening, trust building skills […]
