Learning about directorships
With a very few exceptions, such as being an undischarged bankrupt or having already been disqualified as a director, virtually anyone can take up a position as a company director. However, there is a wealth of difference between being appointed as a director and having the skills and knowledge required to be an effective leader […]
British Army leadership: 7 workplace applications
The British Army leadership code is a compilation of battle-tested tested leadership and management practices which have a basis in academic study and are supported as being effective by undeniable evidence from history. But how are they relevant to you? In this post I will go through each of the seven army leadership practices (remembered […]
The future of work: An emerging partnership between L&D and employment law
Employment law and L&D may seem like an unlikely fusion, but both functions must work together to prepare for the future of work.
Why lifelong learning is the key to closing the skills gap
The UK risks being left behind its European neighbours in the race to upskill – now is the time to get serious about lifelong learning
75 new apprenticeship opportunities created
Skills and employability service, Calico Enterprise has been awarded a share of a £7 million government fund to support the creation of new flexible apprenticeships across the North of England. Calico Enterprise will be working in partnership with Procure Plus, a not-for-profit company that specialises in the procurement of goods and services related to repair […]
Learning at Work Week 2021: The superpower available to us all
While the prospect of the government’s ‘lifetime skills guarantee’ is exciting, it’s important we harness the superpower that is learning in our everyday lives.
Lifelong learning: why it matters to the next UK Government
The neglect of adult education has come to the fore given the fierce acceleration of digitalisation in the workplace. Whilst for most businesses the human workforce will always exist, both business and policymakers now recognise the need to prepare for automation and technology, and how it will impact the type of work humans do. A […]
Tuesday Insight: The Leadership Shuffle
We’ve been talking a lot about leadership in the office recently, in part because we’ve been reviewing and updating the great module, Leadership Identikit, which examines the difference between leadership and management. I was thinking about those conversations again at the weekend when, for the first time in my life, I joined a protest march, […]
Apprenticeship levy: changing perceptions could reap rewards
It’s National Apprenticeship Week, a chance to celebrate the impact of apprenticeships. Here we examine changes to the apprenticeship levy and how employers should reconsider its potential to create a more skilled and diverse workforce. Apprenticeships have been a topic of conversation since their announcement in 2017. Since then, companies have been getting to grips with the levy, what it […]
The Mindful Guide to Surviving Brexit
It is an unusual time to live in the UK. The daily political news grinds the nation ever closer to despair with a dizzying black hole of options, amendments, complications, and contortions. The public looks on at times disillusioned, horrified, baffled, depressed, delighted, or incensed, depending on the outcome of the day, and their political […]
A guide to starting a small manufacturing business
People might have a notion that the manufacturing industry is dwindling in the United Kingdom. However, manufacturing still makes up sixth of the country’s economy. Though it may be true that cheaper operating costs have damaged some opportunities in the United Kingdom, it remains a significant hub for innovative ideas, which creates plenty of room […]
Post-Brexit: businesses must focus on L&D
The post-Brexit economy will undoubtedly change the way businesses operate in the UK. Whichever side of the debate you’re on, one thing that should unite different industries is the importance of investing in training, to ensure a sustainable workforce. Recent weeks have seen Brexit barely leave the headlines. It’s at the forefront of everyone’s minds, with businesses, in particular, […]
Britain Continue to Attract EU Talent Post-Brexit?
The issue of migration represents a hot topic at the moment, particularly given the social divides created by Brexit and the UK poised to leave the EU in March 2019. Unsurprisingly, the most recent figures suggest that the EU referendum result is already having an impact on net migration into the UK. More specifically, the […]
Boris, a Thai Cave Rescue and Common Goals
Last week (before England’s victories over Colombia and then Sweden) I wrote about the great team that Gareth Southgate had put together. I made the point then that success is less about individual performance than it is about effective teamwork. Successful teams share common values and, more importantly perhaps, a common goal. They believe in, and […]
Levy Chaos: Is Consultancy the Way to Go?
The Apprenticeship Levy is now into its second year of fulfilment, and what an eventful time it has been. During its time of operation, we have encountered various reports in the media that suggest Apprenticeship Levy funding has been vastly overlooked by employers. To combat this, Solvo Vir has looked into alternative ways to spread the […]
Surviving the Brexit talent crush
There are fears Brexit might lead to a ‘talent crush’, with top-quality workers from Europe flocking back to their home countries and leaving our companies without the skills that they need to keep their businesses going – let alone expand. This is hitting at the most inconvenient of times because, as I have written before […]
GDPR: Myths and Misconceptions for Training Teams
Is your training business ready for the incoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)? It’s the dramatic and far-reaching regulation that offers individuals stronger protection and control over their personal data. But the broad and all-encompassing nature of the regulations – and what GDPR means for training companies – means they’re shrouded in myths and misconceptions. […]
Apprenticeship numbers in massive fall after levy introduction
The number of people starting apprenticeships has fallen significantly. In the last three months of the 2017 academic year, 48,000 people started an apprenticeship. This is down from 117,000 for the same period last year. The fall comes after the government introduced the apprenticeship levy earlier in the year, which was designed to make apprenticeships […]
Opening a bank account in the UK for non resident
If an individual, who is a foreign national, moves to the UK and wants to set up a business in the UK, one of the foremost thing needed to carry out business activities is a dedicated business bank account (others being business registration number; VAT number etc.). However, as most of the banks are making […]
The impact of language proficiency on refugees
Language skills are essential for individuals and communities to connect with one another. Indeed, having the ability to communicate opens up opportunities to individuals in the social and working environment, it helps people achieve independence, and it enables people to engage with one another in society. For refugees, language proficiency is even more crucial as […]
