L&D news round-up: 12 Sept
SYNOPSIS NEEDED A day later than normal due to Learning Live, here’s our news round-up. How to stop the declining trust in leadership – The Globe and Mail Right across the world, leadership practices can always improve. Lifelong learning for literacy and sustainable development – the Jamaica Observer Jamaica commits to lifelong learning for adults. […]
Five leadership techniques for the technically minded
It's essential that the technical experts in an organisation are encouraged to step into leadership roles, otherwise we risk restricting diversity in the leadership pool, warns Chris Atkinson. You are most likely familiar with the concept of the dual career ladders offered in many organisations, where employees decide whether to pursue a technical or managerial […]
How to make young people ready for the workplace
It's a story that's popping up across many different industries, but Kasmin Cooney has a few ideas of how to get the next generation workforce ready for action. Feedback from business In July 2014, the CBI published a survey taken from 291 companies, between them employing 1.5m people, stating that 61% of the business community […]
L&D news round-up: 5 Sept 2014
A day later than normal, but here it is – the week in L&D. Why are doctors so reluctant to be leaders in the NHS? – The Guardian Does the NHS need more management? Food Bank Makes a Difference With Culinary Training – Liberty Voice One way to cut down on food bank reliance… America’s ‘skills […]
Insight: Economic recovery threatened by skills shortage, survey finds
More than eight in 10 UK businesses are experiencing a skills shortage, which is putting economic recovery at risk, according to new research. The survey by private equity firm ECI Partners revealed that 82% of the UK’s fastest growing companies are being hit by an increasing skills shortage, with the whole country and every sector […]
News: Lack of foreign language skills costing UK economy £48bn
The failure to recognise the importance of foreign language learning is costing the UK economy £48bn a year, according to the Association of Translation Companies (ATC). As students prepare to receive their GCSE results this Thursday, the professional body has warned that plummeting levels of modern language entries at A-level show there is a lack […]
Insight: Skills shortage putting engineering and tech businesses at risk
Over half of employers in the engineering and technology sector are struggling with skills shortages, putting the future of their business at risk, according to a new study. Findings from the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) annual report on skills have revealed that demand for staff remains high, with 51% of employers in the […]
News: London skills system needs radical overhaul, MPs told
Employers in London are struggling to find suitable talent due to a skills system that is “not fit for purpose”, MPs have been told. London Councils, which represents all 32 London boroughs and the City of London, has urged the government to “overhaul” the skills system in the capital to help plug the skills gap. […]
News: UK’s poor language skills a threat to economic growth
A “national recovery programme” to improve the UK’s foreign language skills is urgently needed to ensure future economic growth, a group of MPs has warned. The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern Languages has launched a manifesto to “upgrade” the nation’s language skills to ensure the UK’s international reputation and economy doesn’t suffer. It is […]
News: £52m cash injection for UK science skills
The UK science sector is to receive £52m to improve skills and training, in a bid to generate over 7,800 education and skills opportunities over two years. The government-backed funding was announced by science minister David Willetts, at the launch of the Science Industrial Partnership (SIP), a consortium of 100 leading science sector employers, led […]
Insight: Businesses call for reform of education system
The education system must better prepare school leavers for the world of work or “risk wasting their talents”, according to a new report. The annual CBI/Pearson Education and Skills survey has revealed that a third of employers are concerned about school leavers’ attitude to work, and 61% feel young people lack resilience and self-management. The […]
Insight: ‘Disturbing disconnect’ between skills demand and parents’ careers advice
There is a “disturbing disconnect” between the digital skills in demand in today’s jobs market and the more traditional skills valued by parents, according to a report. Almost a quarter of parents believe digital skills are irrelevant to their children’s future career success, while 18% believe employers are not interested in digital skills, the study […]
After the break: Boosting your IT skills
How do you brush up on your skills after a career break or after marking time during the recession? Kirstin Donoghue recommends IT training and certification. Our work lives used to be far simpler than they are today. More often than not, entire careers were spent at one company and a break was nothing more […]
News: Government-backed scheme launched to boost skills in energy sector
The government is to invest £33m to help energy and utility companies tackle the skills crisis in the sector. The Energy and Efficiency Industrial Partnership aims to strengthen the UK’s energy and utility workforce over the next three years by delivering around 70,000 new learning opportunities through apprenticeships and traineeships, as well as funding more […]
Insight: UK needs ‘stronger’ vocational education
Certain areas of the economy are experiencing a “mismatch” between the skills and qualifications that employers require and those actually held by workers, according to a new report that warns that vocational education must be improved. The study by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) found that 39% of vacancies in skilled trades are […]
How to prepare your workforce to be future-ready
HCL Technologies' Prithvi Shergill gives the community a glimpse into the future of the workforce. The workplace is one of the areas in our life that has been transformed the most in the past two decades. Technology and social media have revolutionised the way we communicate, interact and work together. With the world surrounding us […]
It’s time L&D took its own medicine
L&D people need to learn the skills they help other people learn, says Teresa Ewington. So a recent survey said that 2014 was the year L&D wanted to work on their own skills and innovate more. There were lots of other conclusions, but these two stood out to me. L&D people create tons of learning […]
Why soft skills are vital for business success pt2
Stephen Walker concludes his pieces about what soft skills can do for an organisation and how to develop them. Why are soft skills important? People are not machines to be administered. Soft skill-based management powers people’s willingness to work. Think how useful a computer is without software. People run internal programs created by their work […]
Why soft skills are vital for business success
Stephen Walker reviews what soft skills can do for an organisation and how to develop them. Soft skills may not be something our grandparents might recognise but Generation X demand them in their work environment. The performance enhancing effect of soft skill management is widely established and equally disputed. There is a world of difference […]
The modern day networker: What skills do they really need?
In this article, Heather Townsend, author of ‘the Go-To Expert’ and the award-winning and best-selling book on networking ‘The FT Guide to Business Networking’ explores the skills that the modern day networker really needs. Gaining business by referral is still seen as the best way to generate new business. However, there are many myths, particularly […]
