Going for skills gold
Mark Farrar tells the community how the olympic opportunity was leveraged for construction training. The London 2012 Games are a hot topic, and rightly so. But while the athletes and iconic venues attract a lot of attention, one less reported but similarly important aspect of the Games, is the skills strategy that was put in […]
Commercial skills: Making the rest as good as the best
Francis Marshall, MD of Cegos UK, looks at the importance of developing commercial skill. Strong commercial skills can make the difference between success and failure in today’s business environment, yet I am starting to question whether enough is actually being done to develop key skills such as sales, negotiation and customer relationship management – all […]
The new competency agenda
Some competencies are more valuable than others. Lynda Gratton’s latest research provides a route to the most valued competencies of tomorrow. At any point in time, some competencies are more valuable than others. Generally this is because they are easily seen to create value and others can judge them on these criteria; because they are […]
Getting a job in 2025: a look at future skills
Lynda Gratton’s new research identifies the careers and skills likely to be valued in the next decade. Even with my own three decades of knowledge about work, I find the future of work still incredibly difficult to predict. That’s why I created a research consortium designed to tap into ideas and knowledge from across […]
Growing your own – developing the future workforce
The next generation of skills are going to come from those you nurture from within the organisation, says Robin Hoyle. Before the gardeners among you get all excited about the prospect of veg tips, I’d better explain that I’m talking about managers – or senior team members or just specialists within your organisation. Every year […]
Majority of employers shun apprenticeships, survey reveals
Only one in five employers has taken on an apprentice over the last year, with the majority harbouring negative perceptions of the current workplace training system, a survey has revealed. And despite the personal urging of Prime Minister for businesses to take on more such trainees– even fewer firms (15%) plan to go down this […]
Learndirect launches Make it Count week
Learning and skills provider Learndirect has today launched Make It Count Week – an initiative to help raise the profile of learning for individuals and employers across the UK. The aim of Make It Count Week is to encourage 10,000 people to sign up to learning during the next seven days. Thirteen partners, including the […]
How Can I Motivate My Learners?
Quite often, I talk about the importance of making training sessions hands-on and interactive to utilise the various learning styles of the student, whether they be visual, audio or kinaesthetic or a mix of same, especially if the session is a lengthy one, running longer than one hour. Generally, after about an hour, participants tend […]
CBI report warns against government plans to extend training levies
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has warned against government plans to extend training levies or license to practice schemes. The employer group said the levy systems, which operate by charging employers in certain sectors a specified proportion of their wage bill which is then pooled and used to fund training grants within those […]
‘See inside manufacturing’ launched to improve automotive industry
More than 35 automotive organisations have signed up to the coalition government’s ‘See Inside Manufacturing’ initiative, which is intended to try and improve the sector’s image in a bid to tackle Europe-wide skills shortages. Business Secretary Vince Cable, speaking during a visit to the Mini factory in Oxfordshire yesterday, said that the reason why […]
Skillsoft Perspectives: delegates told sustaining productivity is a key challenge
Skillsoft Perspectives, an annual forum for Skillsoft customers, provided L&D professionals with a look at how the elearning landscape is evolving. Delegates to this year’s Skillsoft customer conference, Skillsoft Perspectives, heard how the economic downturn had resulted in mixed fortunes for learning and development professionals. Skillsoft chief operating officer Jerry Nine told delegates that […]
Manufacturing industry raises alarm on skills and training
The manufacturing industry has warned that unless more government focus is placed on boosting education and training opportunities, it is unlikely to fulfil hopes of driving future economic growth. According to the Manufacturing Outlook survey for the second quarter of 2011 published by manufacturers’ organisation EEF and accountancy firm BDO, even though the economy as […]
Science sector skills council announces funding for employers to train female staff
The science sector skills council Semta has set up a £213,000 training pot to help UK employers finance the training and development of female staff. The creation of the fund, which aims to increase the representation of women in non-traditional technical roles, will see beneficiaries receive a maximum training grant of £600 per person. The […]
Survey shows employees want more workplace training
Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 In a happy marrying of priorities, three quarters of employees would be keen to undertake more workplace training, while four out of five HR professionals are making staff development a key focus this year. A three-year research project commissioned by Middlesex University’s Institute for Work Based […]
Learning at Work day focusses on future skills
A workshop on how to be a guerrilla artist and a seminar on how to bake bread are among the activities taking place today as part of this year’s Learning at Work Day. The theme of the day, which is co-ordinated by Campaign for Learning, a charity that believes learning is key to social inclusion, […]
On-the-job training: Is it for you?
Although the coalition government claims that apprenticeships generate a £40 return for the economy for each £1 of investment, two thirds of employers do not believe on-the-job training is appropriate for their organisation. According to a study commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to explore the economic value offered by government-funded post-19 […]
Funding to be cut for Skills Active
The sport and active leisure Skills Sector Council has reacted angrily to the coalition government’s decision to axe its apprenticeship funding despite pledges to create 100,000 new on-the-job training places over the next two years. The Young Apprenticeship scheme in Sports Management, Leadership and Coaching, which is led by Skills Active, the Sector Skills Council […]
Skills commission launches inquiry
The Skills Commission has launched a parliamentary inquiry to explore how the UK can catch up with the rest of Europe by boosting the availability of technician-level skills in the manufacturing and engineering industries. The UK, which has only 3.7% of its workforce trained up to technician level, lags behind the rest of the EU, […]
Sample Training Proposal Required
Hi I need a sample of a simple training proposal quite urgently. Can anyone help? Thanks! Jakki HiI need a sample of a simple training proposal quite urgently. Can anyone help?Thanks!Jakki
Skills shortages get cash injection
The coalition government has unveiled a £50m training pot in a bid to encourage employers to "take collective action" on tackling skills shortages that are acting as a brake on economic growth. Business secretary Vince Cable said that the new Growth and Innovation Fund, which will initially cover the years 2011/12 and 2012/13, was to […]
