Training and Development
AI and the importance of humanness in hiring
AI is advancing rapidly, automating tasks and freeing workers from administrative burdens in recruitment. But it is also essential to recognise that certain aspects of the profession require human intervention, says Caroline Gleeson, CEO at Occupop.
As AI grows, more...
Skills gap ‘getting worse or not improving’
52% of project managers in East of England think the skills gap is either getting worse or staying the same in their sector.
These are the findings of a recent poll by the Association for Project Management (APM), involving over...
Suffolk charity announces return of business summit on men’s mental health
MANUP? has organised 'ROI on mental health' for local employers this summer.
The event, for Suffolk business leaders, is being held on Friday 7 June 2024 between 2pm to 5pm, at King’s Street Cinema in Ipswich Corn Exchange.
Hosted by BBC...
Apprenticeships Norfolk hits £1m milestone in levy transfer success
An apprentice butcher has described an innovative levy transfer scheme in Norfolk as a ‘life changer’.
Harvey Boyer was unemployed and struggling with his mental health before Apprenticeships Norfolk scheme helped him into training and work at Hethersett Butchers near...
Skills Bootcamp in Sustainability & Environmental Management now available
Local environment charities PECT and Change Agents UK have teamed up to deliver a new sustainability programme, Skills Bootcamp in Sustainability & Environmental Management, designed to help individuals find rewarding jobs in the emerging green economy. Â
The course also assists...
Starting a business in 2024 on a shoestring budget
The cost-of-living crisis has made it harder than ever for startups to get a foothold. Business expert Venture Smarter offers some tips on making your dream company work.
Thinking about starting the new year with a new business? Well, with...
Networking leads to creative partnership
Cambridge-based digital marketing agency, Sookio, and Bedfordshire video production agency, Clearhead, have formed a strategic partnership to support their clients with digital content strategy and campaigns.
The partnership will allow the firms to offer an enhanced service to their clients...
Psychological safety: the secret ingredient of high-performing teams
Business owners who build and lead high-performing teams are rewarded with greater productivity, higher customer satisfaction and improved staff engagement. So, what behaviours promote team performance, and how can they be encouraged? Martin Oakley, of The Alternative Board (TAB)...
City training expanded with skills courses
A range of short courses is now on offer at a new training centre in Norwich.
Work-based learning provider JTL Group has partnered with sister company Develop Training, experts in compliance, technical and safety, to run the courses.
The Norwich facility...
Are you interested in learning new skills, boosting profits and improving business performance, resilience and long-term growth?
Make plans now for 2024 and beyond. Kickstart your personal and business development by joining the University of East Anglia’s (UEA) Help to Grow: Management course with Norwich Business School. Led by UEA academics, the course equips your business...
Five ways to motivate remote workers (top tip: time-tracking software ISN’T the answer!)
Home working is now part of our jobs culture. In fact, 16% of UK employees reported solely working from home between September 2020 and January 2023.
However, many misconceptions remain, including concerns that employees are less productive outside the office.
However,...
Innovate to Elevate: funds offered for local business innovation
Four Babergh and Mid Suffolk businesses were the first to receive an innovation boost through a unique Innovate to Elevate accelerator programme led by the University of Essex in partnership with Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils.
Digital services agency...
Employers shouldn’t forget about professional development in a hybrid world
How do you help your team thrive in today’s virtual workspace? Stephanie Wallis, Head of Sales at Jarrold Training, investigates.
The world has changed a lot since 2020.
Annual sales of loungewear (otherwise known as jogging bottoms) have increased by 80%;...
Suffolk creative industries encouraged to go for growth
Ambitious Suffolk-based creative industry companies are urged to sign up to a new free-of-charge investment readiness programme organised by Creative East.
The Creative East programme was launched at the beginning of the year to help develop high-growth potential in the...
People first for law firm
Regional law firm Howes Percival has achieved Investors in People accreditation for another three years.
The prestigious global benchmark for people management was originally founded in 1991 as a government project to make work better. Investors in People assesses how...
Adrian Flux lands two gongs as best UK employer
A Norfolk insurance broker enjoying its 50th birthday has even more cause for celebration after being named one of the best companies to work for in the UK.
Adrian Flux picked up the Best Flexible Working Policy and Best Culture...
Create Growth Programme boost for region’s creative industries
A new investment programme worth £1.275 million has been launched to boost growth in the creative industries across the East.
Creative East: Create Growth Programme is an investment readiness and business support programme fully funded by the Department for Digital,...
East Anglia needs overseas workers to fight the skills shortage
Daliah Sklar, of DRSI, believes the time is right to break down the ‘bureaucracy of borders’.
It’s well-known there is a national skills shortage, and East Anglia is no different. Vacancies are at record levels and the region is struggling...
Builder launches staff training scheme
East Anglia housebuilder Hopkins Homes has opened a new Academy to optimise staff training.
S
hane Vineyard, Head of Quality Assurance & Training, explains, "The Hopkins Homes Academy works closely with our Human Resource programmes to promote and support a dynamic...
What does a real leader look like?
A new podcast series revealing the truth behind successful leadership has been launched by Cambridge consultancy Rise Above.
Founder Sean Moore finds out what it really takes to be a leader in ‘Leading Conversations’, beginning with a discussion with Simon...
Why the value of apprenticeships should not be overlooked
The war on talent has never been more pronounced, with access to labour one of the biggest concerns for businesses in the region over the next 12 months.
Set against a backdrop of labour shortages and a widening skills gap,...
Is your staff turnover a major headache?
Many factors affect staff turnover – but while some, like retirement, are inevitable, others are within your control, say employee wellbeing experts Loopin.
Lack of growth
Lack of opportunities for progression can make employees feel like their hard work and commitment...
BDO welcomes 26 new trainees in East Anglia
Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO is welcoming 26 new trainees across its offices in Cambridge, Ipswich and Norwich, with 600 joining nationwide.
The trainees will be a combination of school leaver apprentices and university graduates, 11 will join BDO’s...
New toolkit to boost your staff’s wellbeing
Employers can find out the potential financial benefits of increasing employee wellbeing with a new cost-effectiveness calculator.
It’s part of a web-based toolkit of free, evidence-based workplace wellbeing resources, using research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and RAND...
Peterborough company leads the way with four-day working week
The world’s biggest four-day working week trial with no loss in wages was launched last month around the UK. However, a Peterborough-based company is already way ahead of the curve, having introduced the new working trend back in February.
Digital...
The new era of hybrid hopefuls
SMEs need deeper digital skills to navigate the post-pandemic ‘new normal’. Google and the Federation of Small Businesses have teamed up to help local firms bridge the tech talent gap.
A national digital skills drive has been launched in Ipswich...
Free support for mid-life entrepreneurs
Mid-life entrepreneurs are being offered free business support courses to help address the work life balance.
There has been a surge in entrepreneurship over the past two years, with 15% of the UK workforce now either self employed or a...
Hi-tech support for local supply chains
A new hi-tech partnership aims to help local manufacturers and their supply chains reach full potential.
Cambridge-based (RTO) TWI Ltd and the Smart Manufacturing Alliance (SMA) have joined forces to steer businesses through ongoing challenges thrown up by the pandemic,...
Championing women in renewables
Under-representation of women in the renewable energy sector is down to a number of factors. But with the potential for 10-15 million jobs in the anaerobic digestion industry alone by 2030, opportunities are clearly there to be encouraged and...
Recipes-in-a-box: still just scratching the surface
Meal kit company Gousto, founded by Cambridge Judge Business School alumnus, has reached ‘unicorn’ $1bn valuation and says the boom in online food will continue after the pandemic.
Founded by Timo Boldt, an alumus of the Executive MBA programme at Cambridge Judge...