They’re not Millennial’s they’re people!

Don’t ask when people were born, or if they are Millennials. As learning leaders and coaches, our job is to harness people’s energy, to stoke that inquisitive fire and create an environment where those people can test their metal and hone themselves into something more than they currently are.

Let’s be clear from the outset, I love technology – it’s exciting, cool (two things I’m not), saves time, keeps us informed and offers us unbridled access to the accumulated knowledge of humanity at the touch of a button.

My worry is that we’re developing such a thirst for the speed of interaction, like a hit of adrenaline that we’re missing out on the richness of the experience and the value it can bring.

Don’t worry, I’m not about to launch into a diatribe about the evils of Facebook – although I do think there’s a case to answer – what I worry about is this trend for “liking”, “tweeting” and “sharing”, rather than reading and understanding!

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The Apprenticeship Levy: A Taxing Opportunity

Is your business ready for the Apprenticeship Levy? How can the recent changes to apprenticeships benefit your business and help you to build organisational talent?

This April see’s the launch of the government’s Apprenticeship Levy, a tax on businesses to support the funding of apprenticeships and, more importantly, their growth as a means to bridging the significant skills gap in UK Plc.

The levy will be paid by any business with a payroll in excess of £3m per annum with their levy contribution being calculated as 0.5% of the aforementioned figure. These contributions will be taken each month by HMRC and placed into a digital account for use – by the organisation – on the training and assessment of their apprentices.

If these funds are not utilised within a 24 month period they will expire – meaning the employer can no longer use them – and be transferred into a general fund for apprenticeships.

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