Skills Investment and Apprenticeships - Autumn Budget 2017

Interesting article in HR Magazine today discussing tomorrow's budget and what that could mean for UK business and the HR community.

Skills are vital to competing globally

" ...Also expected is a new government partnership with the CBI and the TUC to oversee a national retraining scheme, helping adults to retrain and get the new skills they need. To start, £36 million will be invested in digital skills courses using AI.

Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI director-general, said: “Investing in all our skills is at the heart of building an economy that is fit for the future. Skills are vital to competing globally, and seizing the opportunities of the fourth industrial revolution. This is the best way to drive the productivity the UK needs to increase pay.

“The CBI looks forward to working alongside the government and the TUC to build an approach that works for the long term. It is the training decisions that take place every day in businesses across the country that will make a difference – so a genuine partnership is needed to get the system delivering effectively for businesses and employees.”

The Apprenticeship Levy

The City & Guilds Group is calling for the remit of the apprenticeship levy to be broadened. Chief executive Chris Jones said: “Turning the apprenticeship levy into a broad skills levy will provide the flexibility employers need to upskill and reskill existing workforces as well as support new entrants into the workplace.

Read the complete article in HR Magazine.

Fostering a new generation of skilled sales experts

Mercuri is working with the Association of Professional Sales on a programme to deliver qualifications to sales people who want to improve their ability to sell.  Independently verified accreditation for sales people is a key part of the APS campaign to build ethics and education across the industry. 

We are also preparing to deliver the new level - 4 sales apprenticeship, developed by the APS, once it is approved by government.