Monthly Archives: November 2020

Coronavirus Lockdown Drives Rise in Online Micro Start-ups Amid Fears For Job Security

It’s hard to be excited when talking about today’s coronavirus pandemic, when millions of people have been infected. 

However, various research around the UK like GoDaddy shows the coronavirus pandemic has been a massive boon to entrepreneurship. And this could help our economy both recover and thrive for years to come.

But while jobs have suffered, new micro business startups have skyrocketed.

The government commendably offered a number of startups and etablished busiesses a lifeline at the peak of the crisis, but despite the slowly improving funding picture, we are now starting to see the pent-up effect of the pandemic on UK businesses.

Government support has artificially kept companies afloat and delayed the true impact. but with the second lockdown to non essential businesses we are only now starting to see more severe damage to UK businesses that could puts the survival of an entire bricks and mortar business generation of innovative companies at risk.

Learn how to start a online business properly

Will the Start Up Trends in 2020 continue through 2021?

A survey of 1,000 GoDaddy customers found 15 per cent of new UK entrepreneurs had made the leap due to job loss or furlough

UK workers have been turning to starting their own companies in unprecedented numbers as fears over job security have spurred a new wave of entrepreneurs.

The “State of the Nation” review, compiled by the group GoDaddy, showed there had been a 14 per cent increase in micro-businesses, start-ups with nine or fewer employees. They have experienced a 62 per cent increase in new UK customers and this is only one domain provider.

How many people actually have any desire at all to become the start ups of tomorrow?

There are, on average, 18,100 searches per month in Google UK for “how to start a business” based on data from kwfinder.com

This has surged in recent months with Google Trends predicting that January 2020 will demonstrate the highest number of searches since records began in 2004 for this query in the UK (by quite some way)

Click to enrol http://bit.ly/3fc4nnR

So what’s are we witnessing happening?

We are witnessing a few interesting events. “First, we are seeing unemployed workers starting their own businesses. Realising they need to be responsible for their own financial destinies, these micro entrepreneurs are opting out of the traditional workforce to start their own companies. Secondly, we are seeing virtual employees launching their own businesses.”

With 96 per cent of all UK enterprises identified as “micro-businesses” this sector could play a key role supporting an economic recovery.

With regards to the latter trend, Diane says “I think the mindset for many has become ‘if I’m going to ditch the office, why not ditch the boss too?” And many new work-from-home employees have now gained one to three hours per day as their commutes have been eliminated. Some have been using this time to develop their business plans and launch their own online companies.”

The GoDaddy Figures also revealed encouraging levels of confidence and resilience – 85 per cent were confident that their businesses would continue, with third of these expecting their businesses to thrive.

This was supported by 70 per cent who believed their businesses would recover fully within 12 months.

This was despite 38 per cent of the UK’s smallest businesses being forced to close on temporarily, and almost three-quarters having lost revenue (72 per cent), due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Micro-businesses also still planned to keep up business spending, with 29 per cent confirming that they would continue to invest in their ventures and one in 10 planning to invest more in the companies over the next three to five years

“Government initiatives alone are not sufficient to support startups most in need of funding and cashflow in the current economic climate. It’s possibly the growth of micro businesses that will provide the innovation and jobs that will drive the UK’s economic recovery, and they need urgent support.”

You can use Laybuy to pay for your courses

So How Can We Help and What is our Advice?

Don’t rush into anything because you could possible Get Scammed! If you want to start and grow a profitable online  business then we recommend you take a quick course on ‘Starting a Online Business’. Without going over board you NEED to consume and LEARN every page of this work book.

Within the pages of this work book is the blueprint to building an online  business from scratch…Its CPD accredited so this is proof!

And we’ve laid it out as easy as possible…even 11 year olds can follow along! (and by the way there is a growing number of online child millionaires)

So if you want to


• learn the correct way,
• Explode your knowledge,
• Learn how to Find a niche,
• Learn how to Evaluate market viability,
• Learn how to Conduct market research,
• Learn how to Conduct competitive analysis,
• Learn online business laws,
• Learn how to Analyse your target market,
• Learn how to source products
• Learn how to choose the right ecommerce platform
And more…

By following the strategy outlined in each module – you’ll learn how to launch and grow an organic profitable online business with minimal risk!

I know it sounds too good to be true…

But you’ll see why once you devour our work book course, (Which has to be done in 4 weeks with an accredited certificate to follow)
you can begin setting up a website, mobile presence, and storefront and give your visiting clients confidence that you truly prepared for your new micro business. Click to enrol http://bit.ly/3fc4nnR

So if your thinking of setting up a online business, learn everything you need to know Plan to succeed so you don’t end up in the online business startup graveyard.

ABOUT VIRTUAL PERSONAL ASSISTANCE SERVICE

We provide a suite of services for Small and Medium size businesses to help them Setup or expand by  learning,  executing a business plan for focus, raising finance and market tools like an effective google verified website and introducing artificial intelligence chatbots to generate quality business leads. We think of ourselves as your Virtual Personal Assistance who will help streamline your business development.

Looking for help to get a job or promotion, start a business or market your business effectively. check out our range of services http://bit.ly/3jObWBL

About Diane Shawe

Get my books on Amazon or Google Books

Diane Shawe is author of several books on Amazon and Google Books.

The traditional belief that we must prepare ourselves to be ‘employable’ is under threat. The counter argument encourages us to ‘gear up’ for earning our own money, rather than seeing income as someone else’s responsibility. Get your copy today.
http://amzn.to/3945Njd

Covid 19 is changing the way many think about work

Start a Gel Nail Business from home in less than a Week by Diane Shawe

Start your own Nail Business

Acrylic and gel nails are the flawless solution to chip-free, freshly polished nails that last for weeks on weeks. In today’s blog post, we will be explaining why now is the time to Set up your own Nail Extension Business.

Our CPD Nail Technician Course is the perfect launchpad to get you on your way to becoming a certified nail technician which can lead you to a number of different avenues within the nail extension industry from being able to successfully set up your own freelance nail business to being able to rent a station in a beauty salon to carry out nail treatments.

CPD Accredited Courses

A Continued Professional Development Nail Technician course runs for in two parts and goes through the steps on nail artistry and the anatomical elements of nail care such as:

Part One: Theory Course 2 weeks

Health & Safety considerations & regulations

Hygiene & preparing the client, treatment room & trolley

Anatomy & physiology: structure of the skin, the structure of the nail 

Nail diseases & disorders

Client consultations / contra-indications

Manicure & Pedicure

Marketing your Business

This will be completed as a home theory study with the help of our Virtual tutor.

There will be practical and written assignments which have to be completed in the students own time before attending the 1 day practical training course.

Part Two: 1 Day Practical Nail Course

This will consisit of working on a training hand where you will learn how to prepare the nails, apply nail tips, blend nail tips, the different nail shape, apply acrylic and shape, apply gel and cure, how to use electric and manual files, how to apply nail polish or gel and cure under UV Light

http://www.all-about-hair-extensions.com/enrolment-form

How I increased my blog followers by 1000 in 2 months after having a blog for 18 years!

article by Diane Shawe Author

There’s more to adding hair

Running a blog requires planning and it’s hard work, but with hard work comes results. I gained 1k blog followers in 2 months, and today I’m going to share some of the steps I took to achieved this. I truly did not expect to gain 1k followers in 2 months, but this is what happens when we have self doubt and don’t take action.

But I was thinking back to when I started blogging in September 2010 it was easier than because blogging was just getting popular. Even though, I still would have really appreciated a post like this. As some sort of motivation and guidance.

If you are here because you think I’m going to give you some secret code that gives you those followers overnight, you are looking in the wrong place. This happened from hard work and dedication and nothing more. It wont happen overnight and it didn’t for me as you can see, I have been blogging a long time. The tips I share are the things I did to make this happen. It’s up to you to take action and put in the hard work to see the results.

CONSISTENCY IS REALLY IMPORTANT

I talk often about consistency, but that’s because I want to stress how important it is. Having a blogging schedule and sticking to it something that helped me to see my audience grow. I post anywhere from five, six or seven times a week. Thats a lot of content. As I said in the intro, its not easy and it wont ever be easy being consistent.

http://www.needahairmakeoverfranchise.co.uk

I constantly feel like I am writing and scheduling content. I will touch on social media a few points down but you should also be consistent with Social media too. Any platform that you can use to spread awareness for your blog you should use. Utilise it if it’s there.

TRY INTERACTING WITH OTHER BLOGGERS

One of the most important things to do if you are part of the blogging community is interaction. You won’t ever grow if you don’t interact and support others. When I first started in 2010 blogging was just getting popular, so getting followers was easier, but with the growth of social media and ‘snippet’ such as twitter attracting followers have become more competitive, so thing such as ‘Tasty Headers’ to attract that click is all the more important. Its a two way street blog writer want new folowers, interesting topics to re-tweet so they can gain more followers also.

Yes, you will get traffic to your site from people other than bloggers but you need that blogging community behind you in order for your blog to be successful.

HOW DOES SOCIAL MEDIA HELP?

Instagram, Twitter and Facebook are the main places where a lot of my social media traffic comes from. Pinterest and TiKTok is another social media platform that is great to gain traffic to your blog. To reach a professional audience Linkedin is also a very good patform.

follow us on twitter

A shoutout for Youtube, if you can get over 1000 followers, you are given a community page were you can post your blog links.

Linking into the point I made about consistency, its just as important to be consistent on your social media pages too.

UPGRADING MY WORDPRESS PLAN

About a 9 month into rebranding my blog I decided to upgrade my WordPress plan to a premium plan. This was probably one of the best things I could have done, it gave me access to be able to add ads onto my blog and it gave me access to premium themes. The premium plan is worth it for people who have just started but want to take their blog further.

I am still decided whether to upgrade to the WordPress business plan. This will allow me to take my blogging to the next level. With the business plan it allows you to download and use plug ins, such as Yoast SEO. Which is a tool that tells you how you can improve your posts to help with google ranking. Which in turn helps with traffic and followers.

Its something you should consider but make sure you can afford it, especially if you are wanting to take your blogging more serious and grow your following.

RELATABLE CONTENT IS KING

An important thing to remember when wanting to grow your following is posting relatable content. Do your research and see what’s going on in the world and what people are searching for, and then blog about it. A lot of the time I write about what I’m going through. I wont necessarily say on the post that its from personal experience or something I am struggling with at the time, but that’s what I do. There are ideas and inspiration all around us.

THERE IS NO PROBLEM IN BROADENING YOUR BLOG NICHE

g.page/needahairmakeover

Being vulnerable goes a long way with readers. They are able to connect with you on such a deeper level if they know you are being open with them.

I’ve had many conversations with other bloggers about this, but I think it’s so important that as bloggers we are also flexible in what we write about. I think it’s so great having a blog niche, but don’t be scared to step out of it every once and a while. Don’t stress about writing something different, you don’t know how your readers will receive it unless you just do it. You will note from my blog that I cover a wide variety of topics.

These are just a few things I have done to grow my following. Please remember that these things worked for me. I hope they help you too!

Thank you for 1k followers
I want to take some time at the end of this post to thank you for 1 thousand followers. Rock on for the next 1000

we just love doing makeovers
All hair types
Hair, Makeup, Naails, Pedicure, Massage and more
call us now 0121 318 2880

What type of Conspiracy Theories Existed Around The Time of the Russian Pandemic Flu in 1889?

The Original Plandemic: Unmasking The Eerily Familiar Conspiracy Theories Behind The Russian Flu Of 1889

I have been in inundated with message’s through my phone and emails that for instance Covid-19 truthers believe that 5G technology is dialing up the disease. That they are (the government killing off small businesses) trying to control us.

I became curious to find out if other conspiracy theories existed for previous pandemics and who were more gullible to them. I discovered that more than a century ago, telegraph poles and other mysterious causes were blamed for influenza. And each gave rise to dubious cures.

I also discovered that Alex Knapton had researched and written an extensive and factual article on the topic recently and I invite you to read it.

Guest Blogger

Alex Knapp Forbes Staff

Science I write about the future of science, technology, and culture. GETTY IMAGES


As the Covid-19 pandemic swept the globe in early 2020, a conspiracy theory about the disease went viral on social media: The genesis of the illness, proponents claim, was not the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Instead, this pandemic was actually caused by the introduction of 5G broadband, and radiation from cell towers equipped with the technology is the real culprit.

It doesn’t take Dr. Fauci to know that conspiracy theories have always been a predictable symptom of pandemics. More than a century ago, the truthers of the day tried to blame a deadly influenza outbreak on a similar technological innovation.

On January 31, 1890, the European edition of the New York Herald ran an item suggesting that the electric light was somehow responsible for a global influenza outbreak. After all, “the disease has raged chiefly in towns where the electric light is in common use,” the article noted, and went on to note that the disease “has everywhere attacked telegraph employees.

The illness in question was the first modern influenza pandemic, known as the Russian flu or “La Grippe.” The disease likely emerged somewhere in the Russian Empire in 1889 and quickly spread around the world in successive waves. It took only four months to hit every part of the globe, with the United States seeing its peak in January 1890. More than a million people (of the 1.5 billion on earth) were killed worldwide in that first wave.

The Russian flu was in part a consequence of a newly globalized world. Railroads and transoceanic steamships were perfect conduits for the disease, accelerating its growth across countries and continents. As with Covid-19, the earlier pandemic also caused a spread of misinformation, conspiracies and countless dubious therapies. Instead of the internet, these ideas were promulgated by newspaper and telegraph—but the impact was similar.

“People have an epistemic need to know the truth and they also have an existential need to feel safe,” says Dr. Karen Douglas, a researcher who studies the psychology of conspiracy theories. “In times of crisis, these needs are unmet so conspiracy theories can seem appealing.”

When reports of the Russian flu first emerged, medical science was in the middle of a major transition. The early 19th century was dominated by what’s known as “miasma theory”—the idea that diseases spread through the inhalation of “bad air” from rotting matter. By the mid-19th century, though, the germ theory of disease— what we now understand as the idea that illness is caused by microbes—became increasingly popular, though miasma proponents persisted even into the early 20th century.

Even with the advances in medicine by 1889, the causes of the Russian flu pandemic were still unknown. While scientists such as Edward Jenner and Louis Pasteur had already developed vaccines to protect against and prevent diseases, the discovery of the first virus was still three years away. And it wasn’t until the early 1900s that viruses capable of infecting humans would be discovered. That the Russian flu and the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 were caused by influenza viruses wouldn’t be definitively determined until 1933.

This vital knowledge gap in 1889 meant that doctors and researchers were at a loss to explain the new illness spreading around the world. Contemporary newspaper accounts chronicled the many and varied theories that doctors at the time had about the outbreak. One account in The Boston Globe noted its similarities to dengue fever. An article in the New York Times NYT compared it to the disease that felled President William Henry Harrison in 1841. Such uncertainty about the nature of influenza helped fuel conspiracy theories and wild speculation about its causes.

The proto-trutherism from the Russian flu has close parallels in today’s pandemic. Although scientists know quite a bit about the novel coronavirus causing Covid-19, that hasn’t stopped speculation about its origins. One prominent conspiracy theory is that the virus was deliberately bioengineered in a lab to cause the pandemic. Depending on which theory you believe, the culprits behind Covid-19 range from the Chinese government to the U.S. government to Microsoft MSFT cofounder Bill Gates. The coronavirus behind this pandemic almost certainly naturally evolved—there is already considerable genetic evidence pointing to it—but that doesn’t halt the rampant speculation.

“This is a classic example of a phenomenon in conspiracy theory research that people perceive patterns that are impossible, or at best very unlikely,” says Dr. Douglas. “People essentially ‘join the dots’ when connections shouldn’t be made. When there is so much information going around, and pieces of information often contradict each other, people are more likely to see these illusory patterns.”

While there weren’t any whispers about genetic engineering in the 1890s (after all, DNA itself wouldn’t be discovered for nearly 70 years), that didn’t stop more fantastical theories about the origin of the Russian flu from infecting the public. In addition to the idea that telegraph poles or electricity might be responsible for the spread of the disease, Dr. William Gentry of Chicago caught the attention of newspapers by claiming he had isolated the microbes that caused the pandemic.

The source of these microbes, Dr. Gentry claimed, was stardust passing through the Earth’s atmosphere at regular 16- to 17-year intervals. Other physicians soberly rejected Dr. Gentry’s idea—preferring instead to consider the role of volcanic dust, bird migrations or other equally misguided causes.

This lack of understanding about the new deadly strain of flu left doctors perplexed as to the best way to treat it. An 1889 article in The Lancet conceded that “our want of complete knowledge of the nature of the disease renders it difficult to suggest measures of prophylaxis other than the uniform observance of general hygienic rules.” (That’s another sobering parallel to today’s pandemic—as of now, the only approved therapy for Covid-19 is remdesivir, which has been granted an emergency use authorization by the FDA thanks to clinical trial findings showing it can reduce hospital stays.)

In the absence of science-based treatments for the Russian flu, many dubious therapies flourished—taking advantage of people scared of a disease for which no known treatment existed. This, too, has parallels in today’s pandemic. The FDA has sent multiple warnings out to a variety of companies pushing specious cures, ranging from herbal teas to colloidal silver solutions to ingesting detergent.

Newspaper advertisements from the 19th century similarly tout a number of “cures” for the Russian flu. Castor oil was a treatment pushed by at least one newspaper, and other protocols included a bronchial inhaler and an electric battery (which promised to improve eyesight, to boot.) Even doctors promoted the idea that drinking brandy and eating oysters was the key to staving off infection.

The most famous remedy for the Russian Flu, however, was the carbolic smoke ball. These were manufactured in London and widely advertised. The balls released a “smoke” of finely ground phenol powder (an ingredient commonly used in soaps at the time) that would be inhaled through the nostrils. The company that manufactured this treatment promised that it would prevent customers from catching the Russian flu. And if the product failed, the company promised to recoup its customers £100— or about $13,000 today. In December 1891, Mrs. Elizabeth Carlill purchased one of those products and used it on multiple occasions. Then she succumbed to the epidemic.

Because the carbolic smoke balls failed to work, Carlill and her husband filed a claim with the Carbolic Smoke Ball Company, but it was ignored. In 1892, the couple took their case to court. In the case of Carlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball Company, the court found that that Mrs. Carlill was entitled to the money and that the Carbolic Smoke Ball Company was in breach of contract for failing to pay her upon submitting the claim. The ruling was a vindication for Mrs. Carlill and the case itself is still cited as precedent throughout common law jurisdictions, including the United States, and is frequently taught in law school classes to this day.

In another parallel with the Covid-19 pandemic, there was also a class of drugs that existed on the border of sound science and wishful thinking. During the 1889 pandemic, quinine, an antimalarial drug that is the antecedent of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, was promoted by newspapers and doctors as a treatment for the Russian flu. Though many members of the medical establishment appear to have opposed the use of quinine as a treatment for the disease, these warnings went unheeded.


https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2020/04/28/the-dr-fauci-of-the-1918-spanish-flu/#5fe68be43547

In December 1889, a Boston newspaper chronicled people taking quinine to combat the disease. That same month, an investigative article in the Kansas City Star bemoaned price gouging for quinine pills and noted that demand for them was keeping medicine out of the hands of people suffering from malaria. This has its own parallel today, where there have been multiple reports that excess demand of hydroxychloroquine may cause harm for those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, for which that medication is often prescribed as a treatment.

While studies are still being conducted about the efficacy of these Covid-19 treatments, there is little doubt that these drugs can be highly toxic and several clinical studies bear this out. In one tragic case of desperation, a man in Phoenix died (and his wife was hospitalized) after ingesting a chloroquine derivative intended for use as a fish tank cleaner to prevent the illness.

That tragedy also has an unfortunate parallel in the Russian flu. Newspapers in January 1891 reported at least two instances in which families suffering from the Russian flu mistakenly took the poison strychnine, thinking they were ingesting quinine. Several of them died as a consequence.

An unhealthy dose of misinformation, conspiracy theories and the embrace of dubious treatments is quite common during epidemics and pandemics, says Dr. Douglas, who adds that the psychology around them is intertwined. “Research suggests that people who believe in conspiracy theories are more likely to turn to alternative remedies and distrust mainstream medicine.” 

More alarming, the spread of misinformation and the lack of trust in scientific evidence has the potential to cause real harm. Turning to untested treatments can lead people away from getting the care they need, exposing them to greater risk. And while some alternatives, such as drinking herbal teas, are relatively harmless, others are not. Colloidal silver, for example, which the FDA has warned against, can cause permanent skin discoloration and make it difficult for your body to absorb medicines, including antibiotics.



Occasionally, the spread of conspiracy theories can cause actual harm as well. In the United Kingdom, where the idea that 5G causes Covid-19 has taken a firm hold in a significant segment of the population, there have been dozens of attacks on telecom towers. While no one has actually been killed yet, it’s not for lack of trying—the UK conspiracy theorists are hiding razor blades in anti-5G posters on telephone poles and threatening harm to people who work on those cell towers.

Even as companies are racing to develop a vaccine for Covid-19, conspiracy theorists may prevent people from taking them. Anti-vaxxer activists have pounced on Covid-19, protesting against vaccine development efforts and teaming with protesters fed up with stay-at-home orders. “Experimental research also shows that exposure to conspiracy theories increases vaccine hesitancy,” says Dr. Douglas. And polling bears that out: In a recent poll, 1 in 5 Americans said they would not take a vaccine for the coronavirus if it became available.

Perhaps the most insidious conspiracy theory about Covid-19 is one that seems more innocuous—the simple downplaying of the harms of the disease. You don’t have to go deep into Facebook or Twitter to find speculation that Covid-19 fears are overblown. Similarly, there are numerous opinion pieces and TV segments devoted to the idea that the economic damage from stay-at-home orders causes more harm than the disease itself.

“This is very common because it allows people to pretend that nothing is wrong and they can get on with their lives,” Dr. Douglas says. “This is an example of motivated reasoning. People believe what they want to believe.”

Once again, there is a historic precedent in the Russian flu pandemic. In an article about the illness in a December edition of The New York Times, it was reported that while the disease was spreading, it was mostly harmless. “There is nothing fatal about the universal cold,” wrote the author.

By time the epidemic subsided a few months later, the Russian flu had claimed the lives of more than 2,500 New Yorkers, making it the hardest hit city in the United States.

Follow Alex Knapp on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out his website

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Need a Hair Makeover Hair Extensions Salon achieve Finalist in 3 Categories Second Year in a Row!

A local Dudley salon owner has been nominated for the second year running as a finalist in not one or two but three categories.

Need a Hair Makeover Hair Extensions and Hairloss Specialist Salon West Midlands has been named as one of the Midlands top salons after being announced as finalist in three categories for the Salon Awards  2020.

Best Salon https://www.salonawards.co.uk/best-salon-finalists-2020/

Awards Ceremony on 12th December 2020

Best Customer Experience https://www.salonawards.co.uk/best-customer-experience-finalists-2020/

Best Salon for Hair Extensions https://www.salonawards.co.uk/best-salon-for-hair-extensions-2020/

The salon which is renowned locally, now awaits the awards ceremony in December, to see if they have been crowned the overall category winner.

Need a Hair Makeover Hair Extensions and Hairloss Specialist Salon impressed the judge’s thanks to its commitment to meeting customer needs, making their mark as a new business locally, providing an exceptional range of hair extensions techniques to new clients and for their exception salon design and interiors.

Commenting on the result, Diane the owner said; “To be named as a finalist in not just one but three categories for the second year highlights how hardworking and commitment can pay off. With hundreds of entries for each category and a panel of judges that excel at looking for the finer details, just to make the shortlist is an outstanding achievement. What also makes it more important is the fact that we have also had to deal with a pandemic and closure.”

Visit http://www.needahairmakeoverfranchise.co.uk

The Salon Awards celebrate and acknowledge the success of the most creative, dynamic and innovative hair salons, hairdressers and barbers across the country through county awards events.

As a hair industry professional, these businesses are part one of the most exciting business sectors, and this is an opportunity to be recognised professionally for the great work that they do in there home county.

Download your copy from amazon or Google books

To find out more about their services  products and what they won visit:

http://www.needahairmakeover.co
http://www.needahairmakeoverfranchise.co.uk
http://www.hairextensionstraining.academy

Download our course prospectus today

Why You Should Consider a CPD Accredited Course by Diane Shawe

If you’re looking to boost your career prospects, you may want to consider the importance of CPD. Used by thousands of professionals to develop new skills and knowledge throughout their career, CPD has become crucial in terms of career progression. So, what is CPD and how could it benefit your career prospects?

What does CPD stand for?

Click to Enrol on a Course today

CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development and it is important as it’s used by professionals to further their career. It’s a conscious and proactive form of learning which uses various methods to help individuals either learn new skills or develop existing ones.

What is a CPD portfolio?

A CPD portfolio helps keep a track of progression from year to year. It is an individual’s evidential documentation of their Continuing Professional Development obligations for their professional body or association. Contained within a CPD portfolio would be the register of activities, such as training courses, workshops and educational events attended, as well as a copy of the delegate CPD certificates for each activity. These act as validation that the learning has been completed. (It is also important that the course has been CPD accredited)

Professional bodies review their members CPD portfolio to ensure they are meeting their annual Continuing Professional Development requirements. A CPD portfolio should demonstrate a range of different methods of learning and the different impacts on future capability. Always ensure that you keep your CPD portfolio up to date, as it is more difficult to record CPD at the end of the year, hoping to remember everything completed over the last 12 months.

Click here to Enrol today and pay later

CPD points, units and credits explained

One of the most frequent questions about Continuing Professional Development is how CPD is recorded, and specifically the question, “What is a CPD point, unit or credit?” The subsequent question is regularly, “How do CPD points relate to CPD Hours?” With the increasing number of professional bodies in the UK and their varying annual requirements of Continuing Professional Development, a natural split in common language terms and expression will arise. Different professional bodies use the terms ‘CPD points’, ‘CPD units’ or ‘CPD credits’ diversely depending on preference, typically for historical reasons when initially implementing their CPD policy, rather than from a modern day strategic perspective.

How do CPD points, units and credits relate to CPD Hours?

It is often found across all industries that CPD points, units and credits all relate to the same thing, CPD Hours?

What are CPD Hours? The definition of a CPD Hour is the time spent for a delegate to be in “active learning”. Active learning defines the actual time spent learning something relevant for their Continuing Professional Development objectives. A great example of this would be 1-day accredited CPD training course. If the training starts at 9 am and ends at 5 pm, with a 1-hour break for lunch, the CPD Hours would be 7 CPD Hours.

Recording your CPD

A structured and consistent approach to recording your CPD makes it easier to manage throughout the year. This also helps ensure an individual attends training and events relevant to their annual capability improvement objectives, which is more valuable than simply attending courses just for general interest. Recording your CPD allows reflection on what has been gained from the CPD activities and what can be implemented in day-to-day objectives, as well as what skill sets to develop next.

As a general rule, when recording your Continuing Professional Development in a CPD portfolio, it should contain the following information:- Date of CPD activity, Title of CPD activity, Brief description including learning objectives, the method of learning (i.e. training course, workshop, event, eLearning), number of CPD hours, points or credits and the overall learning outcome.

5 Benefits of CPD

CPD offers numerous benefits to both professionals and their employers, some of which are of real importance.

1. For you as a professional, it helps to ensure your skills and knowledge are up to date, and the professional standard of your registrations and qualifications are maintained. There are no clear disadvantages for your employer, it ensures that the company standards are both high and consistent. They will see that you are actively dedicated to the job role and value your commitment to the role.

2. Another one of the benefits of CPD and a main purpose of exploring the benefits of continuous personal development is that it also helps you to develop more confidence in the role. You’ll be able to showcase your achievements and develop the knowledge and skills to carry out your job in the most effective, confident way.

3. Whether you’re looking for a promotion, or you’re hoping to gain employment with a prestigious company, CPD can really help. It enables you to stand out from the crowd, with research showing those who have undertaken CPD, have a significantly higher chance of gaining a promotion or moving on to a different area within their chosen field.

4. What this also means of course, is that you’ll also be able to achieve a higher salary.

5. If you are self employed or run your own business, having a CPD accredited skill to your name can give confidence to established and new clients.

These are just some of the great benefits CPD can provide. The question is, how can you partake in continuous professional development?

Continuing Your Professional Development

If you’re interested in undergoing CPD, it’s worth keeping in mind there’s a lot of different types to choose from. Practically anything which can further your knowledge and skills is classed as CPD. This includes:

• Events

• Training courses

• Workshops or Workbooks

• Research

• E-Learning

Each of the above has its own range of benefits and most professionals choose to undergo several types of CPD for best results.

Things to consider

If you want CPD to further your career, there’s a number of factors you need to consider.

1. Ensuring you’re undertaking the correct type of CPD to fit your goals is crucial in helping you minimise any disadvantages. It’s not enough to simply find a course which matches your industry.

2. You also need to consider whether or not the training matches your end goal. Thinking about the importance of CPD suiting your chosen industry might potentially save you time in the future.

3. Have you got the time to commit to the CPD course you’re considering? If you’re already working, you’ll need to find a part-time course which also fits around your family and budget commitments. You’re also going to want to consider the type of study you prefer.

4. Do you thrive in studying with others? If so, you’ll want to look into in-venue courses and seminars. If your sole purpose is to study alone at your own pace, an e-learning or workbook based CPD course would be a better option.

Check out our TNA course

Overall, CPD is crucial in terms of professional development. Provided you choose the right type to match your needs, it can help you progress in your current career or business, or help you to branch out into a totally different field if you’d prefer. There are so many reasons to choose to continue your professional development so why not take a look at our range of CPD courses available in the following levels. Foundation, Intermediate, Advance and Expert.

Our courses are presented as workbooks and must be completed in four weeks. Support is give via virtual assistnce.

Visit http://www.virtualpersonalassistance.com for a list of our services.

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