Tag Archives: avptglobal

Pre employment Short Courses

Call us to enquiry about our soft skills courses

Call us to enquiry about our soft skills courses

Whether you are a complete beginner or more experienced, on one of our career development short courses you will find yourself learning in our enjoyable and professional environment.

Our courses allow you  to take full advantage of our specialist facilities and the expert tuition at your fingertips with a full take away manual for further reading.Taking a short course is ideal if you want to add new skills to your tired CV, brush up on an old hobby or refresh your skills, build on your current practice develop expertise to help start your own business review your career build a portfolio for college or work.  We have a range of different creative short courses available. Follow the links below for further information.

 

Call 0203 551 2621

visit http://www.expresstrainingcourses.co.uk for more information.

How Blended Education Makes Learning Process More Efficient

Photo courtesy of Guilia Frsythe

Photo courtesy of Guilia Frsythe

As internet connectivity and smart devices become every human being’s daily companion, with 1.75 billion users worldwide as eMarketer reported, more and more academic institutions are now leveraging the power of technology to re-invent the traditional classroom learning model.

The 2013’s United States Education & Workforce Committee study said that 31 states are now offering full-time eLearning tools to almost 275,000 K-12 students and 70% of all US school districts are now integrating blended learning (BL) programs in their curriculum.

One of the biggest trends in the academy, BL is a teaching approach that combines face-to-face learning through online-based instructions/activities. To facilitate, students are allowed to use their smart devices to do research, work on activities, complete their assignments, seek consultations, and consume digital learning resources in or outside the campus. But, how can this teaching methodology make learning efficient? Read on our discussion below as we further elaborate the topic.
Learners Are More Engaged

The infusion of online learning tools and traditional classroom lectures expands the learning resources being offered to the students. Apart from textbooks, teachers can pull out relevant video materials online and project it in front of their students to explain the topics further. Educators can also showcase online slideshows and interactive web applications to further strengthen their class discussions.

With BL, the possibilities of getting a reliable learning resource are endless. With the advent of video conferencing, students and teachers can go beyond the four corners the classroom. For instance, in foreign language topics, this innovative tech solution can be maximized in arranging live language lessons from native speakers worldwide. It can also be utilized when facilitating lectures on different cultures worldwide.
Students are safely browsing

The common concern with this learning strategy is that students are widely open to various content online, such as social media and online games that are deemed to be distracting in class. However, with the latest mobile technology today, we are now presented with devices that can block or curate content specifically for students only. One of the biggest brands Apple launched its own Kid’s App Store where students can only access curated educational apps and games. The latest Samsung smartphones, including the Galaxy S5, are also equipped with Kids Mode that let’s one set some parental control on the device, as featured on this source. As for Nokia’s Lumia range of Windows Phone devices, Microsoft also designed a special feature called Kid’s Corner which allows parents to choose the kind of apps and digital content they can only view and access. These innovations minimize the apprehensions that most parents and traditional educators have towards smart devices.

Teachers Can Access and Create Various Educational Content

Since the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy is a part of this learning strategy, educators are given the opportunity to easily design a variety of content types tailored to their students. Apart from online blogs and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) where professors can access a myriad of educational content (infographics and video lectures), they can also access mobile applications and e-Books to accompany their lectures.

The Academy of Vocational and Professional training are also currently the leaders on online Soft skills courses which are mobile device compliant, globally accredited and accessible 24/7

Since mobile devices nowadays are equipped with media creation tools, teachers can even create or design their own content to accompany their discussion. For instance, with many of the apple and android tablets,  are empowered to create slide shows with engaging music. The free movie making tool can also help them create video presentations combining photograph, audio, and text element.  It’s worth checking out the Samsung and iPad apps.
Makes Students More Engaged

Timothy HuneyCutt of National Math + Science Initiative pointed out that when “technology is integrated into school lessons, learners are more likely to be interested in, focused on, and excited about the subjects they are studying.” In subjects that may appear monotonous to selected students (such as Science and Math), teachers can use virtual lessons and one-on-one tutoring to encourage them to learn.
how to get your online website to attract clients free seminar 2014

Students Can Learn At Their Own Pace

Failure to digest the educator’s lecture can lead to students’ discouragement towards learning. With BL, if they fail to understand a particular lecture, they can ask their instructor to give them individualised instruction or learning materials through emails, video-conferencing, and social media channels. Students who are shy to speak out in the class through face-to-face on-campus discussion are also given the opportunity to shine and excel in class through BL.

BL can further enhance students’ learning by integrating technology and online resources to support the traditional face-to-face lectures. As we move to a more digital era, where handsets are now wearable and voice command accessible, we should see more improvements in educational technology in the coming years.

Blog by Jennifer Birch

Blog by Jennifer Birch

About the Author

As an EdTech advocate, Jennifer Birch believes in the power of Blended Learning. For her, the infusion of online learning tools and traditional classroom expands the learning resources being offered to the students. Connect with Jenni via Google +.

Why the legal profession is changing – Part-time partners

CPD on the move with expresscourses

CPD on the move with expresscourses

Only 9.4% of equity partners in law firms are women, despite equal numbers of men and women entering the profession

Article by Nicky Richmond Guardian Professional,

The statue of justice at the Old Bailey court in London. Photograph: Martin Argles for the Guardian

In the world of big law, equity partnership is broadly equivalent to being on a board of directors. In the top 100 law firms in the UK, just 9.4% of equity partners are women. This is even lower than the percentage of board members at FTSE 250 companies who are women, at 9.6%.

Given that equal numbers of women and men enter the legal profession, why is it that so many women don’t reach equity partnership? The Women’s Business Council – set up to advise the government on how to get more women into executive positions – came up with some interesting conclusions in a recent report.

They reveal an overwhelmingly masculine, patriarchal corporate culture, and point to the double burden of work and domestic responsibilities, the “anytime, anywhere” model of management and, a particular curse in the UK, the long hours working culture wired into city law firms.

A large proportion of women who drop out of law do so because they decide to have a family. Many women feel that they simply cannot combine the demands of life in a law firm with the demands of their families.

It’s little surprise they reach this depressing conclusion; at most law firms it is either full-time or nothing. A law firm may offer a woman a career downgrade to ‘support lawyer’ status but for many the cut in remuneration for part-time working or a lesser role are options not worth considering. Factor in the expense of childcare, and it’s little wonder many women conclude that the high cost simply isn’t worth it.

The goal of a partnership becomes more distant for many women once they decide to have a family. In many firms there is no route to partnership for lawyers who work part time. It just isn’t allowed. This is not only morally wrong, it is nonsensical.

There is no reason why a part-time lawyer – female or male – cannot make an outstanding contribution as a partner in their practice. Critical to a woman’s decision as to whether or not she returns to work following maternity leave must be the availability of flexible working. This means flexibility in both hours and location.

In order for things to change in law firms, firms must prioritise retaining their best people for as long as possible. This could include accommodating requests for part-time or flexible working. Given the demands of clients this isn’t always easy, but in most cases – with a real will on both sides – it can be done.

I work for a law firm that is owned equally between men and women. This is key to the day-to-day operations. A number of our lawyers work on a part-time basis. Some work certain days from home, others are consultants who hardly ever come into the office. We try to accommodate people’s real lives and ultimately, it’s the service to the client that counts.

Equality in the law will not happen on its own. In the 25 years I have been in practice I have seen all sorts of attempts to deal with ‘the women issue’, but evidently none of them have worked. Suddenly, however, it has become clear to City law firms that losing women is losing them money. So now, in line with the government’s recommendations, some of those firms have introduced their own targets for senior women. Money talks, and that’s what will drive the change.

AVPT CPD PRESSED FOR TIME LAW FIRMS

10 most profitable hair extension techniques to learn for 2017 by Diane Shawe

Why setting up a hair extension business could give you a long term career?

Article written by Diane Shawe M.Ed

Getting started in the hair extension business by Diane ShaweWe have seen the hair extension market grow over the past 15 years, now there are more hair extension techniques than ever before and it can be confusing to decide which is the right one for you to either apply to your own hair or become a qualified technician.

If you are thinking of becoming a qualified technician, it is important to consider how potential clients might make their decision.  Some people will make a decision based on price, others on their hair type and some based on what they need to achieve. Click to see our training school video

Here are just a few tips to help with your decision making process.

1. Wigs Wigs are a quick and easy way to give yourself a quick makeover.  What you need to bear in mind is that the cheaper the wig the more un-natural it will look.  You don’t need to spend a lot of money but it is worth investing in a wig that you can use from time to time.  Client will pay between £120 – £300 for a good quality wig which could last for up to 12 months.

2. Hair Pieces: There are lots of different hair pieces from pony tails to rear hair attachments in all different shades, curly, straight or plaits. There are also specialist hair pieces for thinning hair that can help disguise any problems.  The thing to bear in mind is that hair pieces are not often very secure and could make you feel a little uncomfortable.  Some of the ponytail pieces can be securely fixed, so if you want a demure look go for a ponytail.

popular integrated weave

3. Integrated Weaves: This is when wefts of hair is sewn onto a fine cornrow which is then hide by the bulk of your hair on top.  It is a popular technique because if done correctly it can look very natural and offer up a robust and secure hair enhancement solution.  If you look after the hair you can reuse it when you go back to have it re tightened. Clients could pay between £190 – £330 for the integrated weave.

How hair extensions are sourced treated and graded by diane shawe M.Ed 2014 price4. Pre-tips: This is small pieces of hair that have been pre bonded together.  They can be added in sections all over the head to aid thickening, give the impression of highlights or lowlight and length.  Pre-tips can be applied using heat, micro rings or even small elastic bands.  Be aware that they have to be professionally removed so as not to damage your own hair.

5. Strand by Strand (glue gun): This is when hot bond is used to bond small sections of hair to the recipients own hair.  It was a very popular technique in 6 years ago, but requires professional application and removal by a qualified technician.  Can give the appearance of flyaway hair that you could somewhat run your fingers through.  It is a very time consuming technique and is much better for a long term wear over 3-4 months.

6) Clip in hair extensions: These are now very popular.  They are best used for lengthening mid should length hair.  If the hair is shorter they don’t sit very well because they can be a little bulky in appearance.  They don’t offer up much security unless they have been professionally fitted.  This is when a very small cornrow is done and the clips are slipped through for much added security.  Great for an evening occasion but not advisable for long term wear.  click to read more

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7) Net Weave:  This technique is used when the client wants to partially extend just a section of their hair or if the client suffers from patchy alopecia.  This technique is suitable for 2-4 months wear.

8) Hook and Latch: This technique does not use any glues or threads. It is a beautiful technique, flat to the touch and hair could be worn up.  It works well with shorter hair especially the Micro ring track technique.

9) Lace Wigs: Lace wigs have become very popular. They are really good for girls with short thin hair, damaged hair, hair that needs a rest or a complete makeover.  Top celebrities have made them really popular and you can see why from the video testimonial below. See Radio TV presenters new lace wig

alopeciaconsultant

10) Braides and PlaitsBraides and Plaits have been around for hundreds of years.  A technique that can look very simple or quite exotic.  Braids can be worn for a number of months until the hair grows out, they can even have beads added to the end for that extra special look.

Hair Loss Specialists
Clients also suffer from thinning hair can be helped, click here to hear what one client had to say.

As we see an aging population, people are becoming more confident about getting help to resolve short term or long term hair problems.
HAIR EXTENSION TRAINERS
There is s shortage of qualified hair extension trainers in the UK. Visit this link to find out more and how you can become qualified.

 

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The not so golden rule of recruiment for small Entrepreneurs

Recruiting is not what it use to be in the 60's

Recruiting is not what it use to be in the 60’s

When it comes to recruitment, I have made every mistake in the book…and then some!

A fascinating blog was sent to me and I just had to reblog it because it is so important for expanding businesses.

Over the years I have signed psychopaths, nymphomaniacs, super depressives, dishonest reprobates, cheats, scoundrels and lazy-good-for-nothings.

I have also hired some of the most talented people in the universe – people with the intelligence, energy, determination and moral character to make a difference and achieve great things.

The golden rule of recruitment is that there is no golden rule! There is no secret formula for pinpointing the perfect person or for identifying the world’s worst worker.

Nonetheless, I have picked up a few nuggets of recruitment wisdom in my journey through life. I’m afraid, however, my methods are not for the faint of heart or the puritans of the planet so, if you are easily offended, STOP READING NOW.

If, on the other hand, your goal is to cease hiring ordinary people and begin hiring extraordinary people – read on!

In the recruitment game, the starting point is realising that every employee will either increase or decrease the profitability of your business.

It’s a fact of life that every employee will either make you money or cost you money.

So, resolve from now on to recruit only employees who will positively impact your business and, at the same time, start weeding out existing employees who are not contributing.

The ten million dollar question is – how do you identify the winners from the losers, the right people from the wrong people?

It’s not easy but it becomes a lot simpler when you realise there are only three categories of employee:

  • People who work against your business.
  • People who work for your business.
  • People who work with your business.

You obviously don’t want people who work against your business and, fortunately, they are as easy to spot as male peacocks during mating season.

Here are a few of their characteristics:

  • They are always happy to lend a listening ear to moaners and groaners.
  • They often have a hidden agenda.
  • They are lazy but they are good at making themselves look busy.
  • They sabotage success.
  • They undermine successful colleagues by gossiping behind their backs.
  • They tend to run in packs with others just like them.

These people are the devil in disguise. They are a cost, not an asset. Don’t hire them and, if you’ve already got them, get rid of them because a leopard can’t change its spots!

Let’s now move onto the second category – employees who work for your business.

Surely these people are OK?

They might be if you are prepared to settle for ordinary people rather than extraordinary people but if you want to build a great business they are not good enough!

The hallmark of people who work for your business is that they are not truly committed. They do what’s necessary to get by and they usually have some excuse for not going the extra mile such as doctor appointments and childcare demands.

They want to get paid for doing the job but their hearts are not in it. In sports parlance, they are people who are happy to settle for a draw. They are not losers but they are not winners either.

This may sound harsh but in my book – you don’t want them in your company unless you are prepared to settle for second best.

Employees who work with the business are the only people you should be hiring.

Here are the characteristics of the men and women you should be recruiting:

  • They are committed.
  • They always go the extra mile.
  • They feel responsible.
  • They are loyal.
  • They love to get involved.
  • They want to win.

In short, they know that the more they put into life, the more they will get out of life. That’s what makes them extraordinary.

Next time you are recruiting, resolve not to settle for ordinary people, instead be determined to hire only extraordinary people.

To ensure you identify these superstars, here are some questions to ask yourself about each candidate you interview:

  1. Will you enjoy working with this individual?
  2. Did they demonstrate an enthusiasm for your company and a passion for the job?
  3. Will they be dedicated to working shoulder-to-shoulder with you to help you achieve your goals?
  4. Will they inspire their colleagues?
  5. Will they be compatible with your team?
  6. Do they have the character to do what it takes?
  7. Will they be loyal through thick & thin?
  8. Will your customers and clients like them?
  9. Will they be industrious and hard working?
  10. Will they be ambitious for success?

If you can put a tick in the ten boxes, you may have found yourself the perfect employee.

There is, however, one more question you might want to ask yourself: “Could they be better than me?”

If the answer is yes – hire them immediately!

6 Things the Most Influential People on Social Media Do

Train to become a Linkd in specialist

Train to become a Linkd in specialist

How do you earn respect, stand out, and get noticed in noisy social-media circles? Take a cue from the Web’s biggest influencers.

Guest Blogger 

Influencers are among the most magical, powerful creatures in social media.

Within specific niches or across large audiences, they have the power to shape how people think about an issue, start important conversations, make businesses stand up and take notice, and more.

Outside of having a large following, how do they do it? And how did these influencers amass the following they have in the first place?

The ability to stand out in noisy social circles helps influencers build their audience and connect with them over and over again. It keeps them relevant. It keeps them influential.

Here are the six things influencers do to stand out:

1. They’re Superconnected and Almost Always On

Brand advocates, superfans, loyalists–influencers of all stripes–are hyperconnected to their audience. They have a passion for their topic of choice, which means they’re always on and use multiple devices to ensure they’re connected throughout the day.

Influencers use tools such as Topsy, Trackur, and Social Mention to find interesting conversations, stay on top of breaking news in their niche, and help them manage and schedule content for maximum exposure.

Influencers treat social like their j-o-b. (and sometimes it is). They get it; you have to invest time and money in yourself to help you scale if you are going to stay superconnected and become an influencer.

2. They Make Boring, Dry, or Otherwise Uninteresting Topics Fascinating

When everyone is saying the same thing, who grabs your attention? Influencers are the people coming up with a creative take on a topic, saying something different or contrary or funnier, etc.

Take Gretchen Rubin, for example. Rubin is a popular author, blogger, and speaker, but then a lot of people write and speak. How is she also one of LinkedIn’s 150 Most Influential People?

For one, while everyone else was writing self-help books, Rubin decided to parody them with her first book, Power Money Fame Sex: A User’s Guide.

See, while everyone else was trying to tell people how to be happy, Rubin decided to take a quirky, self-deprecating, and humorous approach.

When she tweets to her 92,000-plus followers, they listen and share because she’s not spouting the same old conventional wisdom. Her take is unique and makes something that could be tedious–finding happiness–an adventure in which her social connections can all participate.

3. They Create a Ton of Awesome Content

The killer content top influencers are banging out on a regular basis really helps them stand out in a sea of noise, regardless of the topic.

Influencers are great at creating content that people can’t help sharing.

They might do this by way of original research, powerful commentary, sharing a unique take on the news, turning information into stunning visuals, hosting webinars or online chats, or blogging prolifically.

Whichever medium they’re using, influencers love to create awesome content, and they have mastered techniques that allow them to scale their efforts. This might mean partnering with others to increase their reach and maximize their time, or building a great team around them to assist in their efforts.

There are a lot of people out there with something interesting or brilliant to say. The ones who garner influence, though, are incredibly skilled in how they get their message across to the greatest audience possible.

1 day social media and marketing course

4. They Know Who You Are and Want You Want

Influencers don’t operate in a vacuum, churning out social updates and content like traditional broadcasters. They know their audience and what you like–in fact, they often know what you’ll like before you do.

Knowing your audience goes far beyond demographics, and influencers totally get it. They listen, engage, and converse so they can truly understand what drives people. They’re thirsty for audience insights that will help them create that next amazing piece of content, or fuel their next groundbreaking research project.

They don’t get bogged down in popular opinion or go with the crowd, because they know you’re looking for something different. They know this because you’re telling them in a thousand different ways, and they’re actually paying attention.

It might be through social-media activity and sentiment tracking. It could be through website analytics. It may very well be gleaned through actual conversations with the real people who hang on their every word.

The difference is, they actually care about what would be most useful, helpful, or entertaining for you and go from there.

They’re more concerned with what you want to hear than what they want to say.

5. They’re Hip, They’re Happening, They’re Current

And they can’t help being all of these things, because they are so in tune with the topic on which they’re influential.

They read voraciously. They eat data and facts for breakfast. Influencers eat, sleep, and breathe their passion and are always at the forefront of the industry.

When everyone else is talking about what happened this morning, they’re already talking about what’s going to happen tomorrow. And they know what’s going to happen tomorrow, because they know just about everything there is to know about what’s already happened, who is working on what, which technologies or developments are on the horizon, and more.

6. They’re Trustworthy

And this is huge, massive, critical! They don’t waste words, publish fluff pieces, tell half-truths, or otherwise lead their audience astray.

People elevate others to the level of influencer because they trust them. It’s as simple as that.

It can take years to build that trust and one poorly thought out statement to break it, so influencers are incredibly careful about what they’re putting out to their networks.

They stand out in a sea of noise because time and again, they’ve proven their voice is worth listening to and their advice worth taking.

Call us to enquiry about our soft skills courses

Call us to enquiry about our soft skills courses Diane Shawe at express courses, London UK

source: http://www.inc.com/larry-kim/6-things-influencers-do-to-stand-out-in-social-media.html#ixzz2zldfZm9Q

How can employers help keep their work force healthy so as to avoid high healthcare costs?

5-natural-ingredients-for-preventing-lung-disease-expresstrainingcourses.co.ukWhether you’re talking about asthma, cancer, COPD, or even rare conditions, lung disease is on the rise.

The experts are calling lung disease a “time bomb waiting to explode.”

sourced: by Diane Shawe from the  Institute for natural healing

Whether you are creating a workplace wellness program from scratch, or enhancing what you already have, you’re already on the right track! With increasing costs of health care, a shrinking workforce, and aging workers, a savvy workplace understands the value in supporting workers to improve their conditioning and to live a fitter lifestyle.

For instance you could help by engaging with your workforce through your company blog by blogging about five natural ingredients to keep their lungs young and healthy as follows:

1. Milk Thistle: You might already know that it has the power to help your liver regenerate its cells. But milk thistle contains silymarin. It’s a compound that flushes toxins out of your liver. It also helps prevent lung cancer from forming and spreading.

Milk thistle also contains silibinin. Like silymarin, it protects you from lung cancer. But even better. These cancer cells spread quickly to other organs in your body. And they can become drug resistant. Silibinin doesn’t only reverse drug resistance in these cells… It causes natural cell death in cancerous lung tumors.2 You can find milk thistle extract pills in health stores and online. Organic milk thistle tea is another option.

2. Fiber: Oddly enough, fiber is critical to your lung health. It may help relieve symptoms of–and even prevent—asthma.

A high-fiber diet changes the makeup of your gut bacteria. The good bacteria feed on fiber. When you keep these bacteria well-fed, they produce short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids reduce inflammation and irritation in the lungs. But don’t add grains to your diet for more fiber. They actually increase the amount of inflammation in your body—including your lungs. Instead, eat more organic artichokes, peas, raspberries, and blackberries.

3. Ginger: It’s full of antioxidant power. But two of these antioxidants in particular protect your lungs against inflammation and damage. Gingerols help clear your lungs by reducing the amount of mucous they produce.3 And 6-shagaol, the compound that gives ginger its flavor, stops bronchial tubes from tightening.4 This keeps airflow open and easy.

Ginger can be pretty intense if you aren’t used to it. Add it to your diet slowly if you don’t eat it on a regular basis. When it comes to ginger, fresh is always better. Cutting up some fresh ginger and adding it to a meal gives you antioxidant power and extra flavor. You can also juice with it or use it to brew your own tea to help soothe your lungs when you have a cough.

4. Broccoli Sprouts: Broccoli sprouts are rich in vitamins A, K, and C. But they also contain sulforaphane. It’s a compound that helps you fight the inflammation that causes asthma. One study found that it helped restore defective white blood cells in the lungs. More white blood cells mean less bacteria and inflammation.5

Broccoli sprouts have about 50 times more sulforaphane than regular broccoli. But you may not be able to find them at your grocery store. If that’s the case, look at your local farmer’s market. Or you could grow them yourself. Try them steamed or throw them raw into a salad. For convenience, you can also find broccoli sprout extract as a supplement online.

5. Bromelain: It’s an enzyme used to reduce inflammation of the sinuses after surgery. But it’s also a natural way to treat pulmonary edema.6 This condition prevents the fluid from draining out of your lungs. The result? Shortness of breath. If left untreated, it can cause deadly infections. One study found that bromelain reduces the amount of inflammatory neutrophils in the lung by up to 85 percent.7

The best way to start getting more bromelain in your diet is by eating fresh pineapple.8 And lots of it. Most of the bromelain in a pineapple is in the stem. Or you can supplement.

Pollution and secondhand smoke aren’t the only things that can irritate your lungs. Inflammation is a major factor in the development of most lung disease. Lowering it will help ensure that your lungs are working at their best. Using these five natural solutions will help keep you free of disease—and breathing a little easier.

So you can see the benefits of preparing a workplace wellness program.

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

Whether you are creating a workplace wellness program from scratch, or enhancing what you already have, you’re already on the right track! With increasing costs of health care, a shrinking workforce, and aging workers, a savvy workplace understands the value in supporting workers to improve their conditioning and to live a fitter lifestyle. We have a  two-day course includes all aspects of designing or upgrading a workplace program, from concept through implementation, to review.

AVPT’s two-day workshop will help you  to:

o   Describe the necessity of workplace wellness programs
o   Create program elements that reflect the needs of employees and the objectives of the organisation
o   Select program elements that fit the context of current operations
o   Establish implementation and evaluation strategies

Getting you qualified in days not years!

Getting you qualified in days not years!

 

 

 

 

 

 

other article you might be interested in : Dangers of Hypertension to Founder owners of SME.

The development of Soft Skills helps to compliment Hard Skills

Softskills image with avpt logo

Soft Skills the new Hard Skills

Soft skills is a sociological term relating to a person’s “EQ” (Emotional Intelligence Quotient), the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that characterise relationships with other people.

article by Diane Shawe M.Ed

Soft skills complement hard skills (part of a person’s IQ), which are the occupational requirements of a job and many other activities.

So why does contemporary society place great value on standardised achievement tests to sift and sort people, to evaluate schools, and to assess the performance of nations?

Despite the widespread use of standardised achievement tests, the traits that they measure are not well-understood. Cognitive ability like IQ the important skills that achievement tests miss or mismeasure, are now being recognised as the skills that also matter in life.

Achievement tests miss, or more accurately, do not adequately capture, soft skills— personality traits, goals, motivations, and preferences that are valued in the labour market, in school, and in many other domains.

The larger message is that soft skills predict success in life, that they produce that success, and that programs that enhance soft skills have an important place in an effective portfolio of public policies.

Teacher Facilitated Learning Strategy AVPTMeasurement of cognition and educational attainment has been refined during the past century. Psychometricians have shown that cognitive ability has multiple facets.

Many social scientists—even many psychologists— continue to use IQ tests, standardised achievement tests, and grades. Even though scores on IQ tests, standardised achievement tests, and grades are positively correlated with each other,  recent literature shows that they measure different skills and depend on different facets of cognitive ability. Recent research also shows that all three measures are associated with personality, but to different degrees across various cognitive measures.

Standardised achievement tests were designed to capture “general knowledge” produced in schools and through life experiences. Such knowledge is thought to be relevant to success inside and outside of the classroom. However, achievement tests are often validated using other standardised achievement tests or other measures of cognitive ability—surely a circular practice.

Success in life depends on personality traits that are not well captured by measures of cognition. Conscientiousness, perseverance, sociability, and curiosity matter. While economist  up until now have largely ignored these traits, personality psychologists have studied them over the last century.  They have constructed measures of them and provide evidence that these traits predict meaningful life outcomes.

Many scholars—inside and outside of psychology—have questioned the existence of stable personality traits, arguing that constraints and incentives in situations almost entirely on the magnitudes of measurement error on a variety of economic measures, see Bound et al. (2001).

These authors report that at most 15–30% of earnings variance is due to measurement error.

Some early studies in economics are Bowles and Gintis (1976), and Bowles et al. (2001). An important study in sociology is Jencks (1979). Work in psychology going back to Terman et al. (1925) shows that personality traits matter (see Murray, 1938; Terman et al., 1947; and the discussion in Gensowski, 2012).

There is no tape measure for perseverance, no caliper for intelligence. All cognitive and personality traits are measured using performance on “tasks,” broadly defined. Different tasks require different traits in different combinations. Some distinguish between measurements of traits and measurements of outcomes, but this distinction is often misleading.

However, traits are not set in stone. They change over the life cycle and can be enhanced by education, parenting, and environment to different degrees at different ages.  It is my opinion  people try harder when doing  achievement tests so you can scores and capture both cognitive and personality traits.

Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies within educational institutes will help with promoting self- control, emotional awareness, and social problem-solving skills. 

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The tricky first million

Growth Accelerator Diane Shawe

Growth Accelerator Diane Shawearticle by Diane Shawe M.Ed   AVPT Ltd

It is often assumed that raising external, or third party, equity is a prerequisite to business success. In the majority of cases, this could not be further from the truth. Most businesses start with very limited funding, and as these businesses develop, they bootstrap their growth, using their own profits and assets to finance their needs. As a result, they get to keep their potentially valuable equity in the hands of the founder or the family, along with the choices and freedom that brings.  Often the next step up from that is developing the owner managers skills to take them to the next 2-3 million.

For some companies, however, the size of the opportunity or the need for fixed or working capital exceeds the available resources. In these cases, raising external equity may be the only available option.

Diane caught up with up with Lotwina Farodoye, Growth Manager for Growth Accelerator at Grant Thornton’s Euston offices  last week and put these questions to her:

So What is GrowthAccelerator?

Growth Accelerator is a unique service led by some of the country’s most successful growth specialists.  A partnership between leading private sector business growth experts led by Grant Thornton, and backed by a £200 million investment from the Government, GrowthAccelerator gets to the heart of the barriers that are holding  businesses back;  helping identify the critical steps you need to take to achieve your next phase of growth – rapidly and sustainably.

 How does Growth Accelerator Achieve this?

We’ll work with businesses to develop a growth plan which is completely bespoke to the needs of a business.  It will involve a commitment of  time but with the support tailored to your business priorities and the way you work, we won’t waste your time on issues you’ve already got covered.

So what does Growth Accelerator focus on?

We focus on three core areas: Access to Finance, Business Development or Growth through Innovation.  All three are delivered through a combination of coaching, workshops and masterclasses.

What will GrowthAccelerator do for my business?

GrowthAccelerator will give you the framework to :

  • Build a successful growth strategy
  • Discover new routes to funding and investment
  • Unlock your capacity for innovation
  • Build on the power of your people
  • Unite and inspire your leadership team; and

How is GrowthAccelerator different from other services?

GrowthAccelerator offer matched funding up to £2,000 per senior manager in the business, who’s pursuing training that will help improve their performance and help the business grow.  (This offer is available once the company is a participant on GrowthAccelerator) This is where approved company’s such as Academy of Vocational & Professional Training come in and deliver the bespoke training.

Who is Growth Accelerator right for?

GrowthAccelerator exclusively targets businesses with potential for high growth who want to enter their next growth phase and have the potential and determination to get there.

If that’s not where you are, then GrowthAccelerator isn’t right for you.  But if it is right your business and you fully commit to the support owe give, your business will grow and grow faster.

Who is Eligible for Growth Accelerator ?

To be eligible for GrowthAccelerator, a business must be registered in the UK and based in England, have fewer than 250 employees and have a turnover of less than £40m.

What investment is required?

Your contribution will depend on the size of your business.  With Government co-investing in the growth of your business and making a major contribution towards the cost, you pay only a one-off fee.

 1 to 4 employees………………………………….     £600 + £700 VAT* = £1,300

5 to 49 employees…………………………………. £1,500 + £700 VAT* = £2,200

50 to 249 employees…………………………….   £3,000 + £700 VAT* = £3,700

* VAT is based on 20% of the nominal value of the service – £3,500

if you want to find out more just contact diane on growthaccelerator@expresstrainingcourses.co.uk

AVPT Growth Accelerator Training Providers portrait

Academy of Vocational & Professional training becomes approved training provider for Growth Accelerator

AVPT Growth Accelerator Training Providers 2014The Academy of Vocational and Professional Training are excited to become an approved training provider for GrowthAccelerator through Grant Thornton.

GrowthAccelerator is a partnership between some of the UK’s leading, private sector growth specialists – Grant Thornton, Innovation and Winning Pitch and backed by Government, to help businesses with high growth potential. If you have fewer than 250 staff, and less than £40 million turnover, you may qualify for up to £2000 per person funding for leadership and management development.   Diane Shawe the CEO is delighted to be supporting the new GrowthAccelerator initiative .

GrowthAccelerator, is a new £200m Government backed programme that aims to provide SMEs across England with the know-how and ability to achieve rapid and sustainable growth.

Lotwina, one of the growth managers at Grant Thornton London, explains  “the GrowthAccelerator initiative  incorporates a training grant for bespoke training development programmes for  management team; expert coaching support and tailored business workshops”.

AVPT will be delivering bespoke training courses in Leadership and management which are a key part of GrowthAccelerator, with every participating business given an opportunity to develop the skills of their leaders and senior managers through match-funded training.

Through GrowthAccelerator, businesses can claim up to £2,000 per senior manager to match fund the cost of leadership and management training that supports the growth objectives of the business.

business man hand touch virtual 3d leadership skillMatch funding significantly increases the value of any senior management training your client invests in – and gives you an opportunity to deliver more leadership and management training relevant to your client’s needs.

Currently there is no limit on the number of senior managers who can be supported, and different managers within the business can undertake different training programmes.

GrowthAccelerator has been developed for businesses with the capacity, commitment and ambition to significantly increase their turnover or employment over the next few years. Many of the companies that AVPT works with and supports are exactly those that this service is aiming to attract and engage with. We are therefore working closely with the GrowthAccelerator programme to cross-refer potential clients and to ensure a good fit between our respective offerings and activities.

Growth Accelerator Diane ShaweWe would love to check your eligibility. We can then partner with you in order to build and deliver a 50% funded training programme that will help power your business to the next level.

For more information and to see how GrowthAccelerator could help your business, please email us on growthaccelerator@expresstrainingcourses.co.uk

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