http://www.personneltoday.com/en-gbFri, 08 Aug 2008 09:43:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/08/08/47043/new-degree-launched-to-help-close-it-skills-gap.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/08/08/47043/new-degree-launched-to-help-close-it-skills-gap.html A new foundation degree will be launched at 12 colleges around the UK this autumn to address the nation's growing IT skills gap. The part-time <A href="http://courses.tvu.ac.uk/CourseDetails.aspx?CourseInstanceID=3453Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:43:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/08/07/47025/driving-skills-under-scrutiny-as-derby-and-st-edmundsbury-councils-fit-black-box-monitors-to-bin-lorries-and-other-vehicles.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/08/07/47025/driving-skills-under-scrutiny-as-derby-and-st-edmundsbury-councils-fit-black-box-monitors-to-bin-lorries-and-other-vehicles.html Council bin men and other drivers could soon find themselves rated for how well they drive while working. Two local authorities are to install black box-style technology in council vehicles to monitor whether employees are driving safely anThu, 07 Aug 2008 13:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/08/07/47022/tuc-calls-for-apprentice-entitlement-to-national-minimum-wage.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/08/07/47022/tuc-calls-for-apprentice-entitlement-to-national-minimum-wage.html Trade union leaders have called for all apprentices to be legally entitled to the national minimum wage. The TUC said too many people were dropping out of vocational training courses because they coulThu, 07 Aug 2008 10:11:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/08/06/47003/uk-skills-chief-wants-your-views-to-help-shape-national-skills-plan.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/08/06/47003/uk-skills-chief-wants-your-views-to-help-shape-national-skills-plan.html UK skills tsar Chris Humphries, chief executive of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), wants Personnel Today readerWed, 06 Aug 2008 11:08:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/08/01/47018/humberside-police-undergo-sex-change-training.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/08/01/47018/humberside-police-undergo-sex-change-training.html Transgender awareness training was given to more than 300 Humberside police recently to help them cope with an officer who had undergone a sex change. The training was provided by Hull-based company <Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:56:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/30/46942/dyslexic-student-to-launch-discrimination-claim-against-general-medical-council-over-multiple-choice-exams.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/30/46942/dyslexic-student-to-launch-discrimination-claim-against-general-medical-council-over-multiple-choice-exams.html A dyslexic medical student will take legal action to stop multiple choice exams being used as part of doctors' training. Naomi Gadian, 21, will challenge the GeneralWed, 30 Jul 2008 10:40:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/28/46913/prince-william-to-take-up-royal-apprenticeship.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/28/46913/prince-william-to-take-up-royal-apprenticeship.html Prince William is at the forefront of the government's skills strategy as he has agreed to take on an apprenticeship this autumn - one which will teach him how to become king. The 26-year-old will learn what it Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:02:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/28/46911/future-ceos-stand-out-from-the-crowd.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/28/46911/future-ceos-stand-out-from-the-crowd.html Future CEOs can be recognised by their high energy levels, a desire to be in charge, and the ability to cut through compMon, 28 Jul 2008 11:23:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/24/46846/skills-training-non-existent-in-75-of-north-east-food-and-drink-manufacturing-companies.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/24/46846/skills-training-non-existent-in-75-of-north-east-food-and-drink-manufacturing-companies.html The scale of the UK's skills challenge has been laid bare by a regional survey showing that three in four food and drink manufacturers in the North East have no training budget. Research carried out by the National Skills AThu, 24 Jul 2008 10:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/23/46835/apprenticeship-improvements-set-out-by-tories-welcomed-by-business-groups.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/23/46835/apprenticeship-improvements-set-out-by-tories-welcomed-by-business-groups.html Conservative plans to cut red tape and help more small firms to offer apprenticeships have been welcomed by business groups. Tory party leader David Cameron yesterday launched <A href="http://www.personneltoday.com/articleWed, 23 Jul 2008 16:12:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/23/46830/vocational-qualifications-achieved-by-3.25-million-uk-workers-last-year.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/23/46830/vocational-qualifications-achieved-by-3.25-million-uk-workers-last-year.html More than three million UK workers received vocational qualifications last year, according to research released to mark the inaugural Vocational Qualifications Day. Research by education foundation Edge found 3.25 million qWed, 23 Jul 2008 15:11:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/23/46819/black-and-minority-ethnic-apprentice-numbers-are-dramatically-low.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/23/46819/black-and-minority-ethnic-apprentice-numbers-are-dramatically-low.html The number of black and minority ethnic (BME) people taking up apprenticeships is dramatically low, new research has revealed. Less than 7% of apprentices are of BME origin, with participation especially low among Indian, bWed, 23 Jul 2008 11:33:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/22/46808/conservatives-plan-to-give-employers-2000-per-apprentice.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/22/46808/conservatives-plan-to-give-employers-2000-per-apprentice.html Employers would be offered £2,000 to take on and train apprentices under plans by the Conservatives due to be announced this week. Almost 100,000 new places for apprentices would be created under a Conservative government,Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:27:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/22/46778/more-apprenticeships-in-public-sector-promised-by-draft-bill.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/22/46778/more-apprenticeships-in-public-sector-promised-by-draft-bill.html Public sector employers have been told to offer more apprenticeships in administration and management as the government struggles to meet its promise to offer vocational development schemes to all. <A href="http://www.numTue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46864/government-backs-accreditation-for-health-and-safety-consultants.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46864/government-backs-accreditation-for-health-and-safety-consultants.html The government has said it supports the case for the accreditation of health and safety consultants<STRONFri, 18 Jul 2008 10:08:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46763/mcdonalds-hr-chief-to-continue-spending-on-staff-despite-economic-downturn.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46763/mcdonalds-hr-chief-to-continue-spending-on-staff-despite-economic-downturn.html McDonald's UK HR chief David Fairhurst has pledged to continue spending to help the fast-food chain cope with the economic downturn. Many organisations are <A href="http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2008/07/14/46693/hFri, 18 Jul 2008 08:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/16/46747/draft-apprenticeship-bill-published-to-encourage-more-employers-to-offer-apprenticeships.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/16/46747/draft-apprenticeship-bill-published-to-encourage-more-employers-to-offer-apprenticeships.html A draft Apprenticeship Bill has been published to encourage the number of employers offering apprenticeships in the workplace. Speaking exclusively to Personnel Today, skills secretary John Denham said he wants to Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:29:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/16/46730/boris-johnson-to-increase-police-productivity-in-time-for-london-olympics.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/16/46730/boris-johnson-to-increase-police-productivity-in-time-for-london-olympics.html Boris Johnson has vowed to increase police productivity in time for the London Olympics. Speaking at a <A href="http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/07/boWed, 16 Jul 2008 09:34:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/15/46724/denham-pledges-apprenticeships-for-all-by-2013.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/15/46724/denham-pledges-apprenticeships-for-all-by-2013.html Just one in 20 employers offers an apprenticeship place, government statistics have revealed. FTue, 15 Jul 2008 14:57:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/14/46693/hr-at-risk-as-uk-faces-recession-fears.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/14/46693/hr-at-risk-as-uk-faces-recession-fears.html Fears of an imminent recession mean HR professionals could be in for a torrid time of squeezed training budgets and recruitment freezes. A repMon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT