This
month’s news…
Innkeepers
to serve time on the amateurs
The
profile of training in pubs and licensed premises will be given a boost this
month when the British Institute of Innkeeping launches a grade of membership
specifically for those involved in training.
The
BII has been attempting to improve training and development in the sector by
creating nationally recognised qualifications, and last month hosted its 10th
National Innkeeping Training Awards.
Demand
for BII qualifications is expected to increase following a decision by the
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to allow institute certificates to be
entered into the national framework.
BII
business development manager John Melia said the new membership grade would
raise the status of trainers in the sector and create a best-practice forum.
Restructuring
within the sector and recruitment and retention challenges have made good
training increasingly important, he said.
“We
have been promoting a much more professional approach and inviting trainers to
become members of the BII is part of that,” said Melia.
He
expects about 40 to 50 new members a year.
Staff
take wage cuts for PC deal
One
in seven employees at retailers The Dixons Group have taken a drop in salary in
exchange for IT skills.
As
part of a pilot scheme that builds on the “Meeting the Productivity Challenge”
launched by Chancellor Gordon Brown last year, the company loaned new PCs to
employees for use at home for two years with the option to buy at the end of
that time. The result is a saving of up to 40 per cent on the retail price.
Dixons
offered lease PCs to 17,000 staff in autumn 2000 and 14 per cent took advantage
of the scheme. They were supplied with free software of 28 titles worth up to
£1,300 and a tool introduce Internet skills.
The
Dixons Group ran the scheme in conjunction with flexible benefit and
communication specialist Grass Roots and is now making it available to other
companies.
Who
wants to be a manager?
Quiz
shows such as Who wants to be a Millionaire? are the inspiration behind
interactive technology for induction training at Whitbread’s restaurants
division.
During
sessions to reveal their development needs, the new managers use handheld keypads that are accessed with their own
identity code. This allows responses to be made anonymously and results in an
individual report that guides them in choosing courses.
Divisional
projects manager Lynn Thompson-Lee said, “Quiz themes make the sessions fun,
but also lead to a better set of answers than if people sat down with pen and
paper.”
Catch
up with online skills
Readers
have the chance to brush up on e-learning with two conferences and exhibitions.
The
Manchester e-learning event, supported by Training magazine, will be at the
G-Mex conference centre on 24-25 April. It features case studies from global
names such as Barclays Funds and Daimler Chrysler, and entry is free.
From
6-7 June e-learning London will be run at the Business Design Centre,
Islington, again supported by this magazine.
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