Guides
Practical guides for anyone in a UK business responsible for training. Funding, how to brief a provider, making training stick and the mandatory training every UK employer needs to run.
What is an apprenticeship in 2026, and who is it for?
Apprenticeships have moved well beyond the traditional trades picture. Here is what one is under the current rules and who it suits.
What "accredited" actually means in UK training
The word accredited gets used loosely across the UK training market. Here is what the different badges signal and when it matters.
Unused apprenticeship levy funds, and what to do before they expire
A practical guide for levy-paying employers on spending or transferring unused funds before the new twelve-month expiry window closes them out.
Training needs analysis, what it is and when to bother
Most businesses either skip TNA entirely or run a formal process when a lighter one would do. Here is what a good one looks like at either end.
Skills Bootcamps, what they are and how UK businesses use them
Skills Bootcamps are one of the more useful bits of government-backed training funding and one of the least well-known. Here is how they work and how to find one.
Questions to ask a coach before hiring them
Coaching is an unregulated profession in the UK and quality varies significantly. Here are the questions worth asking a coach before you commit.
Mandatory training for UK employers, and the training that's mandatory in practice
What every UK employer is legally required to train staff on, what's effectively required through case law and insurance, and what happens when the training isn't done.
Making training stick
Why most training investment quietly evaporates in the weeks after delivery, and what to do about it before, during and after the session.
How to brief a training provider so you get a good quote back
Trainers give better answers when they get better questions. Here is what a strong training brief looks like and how to use it to compare providers.
Growth Hubs and local training funding, what they offer and how to find yours
Growth Hubs, combined authority training pots and legacy LEP funds are one of the most under-used sources of training support in the UK. Here is how to find what is available in your area.
The Apprenticeship Levy (aka Growth and Skills Levy) for small and mid-sized businesses
How the levy works if you pay it, how apprenticeships work if you don't and the material changes landing across 2026 that every UK employer buying training should know about.
Access to Work, what it covers and how UK employers use it
A government grant scheme that funds workplace adjustments and some training for disabled employees. Underused, worth knowing about, but narrower than the other funding routes.