A lot about the last year has been unpredictable, but if you had told me back then that one of our biggest selling short courses would soon be First Aid for Mental Health I’d have assumed that you were talking about demand in the care and healthcare industries. I’d have been very wrong.

Harness the power of plant based: one bite at a time  HIT Training (@HITTraining) is launching the UK’s first plant-based training programme for chefs in collaboration with meat free pioneer, Quorn.

What a year. In 2020 every training provider has jumped through hoops to ensure that learners can keep learning, and complete their studies wherever possible. Ofqual and the ESFA have been slow to react, leaving thousands of learners unable to complete their studies since CAG was removed at the end of July, and leaving providers supporting learners who have run out of funding at their own cost. Slowly but surely we have kept going, responding to the needs of learners and employers, and trying to stay ahead of the game.With vaccines on the horizon, and experts saying that we should be seeing an impact by next summer, it no longer feels too soon to be dreaming about a world without COVID restrictions.

Five ways to support #MentalHealth during challenging times  Our daily lives, work and relationships have experienced huge upheaval due to the impact of COVID-19 in recent weeks. These unprecedented times are affecting us in different ways and bringing a range of challenges for us to overcome.

New research*, conducted with hospitality professionals by @HITTraining and HJUK, has found that over half of the industry is looking forward to, and excited to get back, to work.