Organisations encouraged to embrace learning and development ahead of annual celebration
Employers of all sizes are being asked to join a national celebration of learning and promote a culture of opportunities in the workplace.
Learning at Work Week, coordinated by the social inclusion organisation Campaign for Learning, part of the educational charity NCFE, is an annual event designed to encourage businesses to think more about staff development.
From the 15th to the 21st of May, organisations across the UK will be focused on raising the profile of lifelong learning at work and are being encouraged to register now to receive advice, guidance, and tips on planning the week.
Julia Wright, National Director of Campaign for Learning, said:
“For its 25th year, Learning at Work Week is focused on how we ‘Create the Future’. No matter the size, organisations have immense learning power, and we want to help them embrace it.
“There’s a wealth of knowledge, skills, and experiences that people can gain from work, life, and learning, and we want organisations to bring colleagues together to collaborate, share what they know, and develop collectively.
“Whether it’s through internal talks, workshops, masterclasses, or Q&As, Learning at Work Week gives employers and their people a space to explore, identify opportunities around learning and development, and move forward together.
“If you already have plans in place or aren’t sure where to start, we want to hear from you. Register now and explore the range of support we have on offer for preparing your week – from planning to ideas and resources.”
Popular food-to-go retailer, Greggs has taken part in Learning at Work Week since 2011. From sign language workshops and financial wellbeing webinars to podcast recommendations and systems tutorials, the organisation is passionate about the benefits the week can bring.
Katie Wood, Learning and Development Advisor at Greggs, said:
“It encourages our colleagues to take part in personal and professional development workshops and enjoyable learning activities. They’re given an opportunity to meet new people, learn a new skill, and spend some time developing themselves.
“We get so much positive feedback. Our colleagues genuinely look forward to participating in Learning at Work Week every year and we get lots of questions throughout the year about what they can expect from the week. We’ve even had colleagues volunteer to deliver activities or tutorials and help out in the run up to the week!
“Planning is key to a successful week. We also like to make sure we advertise the week as much as possible – this means emails, flyers, posters, and videos. Get your colleagues excited about the week even before you’ve decided on your activities; it’ll set the tone and create a buzz amongst teams.
“I’d also recommend keeping it simple and not trying to fit in too much. Think carefully about the types of activities you feel will be beneficial or enjoyable for your colleagues. It’s better to do a few activities really well than deliver unfinished sessions!”
Campaign for Learning’s recent report, Driving-up employer investment in training – pressing the right buttons, highlights a need to boost demand for learning and skills training to support high performance working in the UK, as Julia Wright explains:
“Employer investment in learning and skills boosts productivity, delivers business growth plans and helps people and organisations succeed in a world being shaped by ‘megatrends’ such as rapid technological change, longer working lives and the need to achieve Net Zero.
“Recently released technology, like ChatGPT, is already demonstrating the impact that AI and automation will have on work and the need for organisations to be prepared – with investment bank Goldman Sachs reporting that in the United States and Europe, around two-thirds of current jobs are open to some degree of AI automation.
“Learning at Work Week is all about promoting a positive learning culture, supporting people to understand the importance of learning, reskilling and upskilling through life, and connecting them to development opportunities that benefits both themselves and the business.”
If you want to know if Learning at Work Week is right for your organisation, take a look at this myth busting article that helps to break down the common concerns organisations have, such as how much time it will take and how many activities are required.
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