Upskilling: the key to fighting UK business uncertainty, skills gaps and productivity lags

by Jan 8, 2019Alumni news

It’s safe to say that UK businesses are facing a period of unprecedented change and challenges and it doesn’t look like it’s going to let up any time soon. Despite rising slightly in 2018, our productivity still lags behind our European neighbours and two years of preparing for Brexit has also cast a shadow.

Recent City & Guilds Group research – People Power – found that nine out of ten UK employers are struggling to recruit the skilled staff they need, and two thirds think that skills gaps are likely to get worse or remain the same in the next three to five years.

The solution though is in our own hands and we need to turn our attention inwards and start with our existing workforce. And that means now, more than ever, employers need to be upskilling their employees, investing in skills development and training programmes and driving tangible benefits of their businesses.

Read the full article on the HR Director website:  https://www.thehrdirector.com/features/skills-shortage/upskilling-skills-gaps909/

Other news stories

In the press: Childbase’s training programme receives royal approval

Childbase Partnership has received a Princess Royal Training Award for its bespoke programme ‘Teach to Reach’. HRH Princess Anne and and June Sadler, Childbase apprenticeships managerIt is one of only 44 organisations and the only early years group to receive this...

HRH The Princess Royal discusses the importance of creating aspirations for young people

n this video series, Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, talks with our president HRH The Princess Royal about the importance of skills on society, about the role we play as an organisation and about the Awards that we created in her name – The Princess Royal Training Awards – which are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

In conversation with Aaron Saxton about UKFast’s £5m commitment to their Community and Education Trust

At our Alumni event in Manchester we caught up with Aaron Saxton, Director of Education at UKFast, to talk about the organisation's Community and Education Trust which has committed £5 million to provide more opportunities to young people in the community. It’s clear...

Celebrating the impact of learning and development

At the heart of City & Guilds is our purpose which has skills development deep rooted in it. And through the Foundation one of our jobs is to celebrate where really great skills development is happening, and an example of how we do that is our Princess Royal Training Award programme.

Princess Royal Training Awards 2018 now open!

We are delighted to announce that the Princess Royal Training Awards 2018 are now open for entry until 29 March 2018. The Awards are a unique opportunity for UK organisations to showcase their approach to learning and development and its impact on business...

In the press: Somer Valley FM, by Royal approval!

The local radio station joined businesses from across the UK to attend a special ceremony at St James’ Palace for the annual Princess Royal Training Awards. The awards are the vision of Princess Anne and are managed by the City & Guilds Group. Launched in 2016,...

Case study: how training helped Green Lighting increase its revenue by 360% over a four year period

As one of the first companies to recruit staff through the Apprenticeship programme when it was re-launched in 2011, Green Lighting has always seen the potential of apprentices. The organisation, which specialises in low energy lighting products, saw the benefit of a...

Case study: Pret A Manger

Hear about Princess Royal Training Award recipients Pret A Manger and their award-winning Pret Academy in this video.

HRH The Princess Royal discusses the diverse range of Princess Royal Training Award organisations

In this video series, Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, talks with our president HRH The Princess Royal about the importance of skills on society, about the role we play as an organisation and about the Awards that we created in her name – The Princess Royal Training Awards – which are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

Case study: investing in young people beginning careers in STEM at BAE Systems

How do you inspire the next generations to work in your industry? See how 2021 Princess Royal Training Awards Winner BAE Systems, led by Head of Apprenticeships & Skills Mark Donnelly, recruited 700 plus apprentices last year, 90% aged between 16 and 25, from...

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

A decade of excellence: Royal recognition for UK and Irish organisations honoured at the Princess Royal Training Awards

The Princess Royal Training Awards are the UK and Ireland’s premier awards programme for recognising training excellence. On Tuesday 2 December, in an awards ceremony at Fishmongers Hall, the City & Guilds Foundation had the honour of recognising 56 outstanding...

HRH The Princess Royal celebrates best-in-class workplace training in 10th anniversary year for Awards

HRH The Princess Royal, President of the City and Guilds of London Institute, awards employers for outstanding training and skills development programmes which have positively impacted organisations, people and wider society. 15 August 2025: City & Guilds has...

HRH The Princess Royal discusses the importance of creating aspirations for young people

n this video series, Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, talks with our president HRH The Princess Royal about the importance of skills on society, about the role we play as an organisation and about the Awards that we created in her name – The Princess Royal Training Awards – which are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

HRH The Princess Royal discusses the diverse range of Princess Royal Training Award organisations

In this video series, Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, talks with our president HRH The Princess Royal about the importance of skills on society, about the role we play as an organisation and about the Awards that we created in her name – The Princess Royal Training Awards – which are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

HRH The Princess Royal discusses the value of City & Guilds to society

In this video series, Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, talks with our president HRH The Princess Royal about the importance of skills on society, about the role we play as an organisation and about the Awards that we created in her name – The Princess Royal Training Awards – which are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

HRH The Princess Royal discusses the changing world of skills

In this video series, Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, talks with our president HRH The Princess Royal about the importance of skills on society, about the role we play as an organisation and about the Awards that we created in her name – The Princess Royal Training Awards – which are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

A decade of excellence and a room full of inspiration – Princess Royal Training Awards Skills Share 2025

On 30 April 2025, City & Guilds hosted its second-ever Skills Share event – this time at the stunning Goldsmiths’ Hall in London – marking a major milestone: 10 years of the Princess Royal Training Awards. With over 130 Award recipients in attendance, the event was not just a celebration but a forum for shared learning, inspiration and reflection on what a decade of investment in skills development really means.

Ten Years of the Princess Royal Training Awards

In the tenth year of the Princess Royal Training Awards we take a look back at some of the recipients including Balfour Beatty, Fifty Shades Greener and Pret A Manger to find out what achieving the standard means to them and their organisations.

Case study: OnSide Youth Zones

Hear about Princess Royal Training Award recipients OnSide and their award-winning youth centres in this video.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This
Princess Royal Training Awards
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. For more information see our Privacy Policy.