QUALITY MATTERS – Risky buisness?
Programme Lead, Chris Smith, looks at the impact of Covid-19 across the global economy and how a robust, ongoing and fluid risk management plan should now be a prerequisite for organisations to counter the Covid-19 crisis. Over this last 12 months we have...
My journey as an apprentice…Rebecca Watt
My journey as an apprentice – Stephanie Maher
My journey as an apprentice – Dale Townsley
Supporting your training throughout the Covid Pandemic
Here’s the arrangements rove is making to ensure your learning continues safely, and with as little disruption as possible, during the Covid pandemic. APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING Our apprenticeship provision is being delivered remotely, including one to one and group...
Top tips for surviving lockdown 2.0
There’s a feeling of deja-vu as we enter into lockdown 2. However, as the nights draw in and we’re stuck at home unable to socialise with our family and friends, many of us are feeling like it’s going to be an exceptionally long month. But don’t worry, we’ve collated...
Professional and personal development
Many of us have Continuous Professional Development (CPD) plans which not only maps out our activities and achievements but helps us manage our own learning and growth throughout our career. But what exactly is a professional and personal development and why is it...
Spotlight on… Mindfulness
Many of us are worried about coronavirus (Covid-19) and how it could affect our life. This may include having to spend a lot of time at home or concerns about being around other people. Now, more so than ever, it’s really important you take care of your mental health....
Top tips for working from home
Over the last six months, many of us have had to adjust to a new work environment. Although working at home can feel liberating, it also brings its own challenges. Alongside feelings of isolation and loneliness, many people adapting to homeworking find ‘switching...
FAQs – End Point Assessment (EPA)
If you’re undertaking an apprenticeship Standard, you will take an End Point Assessment (EPA). These are a series of assessments which ensures you can do the job you’ve been training for and to demonstrate what you’ve learnt during your Apprenticeship can be applied...
Get ahead at work!
TOP-TIPS TO GET AHEAD AT WORK Whether you are just starting out in your career or are undertaking an apprenticeship to progress, here’s some things you can do to make sure you stand out (for the right reasons) at work. INITIATIVE Going above and beyond your normal...
Spotlight on…mental health
New research suggests over half of employees used physical illness to explain their absence from work, when the cause was due to mental ill health. The research, commissioned by specialist stress at work lawyers from Slater and Gordon, indicates workers are taking an...
Extremism and radicalisation
Safeguarding We are committed to working together with our partners, to create a fantastic learning experience, and ensure the highest levels of apprentice safety and wellbeing. This involves ensuring all our apprentices are aware of Prevent and safeguarding issues...
Spotlight on… Stereotyping in the workplace
Last month (June 2019) a ban on adverts featuring "harmful gender stereotypes" or those which are likely to cause "serious or widespread offence" came into force. The ban was introduced by the UK's advertising watchdog, Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), because,...
First past the post
John Mills, Head of QHSE at Nomad Digital, is the first person in the UK to complete the CQI and IRCA Professional Certificate in Quality Management. John enrolled on the course with training provider rove, late last year and has worked hard to complete the...
Spotlight on… Racism and the Law
There’s no escaping the headlines surrounding racism, from; racist chants on and off the football pitch, to the BBC sacking Danny Baker for tweeting a picture of a couple with a chimp following the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s baby. On the back of this,...
Delivering a Great Customer Experience?
What does customer experience mean? Forrester (Nasdaq: FORR) is one of the most influential research and advisory firms in the world who define customer experience as “How customers perceive their interactions with your company.” The key word here is “interaction”...
How to successfully navigate interview day
Hoorah, you’ve secured your interview for your dream job and now it’s time to swot up for the interview. From creating a good first impression, to thinking about the types of questions you will asked and remaining cool and collected during the interview, here’s some...
Spotlight on…Being British
What does it mean to be British, how do we define it and why is it important? The government states fundamental British values are; democracy, rule of law, individual and mutual respect and tolerance. They are important as they underpin what it is to be a citizen in a...
Spotlight on… Inclusivity
Promoting and supporting inclusion and diversity within a workplace is about valuing everyone and appreciating we’re all different. Irrespective of our culture and nationality, our gender, race, sexuality, or educational background, it’s about creating an environment...
Spotlight on… Plagiarism
One area which can cause serious problems for learners is referencing within assignments – either doing it incorrectly, or not at all. We’ve prepared these pointers to ensure you don’t fall into any plagiarism pitfalls and give you the rundown on referencing. Do you...
Spotlight on… Off-the-job training
As a work-based programme, an important part of an Apprenticeship is off-the-job training. However, there is much confusion surrounding it – both for apprentices and managers alike. Here, we try to keep it simple and explain what off the job training is and how you...
Attitudes Matter
Skills and experience are important attributes of an employee, but did you know attitude plays just as an important part of any role? It’s no point demonstrating great professional skills if you don’t have the right attitude to carry out them out. Here’s a run down of...
Spotlight on… Bullying
Bullying remains a serious problem which has a massive impact on many individuals across the UK. Recent research from Bullying UK, a charity working across the UK to support anyone affected by bullying, reported: 81% of young people experience name calling and 50%...
It’s Holiday Time! How to Manage Your Workloads
We all know that euphoric feeling on the last day at work before our holidays. Pure bliss! Holidays offer us the chance to leave behind the stress and hassle of work and recharge our batteries, returning fighting fit and ready to face the demands of work once again....
Understanding your work-based assessment
What is a work-based assessment? Within your apprenticeship programme your tutor will use a variety of different assessment methods. If you are undertaking an Apprenticeship Framework (Level 3 and 4), one of these methods will be a work-based assessment. You no doubt...
Time Stealers – Part Two
Following on from last months blog here are few more things you could try to manage your time. Get Tough Hard as it may be, you may want to be firm (but diplomatic) in dealing with time allocated for meetings, paperwork, telephone, and visitors, etc. if you ever...
Racism and the Law
The Ugly Truth Back in the news and all over social media as American actress Roseanne Barr send out a racist tweet. The backlash results in her show being cancelled by the producer’s ABC. Her sitcom had been off air for 2 decades and one act of racism has resulted in...
Time Stealers – Part One
“I Need More Time!” This is a phrase we often hear. What can we do to make more time when the workplace (and life) is so busy and the pressure is on to get through our growing to do lists? There’s no simple strategy that works for everyone and the best you can do is...
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). How We Are Preparing
What is GDPR? As business administrators you are all dealing with a multitude of data on a daily basis and you all need to understand what the GDPR Regulations are all about and how it affects you in your workplace practices, as well as an independent person outside...
Rove’s Top Strategies for Learning on the Job
What Does On-The-Job Training Mean? On-the-job training is teaching the skills, knowledge, and competencies that are needed for you to perform a specific job within the workplace and work environment, with supervision. You will learn in an environment in which you...
What do you know about Casual Racism?
What is Casual Racism? Firstly, there is nothing casual about racism. One of many forms of racism is casual racism and it refers to behaviour involving negative stereotypes or prejudices about people based on race, colour or ethnicity. While some focus on these more...
Staying Safe Online
The Internet is Great – Yes? Social media platforms are great for connecting with family and friends to share your comments, thoughts, ideas, photographs as well as sharing another person’s video’s and posts you find funny or interesting. All good so far! However, it...
The Importance of Hitting Your Target Month After Month!
Taking Responsibility and The Impact of You Missing Targets Apprenticeships are no different to most other training programmes. There is a start date and a planned end date. For you as an apprentice, your planned end date signals to you the apprenticeship programme...
Your Choices at The End of Your Apprenticeship.
Throughout your apprenticeship hopefully you will have learned a lot. You will have developed new skills and gained real job experience, with the resulting confidence this should bring you to continue your career aspirations. At some point you will need to consider...
When Overwhelm Can Be Your Friend!
I don’t know about you but the demands we all face in everyday life just seem to be expanding at a rate of knots. It sometimes feels like it would be a good idea to just dig a hole and hide away. Technology has also made it possible for us to be reached 24/7....
Resilience: bouncing back in difficult times – these people did it!
Resilience: "the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness" Resilience is about aptitude to bounce back from problems and remain focused and determined in the middle of the challenges and difficulties thrown at us every day. It’s essential to build your...
Why Employee Engagement Matters for Quality Management Success.
What is Employee Engagement? Gallup defines engaged employees as those who are “involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace.” Jim Clifton Chairman and CEO at Gallup says of their results: “A staggering 87% of employees worldwide are not...
Rove’s Top CPD Opportunities for Quality Professionals
Continuous Professional Development : A Pleasure or a Chore? It’s a fact of life for many of us that we need to have a constant up to date record of our Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities and achievements. Your continuing professional development is...
How To Write A Cover Letter For A Job
The Covering Letter There are a few different types of cover letters but here we are concentrating on the cover letter you would use when you are applying for a specific job opening. A cover letter is a formal letter that accompanies your CV. It will outline who you...
What To Expect On Interview Day
What to Expect on The Day There is no doubt there will be competition on the day you go for your interview. Competition for apprenticeships can be very high for certain jobs and you may be a school leaver who has very little experience other than job experience...
How To Be Less Stressed On Interview Day
Taking the Stress out of Interview Day! So, you have put in all the hard work before the big interview day. You have spent time and effort researching the company, writing a first class CV or filled in a perfect application form, studied the job requirements and...
How To Dress For An Interview
How To Dress For An Interview Just as you have prepared for your interview carefully and thoroughly it is just as important to consider what you will wear to the interview. First impressions do count and it only takes a few seconds for an interviewer to decide how...
Common Interview Questions – Preparation and Practice
The importance of interview preparation should never be underestimated. Interviewers are experienced at being able to tell between those individuals who have prepared and those who haven’t. For a few hours of your time you are giving yourself an advantage over those...
How To Write A CV
What is a Curriculum Vitae (CV)? A CV is a written overview of your skills, education, and work experience. You might also see it called a Résumé. Today most people will type up their CV. You can generally email your CV or print and post it. What is a CV used for? You...
Have you Tried Immersing Yourself in Your Customer’s World?
What is Customer Immersion? In its simplest terms customer immersion is the act of “spending a day in the life” of your customers. Someone from your organisation (usually senior management) becomes a customer and interacts with the organisation so they can go through...
How Do You Choose the Right Apprenticeship?
Let’s assume you have explored you career options and have come to the decision that an apprenticeship is the right path forward for you. That’s the easy bit over! So where do you start? There are several considerations to work through but doing your research and...
CQI Tyne and Wear Branch Event: A Process Approach
Rove Would Like to Invite You As Our Guests To This CQI Event! Join us and our speaker for the evening, Dr Michael Cousins, where we'll discuss the process approach principle which for quality management systems has been around for many years, but hasn’t necessarily...
Why Rove are busting the myths about apprenticeships!
Rove have been delivering apprenticeships for nearly a decade and we have learned a thing or two about the people who do them and the organisations who recruit them. There is cause to celebrate the many benefits that apprenticeships can bring to an organisation and we...
CQI and IRCA Certified Training Courses: Delivering Now!
Quality professionals help organisations to deliver. Did you know? 60,000 delegates in over 100 countries across the world take CQI and IRCA Certified Training every year, and Rove are a trusted Approved Training Partner. At Rove, we offer some of the best training...
Is your CPD working for you as a Quality Professional?
As a quality professional, you will need a holistic overview of the whole of your organisation and it is this entire view that allows quality professionals to work at their best. What about your own self-awareness? It’s a fact that nothing stands still and there are...
The Apprenticeship Levy Starts Today
Today, the 6th April 2017, the way the government funds apprenticeships changes. The Apprenticeship Levy must be paid if you’re an employer with a pay bill of over £3 million each year. This is paid via your PAYE process to HMRC and the funds to pay for apprenticeship...