Independent Professionals
My book ‘AI for People Professionals’ was a human-first experiment
Behind the pages of a book shaped by humans and machines, Erica Farmer shares the creative highs, challenges and lessons from writing ‘AI for People Professionals’. From neurodivergent-friendly workflows to AI-supported thinking, it’s a candid look at what it means to write about the future of work in real time. When I started writing my book AI for People Professionals, I had no idea how much of a creative, emotional and intellectual rollercoaster it would be. This wasn’t just a…
Redundancy isn’t just business, it’s personal
Andy Evans shares the deeply personal story of being made redundant and the emotional and professional aftermath. Drawing on lived experience and learning theory, he explores how leaders can handle redundancy with humanity, and reflects on how moments of loss can spark growth, resilience, and a renewed sense of purpose. It was 8:45 on a September morning when the meeting invite appeared in my inbox. No context, no agenda, just a 3:00pm slot with my CPO and HR. I didn’t…
Psychological safety is the missing piece in your AI strategy
AI is changing the workplace, but without psychological safety, adoption efforts risk falling flat. Erica Farmer explores why trust, openness and permission to fail are essential for innovation, and shares practical steps for leaders, HR and L&D to create a culture where people can learn, experiment and thrive with AI. Artificial intelligence is reshaping the world of work faster than most organisations can adapt. From productivity tools to advanced data analytics and talent systems, AI now sits quietly in the…
The Training Officer 1980s magazine snippets
From youth training schemes and battles for women in engineering to microcomputers in the classroom, 1980s Training Officer pages show L&D wrestling with technology, equity and unemployment, while trying to keep learning human, practical and hopeful in the face of policy experiments and rapid workplace change for people at work. The 1980s snippets from Training Officer capture a profession wrestling with inclusion, mass youth unemployment and the first wave of digital transformation… all at once. On the January 1984 pages,…
The Training Officer 1968 magazine snippets
From critical path diagrams and formal standards to televised training and overseas schemes, The Training Officer in 1968 shows an L&D profession preoccupied with order, technology and status. Through today’s lens, its worries about credibility, media hype and meaningful impact feel familiar, and sometimes uncomfortably unfinished. Dive in and explore! This time, rather than a full magazine, this is some selected articles from a few issues in 1968. What jumps out first is how professionalisation obsessed the 1968 issues are.…
The Training Officer March 1968
In March 1968, The Training Officer captured a profession coming of age. Between log books, training boards and debates about education’s purpose, the issue reveals how industrial-era concerns about standards, governance and real performance improvement still echo through today’s learning strategies, data systems and skills conversations for L&D professionals worldwide. The Training Officer magazine from March 1968 is the second scan from the archives to celebrate 60 years of TJ’s work in learning in development. It feels like a snapshot…
Learning without limits: 38 years outside the HR bubble
Andy Candler has spent nearly four decades in L&D without setting foot in an HR team, and he thinks that’s exactly why it’s worked. In this refreshing and honest take, he champions a commercial, customer-focused approach to learning that’s more about storytelling and sales than tick boxes and training plans. At a recent learning event the conversation turned to L&D, its alignment with HR, and the usual comments about people strategy and employee engagement. It got me thinking about my…
Stop reporting and start persuading: Unlock the potential of your learning data for business impact
Most L&D teams collect data, but few translate it into the business language that decision-makers value. iSpring’s global survey reveals a “translation problem” holding many teams back. Tanya Galton shares insights into three L&D maturity clusters, along with practical steps to boost your influence, impact, and alignment with business priorities. Are you being heard in the boardroom or are you overlooked when L&D budgets are allocated and cut? When you lead or manage L&D in your company, understanding the level…
Editor’s blog: Beyond inspiration, the why of reflection at conferences
Jo Cook shares the thinking behind the TJ 60th Anniversary Conference and why reflection and action planning are central to its design. Drawing on expert insights and her own experiences, Jo explains how making space for thought can transform a good event into one that drives real change and learning. “Reflection is essential for professional competence development in every profession”, stated Alberto A. P. Cattaneo, and from the very first imaginings of a TJ conference I wanted to ensure that…
Value is back, and this time it means business
At the 2025 Business of Training Conference, Gaëlle Watson reports on an industry redefining its purpose. With trust, outcomes and business impact essential, L&D professionals are being challenged to adapt their approach, collaborate and prove their value or risk being left behind in a world of changing work and demands. The 2025 Business of Training Conference from Inmisceo once again gathered an eclectic mix of leaders: from management development specialists to niche providers in aviation and healthcare, united by a…
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