Independent Professionals
How one council made training measurable, strategic and value-led
Martin Furminger explains how a UK council adapted the Systems Approach to Training to build a structured, flexible learning system aligned to its People and Culture Plan. He shares how analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation create measurable impact, improve governance confidence and shift culture from ad hoc to planned. The Systems Approach to Training (SAT) was developed in the 1960s and ‘70s for the US Department of Defense. It was later formalised by NATO and has become the gold…
DEI in 2026: From ambition to action and compliance to competitive advantage
DEI in the UK is shifting from policy to practice. Sandi Wassmer argues that in 2026 inclusion will be built into organisational infrastructure. Leaders will be held accountable and employee experience prioritised over optics. Psychological safety and robust data will guide action, proving inclusion’s impact on performance, retention and resilience. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has come a long way in the UK since the advent of the Equality Act in 2010, and the past few years have seen changes…
Contribution without collapse: Unlocking unique impact beyond job titles
Drawing on two Make Your Brain Work Podcast episodes, applied neuroscience expert Amy Brann and medical doctor Dr Jessie Gulsin unpack why contribution boosts motivation yet can become risky when fused with your identity. The piece offers practical tips for L&D to build sustainable engagement, resilience and wellbeing without burnout. In many organisations, contribution and identity have become tightly intertwined. We are encouraged to “bring our whole selves to work” yet quietly warned not to burn out. Two recent podcasts,…
Ready or not, 2026 is the year of skills
AI is reshaping UK work, yet readiness is patchy and shortages still persist. Mark Onisk argues that 2026 demands skills-based workforce orchestration, tighter skills governance, smarter AI-human collaboration and scaled leadership development. Organisations that embed learning in the flow of work and prioritise high-impact skills can turn disruption into advantage. The UK workforce is at a turning point. AI is reshaping roles, but adoption and readiness vary widely across sectors. Skills England warns of persistent barriers, including low foundational literacy,…
Is your organisation truly data-driven – or just investing in tech?
Drawing on award-winning examples from healthcare, justice, media and policing, Jake O’Gorman argues that data-driven transformation depends on people, not platforms. He writes about why leaders must prioritise data quality, skills and ethical governance and shares stories that start with real problems, build confidence to turn evidence into everyday decisions. Despite billions invested in digital transformation, far too many organisations confuse technology spend with evidence-based leadership. In my roles at Corndel, from leading on Data and AI Strategy to serving…
“Workplace learning is at its best when it sounds like real work”
TJ Editor Jo Cook comments about the new Podcast Learning Festival, hosted by Andrew Jacobs in London, February 2026: “We strive for the most efficient and realistic learning interventions, and workplace learning is at its best when it sounds like real work: curious, human and specific. The Podcast Learning Festival brings learning and conversation craft into the same room, so we can build audio that travels, lasts, and genuinely changes what happens for people every day at work.” The Podcast…
2026 is the year L&D operationalises AI, without losing the human touch
In 2026, L&D must embed AI into real workflows, redesign roles and focus on measurable outcomes, without sacrificing trust, culture and wellbeing. Drawing on views from leaders across HR, learning and analytics, TJ’s Editor Jo Cook explores three pressure points: human plus AI, adaptive learning, and business focus without overwhelm. In 2026, L&D has to stop treating AI as a bolt-on project and start treating it as part of how work gets done and shows up in workflows. Will organisations…
Designing learning for a world that does not sit still
Steve George explores why L&D struggles when work shifts faster than programmes can adapt. He highlights cognitive agility and unlearning as essential performance enablers, offering practical design ideas including messy scenarios, changing case studies, and shorter learning cycles. All to build reflection into daily work and strengthen resilience amid uncertainty. Imagine rolling out a carefully planned learning programme, only to find that halfway through, priorities have shifted and the roles it supports no longer look the same. At a recent…
Beyond generative: The leadership playbook for agentic AI learning
As agentic AI moves to setting goals and acting, workplace learning is shifting into the flow of work. Johnson Wong argues leaders must design AI-enabled workflows, reskill for human oversight, and enable department alignment of IT, operations and the people profession to turn continuous, embedded learning into measurable performance gains. Enterprises around the world are entering a new phase of digital transformation, one defined not just by automation, but by intelligent collaboration between humans and autonomous digital agents. This shift…
Practice makes profitable: How immersive AI roleplay drives productivity, ROI and lasting skill transfer
Most training fails because learners do not practise enough to turn insight into habit. Doug Stephen explains how immersive, AI-mediated roleplay enables realistic, psychologically safe repetition with immediate feedback, spaced over time and tied to business metrics. The result is faster proficiency, better transfer and clearer ROI without heroic analytics. The uncomfortable truth about most corporate training is that people don’t get enough repetitions to make it a new habit. We ask a new manager to navigate a high stakes…
Want smart, useful L&D insight in your inbox (without the fluff)?
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for Editor-only commentary, and exclusive insight that isn’t published anywhere else online.
If you want a quick roundup of what matters, fresh ideas you can use, and the best new reads from Training Journal, this is where it lands
It’s free, only takes a minute, and you can unsubscribe any time.
