Lifetime’s Transformation Series

Equipping businesses with the essential skills to navigate a world of fast-paced change.

The uncertainty brought on by the pandemic provided many businesses with time to refocus and re-evaluate. With a complete shift in working practices and constantly changing technology, organisations are currently facing the universal challenge of upskilling their workforce at an accelerated pace.

The challenge for employers is to introduce transformation successfully. Our Transformation Series uncovers how apprenticeships can be used to fill vital skills gaps to effectively activate, manage and lead transformation in business.

We’ve identified four core Lifetime programmes that can support and upskill your different teams. In each episode, we take a deep dive into the fast-paced changes happening across industries — and how having a robust apprenticeship strategy in place can help you mitigate key business challenges.

Project Management and Data

Living in a world that is increasingly digitised and transformed by technology means more roles are reliant on data-based decisions or coordinating essential business projects.

In order to thrive, organisations must adapt by investing in upskilling their people. Our Project Management and Data programmes offer practical work-based training solutions, so your people can operate much more effectively in today’s transformative world.

Transformation is a journey, so it needs to be well-planned

There are significant, tangible benefits in investing in the right skills to deliver transformation. Organisations that invest in proven Project Management practices waste 28x less money, because more of their strategic initiatives are implemented successfully.

In the first episode of our series, Implementing Transformation through Project Management, we explore why project management skills are an essential business asset for transformation, and how developing these skills in your organisation can help you manage change effectively.

David Durrant, a management consultant at Nine Feet Tall, supports senior leadership teams in implementing and managing change. Here he provides insight on the need for effective project management practice to deliver transformation, as well as nine key tips on how to strike the balance between business needs and delivering objectives.

Lifetime’s Associate Project Manager Level 4 programme is designed to embed vital project management skills. Curriculum Design Expert, Mark Hatton outlines the learner journey, key modules and talks about the APM Certificate that is embedded into the programme.

Overcoming data skills shortages and thriving in today’s digital economy

In today’s business environment, not only has data become all-consuming, but it’s also valuable. Despite digital skills being increasingly needed in almost every job, it’s surprising that 69% of business leaders think there is a data skills gap and 80% of employees are not confident working with data.

Senior Market Development Manager Mike Spurr kicks off the second episode, Activating Transformation through Data Analytics, where we unfold the breadth and scale of the data skills shortages that many employers face and how embedding data skills can help mitigate common pain points within business.

Joana Wang, Lifetime’s Data Analytics Expert, reveals how developing analytical and digital skills across your organisation can help you leverage the power of data, and looks at some of the key challenges of working with data and how developing these skills in organisations drives effective decision making.

Designed for anyone who touches data in business (whether that’s spreadsheets, or a role solely dedicated to effectively gathering, validating and analysing data) our Essential Data Technician Level 3 programme equips companies with advanced data skills to keep up with a digital world that doesn’t stand still. Lifetime's Business Development Manager, Jemma Hall, discusses how we make apprenticeships work hard for businesses, starting with our Discovery Session service.

HR and Learning and Development

Skilled HR and Learning and Development (L&D) functions are the driving force behind creating a healthy and productive company culture. Our HR and L&D apprenticeships upskill existing employees and recruit new talent, developing your teams with the essential skills to manage and inspire transformation.

HR functions that build business resilience

The pandemic created unprecedented challenges, many of which had huge implications for working practices and human resource management. The result is that HR functions have been front and centre in managing rapid change, helping businesses adapt in these turbulent times.

Lifetime’s Business Development Director Marie Vickery hosts our third webinar, Managing Transformation through HR which explores how the HR landscape has changed over the last 18 months. HR Director Tessa James reflects on the complexities of effectively managing a remote workforce and the crucial role HR functions have played in providing quick-thinking solutions for business continuity.

Guest speaker and Managing Director at DNA John Tarrant discusses the importance that HR has in an organisation, outlining his first-hand experience of how HR departments have been the catalyst for transformation.

It’s an exciting time for Lifetime’s HR programmes. We’ve recently launched our HR Support Level 3 (CIPD optional) and our HR Consultant Level 5 (CIPD included). Lifetime’s HR Coach Alex Wanless introduces both programmes and outlines how they can support business transformation by developing the skill set of your HR professionals.

Organisational training: L&D activity that balances business and individual needs

L&D practitioners are the critical point of leverage between what the organisation needs and what the individual needs. So how can businesses develop L&D activity that truly meets both requirements?

Our final webinar Inspiring Transformation through L&D explores how developing L&D activity that fits into the jigsaw of organisational strategy brings both real value to businesses through measurable ROI, but also unlocks the potential of its people too.

Sam Matchett (Learning & Development Manager at Lifetime) talks with Anita Douglas (Director at Leading Results) about how the focus has shifted in the world of L&D, the importance of aligning L&D with the strategic elements of a business - and the challenges in doing so.

L&D Coach at Lifetime Ali Farrell introduces our Learning and Development Practitioner Level 3 (CIPD optional) and Learning and Development Consultant Level 5 (CIPD included). These programmes link L&D to business results, whether that’s fresh L&D talent, or experienced people stepping up into strategic roles.