HRD 2005

Category: Editorial

Brefi Group at HRD 2005 I thought you would be interested in some of the developments at Brefi Group so I am making a change to the editorial style this week to report on our highly successful stand at Britain's largest training and development exhibition HRD 2005.

Last year we attended the Confederation of British Industry Showcase in Birmingham. Our objective then was to raise our profile in our target market of corporate bodies. HRD is different; it is the main shop window for training and development and an opportunity for us to meet clients and prospective clients. We had a busy three days.

Although Brefi Group offers a variety of services in consultancy, facilitation, executive coaching and training, we were advised to focus our stand in one area only. We are launching a range of products that address two major concerns in training: -

It is increasingly difficult to get managers to release staff for training - and even more difficult for senior professionals to find time for themselves

However good the training is, something like 80% of it gets forgotten after the course unless it is rapidly and repeatedly reinforced and applied.

Our solution is "90-MinuteLearning" in which we offer an intensive 90 minute workshop on an organisation's premises, followed by ten multi-media follow-ups over the next four weeks. This means that participants need to spend only as long as a typical meeting away from their desks – and yet get more effective learning than they would retain from a full day workshop with no follow up. This is proving attractive to clients.

Brefi Group training is designed according to accelerated learning principles under the guidance of accelerated training guru Lex McKee, author of The Accelerated Trainer and principal of the Registry of Accelerated Trainers.

Lex is a Brefi Group associate and is co-operating with us to deliver a series of general purpose accelerated learning workshops that will demonstrate the difference between traditional training and accelerated training. These will appeal to anyone who works in the modern world. Subjects include: -

Learning to touch type in two hours

Speed reading

Time management, goal setting and personal organisation

Using visual thinking tools and techniques to think faster

The World Speed Reading Champion discusses techniques with Lex McKee at HRD 2005 The World Speed Reading Champion, Anne Jones, is able to read at 2,600 words per minute under the pressure of competition, with 80% comprehension. She uses the same techniques as Lex teaches and we were delighted to welcome Anne onto our stand; she is seen here talking to Lex.

In addition to our corporate clients we provide development opportunities to individuals worldwide through Internet distribution. We promoted our latest initiative, PodcastLearning, on the stand by giving away an Apple iPod every day. The three winners were: -

Suzanne Braid, Employee Development Professional, BAE Systems

Tina Walton, Personal Learning Advisor, RAF Honington

Claire Knighton, Training Manager, National Blood Service

BuddyCoach is a free on-line training needs analysis system that enables individuals to develop their own personal development plan. PodcastLearning is a means of delivering audio lessons that can then be listened to either at a desktop computer or at other times an an iPod or other MP3 player. Watch this space for announcements as products come on line.

Michael Skirving discusses opportunities at HRD 2005 The exhibition stand was organised by Michael Skirving, who joined us this year as Business Development Director. He is seen here chatting to two of the many visitors to the stand. If you would like to know more about any of our products or services, you can contact him on 0845 0678 222.