Getting your team together is key. You can find the right people in London, and you’ll need to build on their skills and support them as your business evolves. When it comes to professional development, London has all you need, from formal training to workshops, mentoring and events.
Training and education
If you’re looking to develop your company’s skill sets, add specialist knowledge to your workforce, or keep your employees current, there’s lots of help on hand.
Universities
London’s 50-plus universities provide much more than standard degrees. Many of them offer executive education, short courses, language training and more.
Further and adult education
Further education colleges provide vocationally focused education for adults, in subjects ranging from Digital Media to Accountancy. Visit London Colleges to see a list of FE institutions across Greater London.
Londoners aged 18 to 24 can also benefit from free digital training courses as part of the Mayor’s Digital Talent Programme. Subject to eligibility, participants can apply for digital skills training and work placements.
Private training providers
London hosts a rich ecosystem of training providers – whatever your employees need to learn can be accessed in the capital. Findcourses.co.uk is a good place to start. If digital skills are an issue, organisations like General Assembly, Bayswater College and Le Wagon offer programmes to upskill your existing workforce.
Or why not take advantage of online resources, such as Learnerbly. This professional development platform encourages people to take ownership of their development through a wide selection of online courses, articles, in-person workshops and conferences.
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships aren’t just for new starters. They can train existing employees in the skills your business will need tomorrow. You’ll often find that UK government funding can offset the cost, too.
There are training providers in London who can help you train and manage your apprentices.
Find out how to hire an apprentice.
English language training
Staff who are not native English speakers may benefit from some specialist tuition to improve their written and spoken English. There’s a searchable list of London-based schools at English UK London.
Startups want to grow, and talent wants to be part of the growth journey. They want to work for unicorn businesses – to make history with them. They crave that sense of purpose in their work.Laura Vanessa Munoz
Founder and Chief Empowering Officer, Empowering Futures
Professional development
Away from formal education, there are many ways to improve your own and your employees’ skills.
Mentoring: expert advice and support
Sometimes it’s good to have a trusted adviser on your side. That’s where mentoring can help – and London has great access to experienced business mentors to support you and your key staff. Here are three organisations who can help connect you:
- Mentorsme.co.uk
A gateway to connect SMEs with vetted business mentors across the UK. - Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs
A community network that offers support and mentoring to new businesses and early stage startups. - Association of Business Mentors
The trade organisation for UK business mentors. Its vetted members all sign up to an ethics code.
Alternatively, welcome a fellow to your business. Faculty's fellowship programme offers host companies access to specialist knowledge, bespoke support and a network of industry talent.
Networking: get plugged in to London’s business community
London’s networking opportunities are peerless. There are hundreds of events and talks every night, designed to help professionals meet and learn from each other. Meetup has groups for all industries, including London Entrepreneurs Network, Startup Grind and Entrepreneurs in London.
Upskilling
You can unlock new techniques and the latest business research with short courses at a university or business school. Many of London’s universities can also create tailored learning to give your team exactly the skills you need.
London Business School offers a full range of executive education programmes, as do many of London’s top universities:
- UCL
- King’s College London
- London School of Economics
- Imperial College London
- Kingston University
- Middlesex University
See more options from universities and private training providers on Findcourses.co.uk.
Volunteering: Strengthen your team’s links with your community
We don’t just want people to work in London. We want to help them live it. Volunteering is great for team building, developing new skills and strengthening links with your local community. The Team London platform, set up by the Mayor of London, connects charities and businesses seeking to make a difference to your city.
Although we try our best to make sure this information is accurate we can’t guarantee this is always the case, including that of the third parties we link to. Please take professional advice before making any decisions.