Henry, a one time apprentice and a Data Delivery and Insight manager from Legal & General, completed his ILM Level 4 over the summer. He's recently changed jobs and is managing a team of brand-new apprentices. As someone who knows the journey inside out, and its challenges, he is the perfect expedition lead, with a more hands-on and individualistic…

Tyran is a self-described 'serial careerist’ who loves to learn in every job that he’s in. When we caught up with him, he’d just finished an apprenticeship in Maintenance Engineering, and was looking forward to taking a degree next year. He told us about the highs and lows of an apprenticeship, and has some sound advice for new apprentices. To find…

In his 1981 book Management Teams, researcher and consultant Meredith Belbin outlines a number of common roles that can be observed in teams at work. In this episode of Learn Practice Perform, we'll look at these roles and how they interact with one another, so leaders and managers can use Belbin’s model to build more resilient and successful teams…

Social psychologist Douglas McGregor put forward his Theory X and Theory Y in his 1960 book, The Human Side of Enterprise. These theories explained two contrasting management styles, based on what managers believe motivates their employees. How can you use them to increase your team's performance? We'll discover precisely that in this episode of Le…

Victor Harold Vroom created the Expectancy Theory of Motivation in 1964. His study of psychology has shed light on how people behave in the workplace, particularly when it comes to motivation, leadership and decision-making. How can you use it in your workplace to improve motivation and performance? In this episode of Learn Practice Perform, we'll …

Line managers are accountable for their team’s performance. Win or lose, it’s the line manager’s watch and they’re responsible. To manage people effectively, you must first manage the systems and processes around them, but how do you do it? In this episode of Learn Practice Perform, we'll discover that line managers need the confidence to communica…

Managers with emotional intelligence (EQ) achieve objectiveness through their self-awareness, which promotes productive, motivated, and equal workplaces. Daniel Goleman’s emotional intelligence theory outlines five components of EQ: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Emotional intelligence can be applied to mee…

Team leaders are first-wave management who add another level of control. They’re hired to influence and build relationships, to make things happen, but few people really understand what's involved in this all-encompassing role. In this podcast, we discuss what a team leader is and what they do, plus cover the vastness of their to-do lists and show …

Food and volunteering are inextricably linked. Food is good for the soul, and so is lending your time, skills and energy for the greater good, and both bring communities together. For some, our fondest memories centre around food and random acts of kindness. Sometimes the two merge - when you baked a lasagne for the family with a new baby, or when …

It was fourteen years ago when Allie Asprou first discovered the amazing work of the Noah’s Ark Charity in Cardiff. She was being treated for bone cancer in the hospital the charity supports and would always be greeted in the foyer by a lovely, smiling lady who worked in the shop there. In this episode of The Happy Manual, she speaks to Rachael Sou…

When we pull up at Gareth Martin’s allotment, it’s a hot summer’s day. The sun is beating down on us, the birds are chirping in the trees, and the hills of Torfaen roll far off into the distance. You wouldn’t think that we were on the grounds of a school, just a stone’s throw away from teenagers having their Thursday morning classes. As we wander t…

Volunteering is a gift you give to your community. When you lend your time, energy and focus, without expectation to others, you’ll experience a wellbeing lift. It changes how you see and feel about yourself. When how we act is motivated by kindness, to support a cause and prioritise it over the stresses and strains in your own life, it’s a mood re…

Training Advisor Jess Webb describes her experience as 'Bluebell', a volunteer leader at her local Rainbows unit. Growing up as a Brownie, our Training Advisor Jess Webb learned the importance of having a friendly community around her. So when the opportunity arose to be a volunteer at Rainbows a few years ago, she jumped at the chance to help out.…

When big life changes happen, loneliness can start to creep in, especially if your loved ones don’t live close by. So, finding somewhere that you can visit twice a week, to meet like-minded people and take part in activities that keep your hands and mind busy, is a life-saver. The MenShed in Clydach has become a hub for the community, and, as the s…

TSW Training’s Quality Manager, Lindsay Sandall, tells us all about bouncing her way to happiness with the latest Zumba inspired fitness craze, Funky Bounce. “Once you put any weight on it and you move, it gives you a spring,” our Quality Development Manager, Lindsay, tells us. We’re standing among the rockpools on Porthcawl beach, the waves lappin…

How we wish we could start this podcast with the iconic riff from Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain'! We'll get to why in a second, but first, let us introduce you to engineering apprentice at FSG Tool and Die, Rhodri Jones. At FSG he's put his skills to the test on a national stage at Skills Wales and he's on his way to Blackpool in 2022 for UK Skills. D…

Childcare Route Manager, Rachel Cox, was recently voted Community Councillor of Taffs Well and Nantgarw. In this special volunteering episode of The Happy Manual, she speaks to Allie Asprou, about the difference one person can have on their local community. The nerves were getting the better of Rachel Cox as she waited for the votes to be counted. …

When Ryan began his ILM Level 4 qualification, he had no idea just how much he’d accomplish in the time he was with TSW Training. From overcoming nerves to pass his Essential Skills tests with flying colours, to leading his team to success using tools he’d picked up on the programme, Ryan’s confidence has soared. In our interview together, he tells…

Hello! Welcome to The Happy Manual: An Extra Smile Podcast. A happiness and fulfilment at work show produced by TSW Training and presented by Alice Asprou, and Amanda Bathory-Griffiths. What makes an amazing afterschool club? Playwork apprentice Louise Coates says it's all about play! Sheep, chickens, pizza ovens, mud pies and water pistols. She sp…

Today we’re joined by Recruit 1, otherwise known as Jamie Davies, from series 7 of the Channel 4 TV Show, SAS: Who Dares Wins. He also happens to be one of TSW’s ILM alumni. Here he describes the intensity of his experience at the SAS Military Base in Jordan. In punishing desert heat, enduring barked leadership tactics, Jamie discovered that streng…

Karen's role completely changed when the pandemic began. Organising childcare and free school meals for the children of key workers, it was a responsbility Karen had never had before. She worked around the clock to make sure that all the children stayed with their with familiar classmates. In this episode, she speaks to Alice Morgan about how she b…

In this episode of The Happy Manual, highways engineer, Stephen Sherwood, describes stress and strain from an engineer's perspective. He uses the analogy of loads placed on a simple wire coathanger to describe managing loads and balancing tasks without straining your mind and body.By TSW Training

Businesses around the world are realising the power they wield when it comes to going green. LinkedIn’s 2022 Global Green Skills Report showed that in 2019, green workers were hired at a faster rate than non-green workers, proving the emphasis that companies are placing on building sustainable workplaces. In this episode of Learn Practice Perform, …

How often do you arrive at work with a plan and the best of intentions, only to be overrun by emails, or be swept up by the priorities of your colleagues? It happens to all of us! Fortunately joining us on episode 3 of The Happy Manual: An Extra Smile is a leadership and management apprentice who has learnt how to combat that very issue. Recreation…

On the show today, we meet Engineering apprentice, Dan Ford. He works for Rocialle Healthcare in Mountain Ash and won our Learner Of The Month award for his hard work and perseverance during his engineering apprenticeship. Daniel’s love for learning just keeps growing, mapping out a career full of qualifications. We chatted to him about his ambitio…

On the show today, we’re chatting to our superstar Learner Of The Month, Mia-Beth Poulton Davies, about her ambitions to be a photographer and journalist, her growing confidence and love of working in the family business, Aluminium Windows & Shopfronts in Bridgend. Support Mia-Beth and find out more about Aluminium Windows & Shopfronts by following…

We chat to training advisor, Sue Hampson about using Eisenhower's Matrix to balance your work and wellbeing. Tourism expert, Nia Hollins, reveals the legends and myths woven into walks around the Vale of Glamorgan. Owner of Walk N Talk talking therapy service, Kirsty Kelly, wanders away her worries. Essential Skills training advisor, Jessica Webb, …