Carl Evans

Funding full‐time study through part‐time work

Full‐time students engaged in part‐time studies have been a subject of increasing academic attention. This study extends work in this area by examining: the extent to which full‐time undergraduate students undertake part‐time employment, the reasons for working whilst studying full‐time and the extent to which students relate their part‐time employment to full‐time study, and to their future career aspirations. The results indicated that the majority of students now undertake part‐time work, with the principal motivating factor to be financial necessity, with a smaller number seeking to gain experience to support their studies. This study has also uncovered the potential of the measuring scale developed and used. Good reliability and validity measures were reported and factor analysis indicated that the scale loaded on two factors: ‘aspirational’ (long‐term) and ‘functional’ (short‐term). The implications of findings for students, universities and employers are discussed as well as suggestions for future research direction.

The importance of the trainer: factors affecting the retention of clients in the training services sector

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that affect customer retention in the training services sector.Design/methodology/approach – Using the customer base of a national training provider, interviews were initially carried out in order to explore attitudes, perceptions and opinions relating to the trainer‐client relationship, before a questionnaire was issued to 200 randomly selected organisations.Findings – It is found that the role of the individual trainer is the crucial factor in retaining business clients, with quality of training delivered and the professionalism of the trainer being of utmost importance. Moreover, the relationship developed between training supplier and client is largely based upon the continuity of the trainer rather than the desire of clients to engage with relationship‐enhancing aspects such as engaging in regular dialogue with a named contact.Research limitations/implications – The paper concludes by discussing the need to develop this work by analysing d...

CPD as a Hyperbole: Why Don’t Employers Mention it in Managerial Job Adverts?

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to establish whether employers specify the requirement of CPD when recruiting managers and, in doing so, to open up the debate on the importance attached to CPD by employers. Design/methodology/approach – An observational analysis was undertaken of job advertisements placed in four regional newspapers and a national online job web site over a two-month period (August and September 2006). Findings – From the newspaper job advertisements scrutinized none indicated CPD either directly or indirectly as a requirement for managerial jobs. Job experience (84 per cent) and personal attributes (82 per cent) were the most important requirements indicated for managerial jobs. An online national jobs web site, however, implied or specifically mentioned CPD for only five managerial posts. Research limitations/implications – Some of the job advertisements provided very scant details. The study has only taken a surface view of the posts, as opposed to a detailed reviewing of the person specification for jobs. Targeting “Managers” focused on only middle level positions and even this could have excluded some posts. Practical implications – The lack of CPD evidence now challenges employers to consider the importance of CPD when preparing managerial job advertisements. Originality/value – The paper highlights the gap between the value of CPD and its absence in job advertisements and discusses the impact of the findings on relevant stakeholder groups. It argues the need for employers to detail CPD implicitly or explicitly in job advertisements to enhance the quality of job applicants.