Monday, February 13th, 2023
Apprenticeships offer better ROI than traditional degrees
Marking the start of National Apprenticeship Week on 6 February 2023, senior UK Treasury minister John Glen has called for students to undertake apprenticeships as an alternative to a traditional university degree. As part of the government’s campaign to boost apprenticeships, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury says that apprenticeships can offer better ROI for young people and will also…
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2022
Philip Morris sales apprenticeship scheme
Philip Morris Limited (PML) opened its first sales apprenticeship scheme to applicants in February. The first group was scheduled to start work in April across four English cities: Nottingham; Northampton; Sheffield and London. +
Friday, April 23rd, 2021
Landmark merger for UK sales profession
What does the merger mean for the sales profession as a whole? AH: In the UK, this clears up what people have been potentially confused about: one body being more focused on the custodianship of sales and the standards of sales, and the other being perhaps more commercial – open to sponsorship and doing magazines and award ceremonies. I think…
Monday, July 27th, 2020
First apprentices qualify for Level 4
In a major step forward for professional selling, UK professional body the Association of Professional Sales has highlighted the achievements of 15 young salespeople who have become the first to complete a new, nationally recognized apprenticeship in sales. The pioneering 15 have successfully completed the Level 4 apprenticeship for sales executives. They have been trained by their employers and the…
Thursday, July 9th, 2020
What’s it like working in sales?
A career in selling can be vibrant, fast-paced, bold and exciting. It can also be demanding, challenging and subject to long hours in a busy, target-driven environment. But the sales function is the bedrock of any business so, if you’re committed to developing client relationships and providing valuable solutions, sales can be a highly rewarding, dynamic and fulfilling long-term career….
Thursday, July 9th, 2020
Latest courses for students and apprentices
Never before have there been so many options for students, apprentices and aspiring sales professionals to study and gain valuable qualifications and commercial experience. Academic sales programmes are available to those anticipating a sales career either as university and college courses for undergraduate students on leaving school or at postgraduate level. Postgraduate options (often aimed at more experienced individuals) include…
Tuesday, July 7th, 2020
What are sales apprenticeships?
In the UK, sales apprenticeships are programmes that allow people to study for a professional qualification while being paid and receiving on-the-job training. Sometimes, off-site classroom training is also involved. Apprenticeships typically last one to three years. They’re open to anyone over the age of 16 and not in full-time education. As there’s no upper age limit, apprenticeships can be…
Friday, July 3rd, 2020
How much will I get paid?
Different industries have different pay scales for sales jobs. Research the industries you’re interested in to discover whether they’re a good match for your salary expectations. In the UK, entry-level sales salaries start at between £18,000 and £21,000, and can rise to £28,000 plus commission. The average entry-level salary is around £24,000. As you progress through your career, expect middle…
Thursday, July 2nd, 2020
Why choose sales as a career?
A job in sales can give you the skills to become a future business leader. The skills you need Many people think that to be successful in sales you need to be able to talk. It’s true; being able to communicate well is massively important but the “gift of the gab” is not required now, and frankly, never was. What…
Thursday, March 21st, 2019
New apprenticeship programme
Sales acceleration consultancy Durhamlane announced a new apprenticeship programme focused on improving sales skills on 7 March. Presented in partnership with the APS, the programme is aimed at both levy and non-levy paying organisations and will consist of blended training and coaching that can be delivered remotely over 18 months. “Our founding mission was to raise the bar of the…
Tuesday, December 18th, 2018
ABM: a foundation for partnership
Bob Apollo on Building Scalable Businesses Account-based marketing (ABM), along with its all-embracing cousin “account-based everything”, have been touted by its promoters as a miracle cure capable of halting the precipitate decline in conventional marketing effectiveness – and derided by cynical detractors as just another over-hyped trend. As with most new(ish) trends, the reality is probably somewhere in between. The…
Tuesday, December 18th, 2018
Leeds Trinity offers B2B Sales Degree Apprenticeship
Leeds Trinity University recently announced a level 6 Degree Apprenticeship in Business-to-Business (B2B) Sales. The first programme began on 8 October 2018 with 25 apprentices. Developed in partnership with global sales business school Consalia, the three-year programme combines university study alongside paid work to teach the skills, knowledge and behaviours for individuals to become effective B2B sales professionals. The programme,…
Tuesday, December 18th, 2018
Government backs level 4 apprenticeship
Some 10,000 new level-4 apprentices could soon be joining the UK sales profession every year. That’s the view of Association of Professional Sales joint CEO, Ben Turner. He told the Journal: ”There is no reason why not; there’s not been an employer of any size that has looked at this and said ‘having professionally qualified apprentices in sales is a…
Thursday, May 17th, 2018
Sales profession at inflexion point with imminent launch of apprenticeships
With England’s Department for Education due to ink its approval of the country’s first degree-level B2B sales apprenticeship programme at the end of June, the profession stands at an inflexion point, according to Phil Linter, Degree Apprenticeship Lead at global sales performance improvement specialist Consalia. “We are on the cusp of formally being able to offer the B2B sales degree…
Sunday, March 25th, 2018
Time to fix the sales apprenticeship logjam
Teething problems and delays with the UK’s sales apprenticeship programme are frustrating employers. At the time of writing in early March, it is National Apprenticeship Week in the UK. This time last year – during the 2017 National Apprenticeship Week – there was considerable excitement that the standards for the first-ever degree apprenticeship in B2B sales would swiftly be approved….
Saturday, April 22nd, 2017
Learn and earn
Can the forthcoming apprenticeship programme for B2B sales catalyse a new era of professionalism? If anything underlines why we so desperately need the new Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship, it is the sustained effort a dedicated group of sales leaders and educationalists have had to put into educating government about business-to-business sales as a career and to convince the “powers that…
Saturday, April 22nd, 2017
Government approves landmark sales apprenticeship standard
In what is seen as a landmark for the sales sector, the government announced its approval for the first-ever apprenticeship standard for business-to-business sales professionals in England on 3 May. The standard is for a Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship, which will enable participants to gain a Bachelor’s degree on completion of their apprenticeship. Consultation on the assessment plan for the…
Saturday, April 22nd, 2017
Apprenticeship plan lights way forward for sales
New milestone passed on the route to sales professionalism. Momentous change is happening everywhere. It’s manifest in business, in politics, through the ebb and flow of people and talent around the world, in the climate, and not least in the advent of technology – and this is just as true in the world of selling as it is in other…