Keys to Unlock L&D

What does it take to set up learning and development in a company with nothing in place? Louise Morgan has spent nearly 20 years in L&D across aerospace, automotive, and food manufacturing and now leads group L&D across six UK sites. In this episode, she shares her step-by-step approach to building L&D functions from the ground up, the common pitfalls, and what to prioritise first if you’re starting from zero.

How do you build an apprenticeship programme that actually works and keeps apprentices engaged for the long term?Chris Adair joins me to unpack the lessons he’s learned after training over 100 apprentices, the hidden pitfalls organisations face, and what every L&D leader should be doing to future-proof their workforce.

Most L&D teams measure success by courses delivered, but real impact comes from aligning with business strategy.In this episode, I sit down with Adam, an experienced L&D leader whose career spans the military, education, care, policing, and corporate sectors. He shares how to move L&D beyond “service provider” mode and into a true strategic partner role.We cover:The difference between reactive and strategic L&D.Why understanding business outcomes matters more than course

Small L&D team? You can still move mountains.In this episode, I chat with Alex Tooke, Senior Training & Development Partner at Southeast Consortium, about how a two-person L&D team delivers for 62+ member organisations across housing and construction, without burning out.We cover:The 80/20 model: when to outsource vs. deliver in-house.Simple systems that scale (CRM, RAG/stack ranking, 30-day focus).Turning reactive demand into value—spotting topical needs and spinning up training

Onboarding isn’t a day-one induction, it’s the journey that shapes whether new hires stay, thrive, and perform.In this episode, I speak with Fiona Baxendale, Training Lead at Many Pets, who has a real passion for creating onboarding experiences that are both effective and enjoyable. Fiona shares how to design onboarding that feels intentional, warm, and structured, turning new starters into confident, engaged team members.We cover:Why onboarding should feel like an experience, not a process.How to

L&D doesn’t win by running more courses, it wins by driving performance.In this episode, I sit down with Nick Maites, an L&D leader with 26 years’ experience across retail, travel, insurance, hospitality, government, and non-profit sectors. Nick shares practical advice on how to build a learning culture that sticks, scale mentoring across an organisation, and measure impact using the business’s own metrics.We cover:What a true learning culture looks like (beyond courses and

What separates a good L&D professional from a truly exceptional one?In this debut episode of Keys to Unlock L&D, I sit down with Darly Box a former Royal Navy instructor with 20+ years of L&D experience, to explore the mindset that sets great professionals apart.We cover:The 3 traits every L&D professional needs to succeed.How confidence and passion shape impact in the training room.Practical advice for handling new topics with ease.Why emotional intelligence beats AI every