< Previous50 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk TRAINING AND UPSKILLING The forgotten middle of the workforce www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 51 TRAINING AND UPSKILLING S omewhere between the eager graduate and the corner-office executive sits a group of employees that rarely makes headlines – the mid-career crowd. They’re the ones holding teams together, mentoring newcomers, and quietly keeping things running. Yet, in most companies, they’re also the ones left out when it comes to training. They’ve outgrown the entry-level courses but aren’t senior enough for the leadership bootcamps. So, they keep working, doing what they’ve always done, until one day their skills start to feel a little out of date. It’s not neglect on purpose. It’s habit. Businesses pour energy into attracting fresh talent and shaping future leaders, but those in the middle often get stuck in the routine. According to Build Empire’s latest research, 74% of employees believe they’re not reaching their full potential because of a lack of development opportunities. That’s not just a personal frustration, but a risk. When experienced staff stop learning, the organisation stops evolving with them. The irony is that mid-career They’re experienced, capable, and quietly keeping things running, yet mid-career employees are often overlooked when it comes to training. Investing in their growth could be the smartest move a business makes. 52 Á52 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk TRAINING AND UPSKILLING employees are often a company’s secret weapon. They understand the culture, know the customers, and can read the room in ways newcomers can’t. They’ve seen systems fail and know how to fix them. But the pace of change, from AI tools to new regulations, is relentless. What made someone brilliant at their job five years ago might hold them back today. Training shouldn’t stop once someone becomes competent. In fact, that’s when it matters most. Businesses that get this right don’t just hang on to good people, they thrive. The data shows companies with strong training programmes make 218% more income per employee than those without. That’s a big gap. Engagement is another one: workers who keep learning are 47% more likely to feel motivated. It’s proof that curiosity pays off. Still, the way we train has to change too. No one with a busy role (and possibly a family at home) wants to spend two full days in a bland conference room being talked at. More than half of employees say they want to learn at their own pace, while nearly half prefer short, focused sessions. Quick, on-the-job learning and mentoring fit the modern rhythm better than long slide decks and jargon. And while promotions are nice, what mid-career professionals really want is momentum. A sense they’re still going somewhere. Seventy-six per cent of employees want career growth through training. Sometimes that means moving sideways, not up, trying out a new www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 53 TRAINING AND UPSKILLING department, leading a sustainability project, or learning digital tools that refresh a familiar role. When companies make that possible, people stop looking elsewhere for fulfilment. Spending around £1,000 per employee each year on training might sound like a lot, but it’s small compared to what it costs to replace someone experienced. Beyond the financials, it builds confidence and community. When you show long-standing staff that you still believe in their potential, you’re not just improving their skills, you’re reminding them they matter. That ripple effect spreads quickly. Mid-career staff who feel valued often become the best mentors for younger colleagues. They bridge generations, keeping institutional knowledge alive while absorbing new perspectives from fresh hires. It’s less about “training” in the old sense and more about creating a culture where learning never really stops. The truth is, the middle years of a career can go either way. They can be a slow fade into comfort zones, or a launchpad for reinvention. The difference lies in whether businesses are willing to invest not just in potential, but in people who’ve already proven their worth. For companies chasing growth in a tough labour market, it’s time to look beyond new hires and high-flyers. The answers might already be sitting at their desks, ready to grow, if only someone offers them the chance.Every drop accounted for 54 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk WATER EFFICIENCY AND TREATMENT As scrutiny over pollution and waste intensifies, UK businesses are learning that water isn’t an endless resource — it’s a test of accountability and innovation. T he morning mist hangs low over the River Severn, where recent tests have revealed what locals long suspected: a quiet trickle of pollution from industrial discharge. For years, water has been the invisible casualty of British industry, flowing endlessly beneath the radar of boardrooms and budgets. But that is changing. From manufacturers in the Midlands to food producers in Yorkshire, the message has grown louder: water is a resource under threat, and one that demands respect. In towns that once thrived on heavy industry, pipes and drains built half a Every drop accounted for www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 55 WATER EFFICIENCY AND TREATMENT century ago are now carrying the weight of modern production. When these systems fail or overflow, it’s not only the environment that suffers. Customers, investors, and regulators are watching. In the past year alone, several high-profile companies have been called out for poor water management, discharging untreated waste, ignoring leaks, or failing to meet efficiency targets. Public patience is wearing thin, and reputational damage has become as costly as any fine. What’s unfolding is a shift in corporate culture. Businesses are beginning to see water as a strategic priority. Where efficiency once meant electricity or fuel, it now includes every drop that runs through a factory or processing line. Some companies are reimagining their entire operations, introducing closed- loop systems that recycle water on-site 56 Á56 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk WATER EFFICIENCY AND TREATMENT and reduce dependence on mains supply. Technology is the quiet hero in this transformation. Sensors buried in pipework now flag leaks before they become floods. Artificial intelligence analyses real-time data to optimise flow, temperature, and pressure, ensuring that every litre is used with purpose. In the food and drink sector, automated cleaning systems use precision sprays that deliver sanitation without waste. Across the country, engineers are turning what was once a blunt, mechanical process into one guided by insight and prediction. The result is cleaner water, lower bills, and a sharper understanding of where improvements can still be made. The challenge isn’t only about using less. It’s about using better. Many industries still face complex treatment demands, balancing hygiene, safety, and environmental responsibility. Wastewater plants that once relied heavily on chemical treatments are giving way to biological and membrane- based systems, capable of filtering out pollutants with minimal residue. For one, reed beds and constructed wetlands are being revived as natural filtration systems, offering a poetic reminder that sometimes nature itself provides the most sustainable design. Regulation is reinforcing this evolution. The Environment Agency and Ofwat www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 57 WATER EFFICIENCY AND TREATMENT have tightened oversight, and water efficiency is now embedded within broader ESG reporting. Boards are being forced to quantify what was once invisible, from litres used per unit of output to the quality of discharge leaving their sites. For investors, these figures have become indicators of long- term resilience. A company careless with its water is increasingly seen as a company careless with risk. Still, not every business can adapt at the same pace. For small and medium- sized enterprises, the cost of installing advanced systems can feel out of reach. Many rely on infrastructure too old to integrate easily with modern digital tools. The solution, experts argue, lies in collaboration, shared treatment facilities, regional innovation hubs, and partnerships that spread both knowledge and cost. The logic is simple: when it comes to water, no company truly operates alone. The runoff from one site becomes the intake for another. That interdependence is changing attitudes. Employees, once distant from environmental decisions, are now part of company-wide efforts to conserve. Training sessions teach staff how to spot leaks or suggest process changes. For many, the conversation around water has become a source of shared purpose, linking the smallest workplace action to the largest global challenge. The economics of conservation are persuasive too. Every litre saved reduces costs, but it also builds resilience against drought, regulation, and supply chain disruption. In an era when climate volatility is reshaping rainfall patterns and river levels, a secure water strategy is as critical as a solid energy plan. Those who treat water responsibly are discovering that sustainability and profitability can align more closely than ever imagined.58 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk AUTOLINK Electrifying vehicles for executive adventures www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 59 AUTOLINK BYD Sealion 7 BYD’s Sealion 7 is an electric executive SUV that seats five. It is competitively priced at £46,990 for the Comfort rear-wheel drive (RWD), £51,990 for the Design all-wheel drive (AWD), and £58,990 for the Excellence AWD models. Performance-wise, the AWD edition accelerates from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, reaching 133mph on 20-inch wheels. The RWD Comfort version lags behind slightly, achieving the same sprint in 6.7 seconds. The Sealion 7 offers two battery options: an 82.5 kWh unit that provides an electric range of up to 300 miles in the Comfort trim and 283 miles in the Design trim; or a robust 91.3 kWh battery in the Excellence model, which boasts a maximum range of 312 miles. This SUV features a flat rear floor, providing additional legroom. The Excellence model’s cabin includes sound and heat insulation, double-layered laminated glass, Nappa leather seating, and a panoramic sunroof. The boot space measures 520 litres, and expands to 1,789 litres with the rear seats down. The infotainment system features a 15.6-inch display that supports both portrait and landscape modes, with a 3D user interface for seamless navigation. The adventurously named Sealion 7 stands as a strong competitor against executive rivals like Tesla’s Model Y. Next >