Sam Kidman’s Post

#TravelVsHome #FinancialDecisions #YoungDreams Hey everyone, I'm 22 (almost 23!) and currently in an apprenticeship, just like my girlfriend (GF) 👩🎓. Right now, I’ve managed to save about £8.5k with no debts and hardly any outgoings, but the paycheck isn’t huge since it’s an apprentice wage. I’m putting away around £700-900 each month, which feels great! 💪 Here's the thing: my GF and I have dreamt about traveling ever since we were 18, and with both of our apprenticeships ending in early 2026, that dream feels closer than ever. However, I’m also really focused on buying a house. Living in the south means I need to save up quite a bit—around £35k seems like a good goal before I can think about moving out. Is that number realistic? We're thinking about a trip in May 2026, which gives me a bit over a year to save up. I estimate we’d need around £4-5k for a three-month adventure ✈️. But this whole dilemma got me thinking: should I prioritize traveling, or should I buckle down and sa... Travel with My Girlfriend Now or Save for a Home Later? Answers:  https://lnkd.in/gjFJwxZ5 Let's Connect!

🎅 TRIGGER WARNING END OF YEAR POST - Part 1 🤶 As we approach winter, it’s hard not to connect this time of year to the British holiday season – Christmas. We can practically hear Michael Bublé, Mariah Carey, and Lynx’s bank accounts cha-chinging! But this is also when many in the British workforce experience burnout, as teams rush to finish as much work as possible before the holidays. We hear phrases like, “We’ll pick this up next year,” which can feel like a relief but also trigger anxiety about what’s waiting after the break. Not everyone is swamped – some teams have quieter periods, and some might even be thinking of taking an extended break to use surplus holiday time. Either way, the lead-up can still be exhausting, especially after tough months of pushing out high volumes of work and planning for what’s to come. This is especially true for apprentices, who also have the added pressure of staying on top of their apprenticeship workload before the new year. Advice on how to deal with it is in this post : https://lnkd.in/eRe7nTMv #YouComeFirst #Christmas #EndOfYear #NewYear #ProfessionalsAtWork #ApprenticeshipAdvice #COTERN #CoachTeachLearn

It’s World Youth Skills Day and I’ve been encouraged to share and reflect on my career journey. If I think back to when I was 18 years old, I was at a real crossroads, like many of us will have been. It’s that golden age where you’re faced with quite significant life decisions, often for the first time. No pressure hey?! Despite not doing brilliantly in my A-levels, I still managed to secure a place at university. I actually decided not to take my spot, a decision which, at the time, didn’t go down well with many around me. Although I knew purely academic learning wasn’t for me, it’s not easy at 18 to make decisions that fall outside of expectations that are placed on you. It’s not easy at any age to be honest. Thankfully, I’ve always been willing to do my own thing, be the odd one, and take the route that is right for me. So, I declined university and instead embarked on the equivalent of an apprenticeship in an accounting firm (at this point, apprenticeships didn’t exist in the ‘professions’ like they do now) and, in terms of that decision, I’ve never looked back. I studied accounting with AAT and, nearly 30 years on, I returned as CEO, having already had an amazing career full of twists and turns. If I could share three pieces of advice with my 18-year-old self, it would be these: • Allow yourself mistakes. If you’re not making any, you’re not doing anything new. Avoid repeating them, by learning from them and not acting on immediate emotions. Keep this in mind when you’re criticising the mistakes of others. • Listen to opinions and theories you disagree with. Really listen. You won’t test your own stance living in an echo chamber. It might not change your mind, but you will have a far better understanding of the playing field and people. • Don’t over-rely on a piece of paper. Qualifications can be essential but also spend time developing skills, living your personal ethics, and embracing your personality. The ‘right people’ will end up surrounding and supporting you. #WorldYouthSkillsDay #LetterToMy18YearOldSelf #CareerAdvice #ProfessionalGrowth #YouGotThis. AAT

Just a thought to start the year Let's say I am a young school leaver and not too sure on my career path, although I possess good manual skills, will to learn and progress through whatever industry I choose to join. What are my options? What will guide me to success through life? how will I survive while I study/train? For many young people that deciding to enter the workforce straight out of school and not consider further education, it's a good start as most of the time they possess a number of basic skills to offer in an office environment, waiting at a restaurant/coffee shop, laboring and earn a reasonable salary as a start. If I decide that I need to learn and earn money to survive and become independent, I obviously need employment where I will learn and get paid at the same time. Apprenticeships and Traineeships would appear to be the most attractive option and through hard work I will be able to climb the ladder or eventually own my own business and offer the same options to future school leavers. WRONG! We find ourselves in a time where the construction industry continues to be battered by over regulation, levies and taxes, cost of living pressures and part of a housing crisis that shows no end in sight. Let's just say that housing was to become affordable for those wanting to enter the market and demand becomes too much to handle for the industry? Who will build these houses? who will provide the infrastructure? The only way to attract more young people into apprenticeships and traineeships is making it a more attractive pay and ongoing incentives while they are employed. It's not rocket science and if not considered, we will be fighting this battle for generations to come. The cost of living pressures affects everyone, including students. Australia has a target of 1.2m houses to build in the next 4 years and every state/territory has a very steep mountain to climb as we don't have the skilled individuals to do it. We all need to change our thoughts on apprenticeships. It is not your last option, it's not simply for those dropping out of school, you don't have to be on the tools forever unless it's what you want, it is a rewarding career if you work hard and offers you a vast list of options. Let's hope it is given some serious consideration next time we vote.

Today marks a milestone for me as I celebrate my 30th birthday! Reflecting on this journey, I'm grateful for the invaluable lessons learnt, both personally and professionally. I was born with a minor Exomphalos, surgically fixed a few hours after I was born. Exomphalos (Omphalocele) is a weakness of the baby’s abdominal wall where the umbilical cord joins it. This weakness allows the abdominal contents, mainly the intestines and the liver to protrude outside the abdominal cavity where they are contained in a loose sac that surrounds the umbilical cord. As the contents are lying outside it, the abdominal cavity often does not develop properly and remains small in size. The cause of this condition is unknown and is a rare problem occurring in about 1 in 4000 pregnancies. About half of all babies with Exomphalos will have problems affecting other body systems. Most commonly affected are the heart as well as chromosome abnormalities. My journey has taught me to live life to the fullest and how lucky we are to be given life in this world. After a difficult time at school, I found my calling in HR when I was 21, learning through 4 different apprenticeships and eventually gaining my CIPD level 3 in 2021. I’ve gained some amazing and valuable insights and work experience throughout my time. After facing a job loss, in 2022, it gave me an opportunity to reflect and see where I wanted to be. My calling is HR, and so I embarked on a new journey, to return to full-time education at Sheffield Hallam University, starting when I was 28 years young. As a mature student, I felt I wouldn’t fit in, and I didn’t even know I could even pass. Well, I’ve managed to get six 1sts & three 2:1’s as my grades from the assignments I’ve completed so far, earning 4 awards and I’ve dived into a Society leadership role. I’ve made some amazing friends for life through the HR Network society and on my course. I absolutely made the right decision to go to university, I’ve loved every second of it. Sheffield Hallam University has been the most welcoming safe space I have ever entered, and I couldn’t have chosen a better university. I’ve learned a lot about myself over the years. The most important ones: I am capable. I am strong. I am worthy. I am enough. And most importantly, I trust myself. And that is what has taken me 3 decades to learn and I am so proud of myself for who I am becoming. Each experience has shaped me into the HR professional I am today. Here's to embracing the challenges ahead and continuing to grow, learn, and make a positive impact in the world of HR! 🌟 #BirthdayReflections #HRProfessional #GrowthAndLearning #sheffieldhallamuniversity #exomphalos #omphalocele

I saw a tweet recently that said Brampton Manor and LinkedIn need to be stopped. Honestly, I felt the same way too.😂 My timeline was full of posts about A-stars, apprenticeship offers, and success stories, it got a bit overwhelming. But then I started to think differently. Instead of feeling down, I realized how much I can still achieve with just one year left in college. That shift in mindset made all the difference. I want you to do the same, no matter where you are right now. There’s still time to make big moves. It’s easy to feel discouraged if your results didn’t match your expectations. But comparing your situation to someone else’s highlights isn’t fair to you. What helped me was thinking about the effort, sacrifices, and dedication that went into those achievements. Focus on improving your own work rather than just looking at others’ success. Instead of comparing, why not reach out to these people and ask how they did it? What challenges did they face? What made a difference for them? Learning from others can guide you on your own path. As for me, I’m starting my A-Levels next week, and I know it’s going to take extra hard work. I’m ready to get back into a routine. I didn’t do much studying this summer, how about you? Do you study books during the holidays or wait until school starts again?

The new path The past 49 years have been an apprenticeship which has helped me pick my stones and transform them into structures which pave my way today. Where I am, I see me standing behind the door which, when opened, will only lead to the end. The beginning of an ending of the way of the familiar. This is not a bad thing for the path before was one of apprenticeships, trials and errors and building, not only for me, but for all those who passed through me, gracing my every single moments. As I reflect on the journey I have two choices : 1) be bitter and resentful with regrets for what could have been or 2) I have learned to wàlk the path of acceptance. This is the very definition of let go I have come to understand. After reading so many books and accessing so many resources, I have come across to the conclusion that I can only truly understand the meaning of something if I can experience it myself. I have also come to understand that I can only speak of understanding from my frame of experiences and not give advice or counsel to those who come for this. I have read so many articles about aging. Yet as I look in the mirror everyday all I can see is the passage of time, the reduction in the speed at which I used to do things. I am an excellent multitasker. Yet today, I sometimes get frustrated at myself when I can no longer complete the volume of what I used to be able to. After sighing became no longer an option, I found peace in practicing patience and tolerance towards myself. When my body protests my attempts to push it further, instead of fighting, I embrace the invitation to pause and am finding new pleasures to invest in which can tamper my pace. My career has been the epitome of every chapter of my adulthood so far. Those who know me can tell of how passionate I am and how seriously I take anything related. Yet, my today reflections also show me the flip side of the coin. From all the late hours spent doing research, studying or preparing for clients there is the time I sacrificed not investing more into family time, into those activities which made me happy or healthy. There are missed moments with loved ones to give to people who needed it more than them at the time. There is time where I have been unkind to the person who mattered the most,…ME. Yet, embracing this new year and new milestones to be passed I give so much thanks and gratitude for all the experiences which have helped me make even the slightest of difference in touching the lives of the people I have encountered on the way. Even those who have been passengers on my ride or those who have left stains behind. For in every aspect I have learned to embrace and understand that as much as I love rainbows and butterflies there is always a muddy pond without which I could not experience the beauty of the lilies which grow in and from it. #gratitude #reflections #growth #aging #love

Let's Get Ambitious Atlanta, even in a global meltdown. In 2016 JP Morgan Chase's CEO Jamie Dimon launched important work to invest over $75 million in Career Readiness models and Apprenticeships for students across this country over 5 years. In 2022, he partnered with large cities like New York to launch over 4000 apprentices in a paid 3-year apprenticeship program with hands-on and relevant work-based learning experiences for high school students. In 2024, Dimon called on schools and leaders to do more to not just pass off graduation rates and college acceptance as the bar for success of our nation's high schools, but also getting the next generation meaningful and well-paid careers for their future. I salute this CEO and I call on other CEO's and business leaders like him, in Atlanta, to leap out here and answer the call for an ambitious vision to give Atlanta's young people a future. Today, businesses and local government's shuttered from a technology glitch in software that grounded planes, trains, businesses, schools and hospitals. To our Fortune 500 company CEOs, who will be in place tomorrow to solve and respond to these global issues if we don't do the work of building and teaching the next generation how to do this important work now? We are missing out on talent if we simply wait for them to go to college, if they go at all. We need to start early. Currently, Atlanta's graduation rate is 86%, but according to the State's rating system, our College and Career Readiness rate is 34%. What are we graduating kids to if they are not ready? Atlanta, we need a collective apprenticeship and internship program for high schools where businesses, big and small, join forces, year-round, to offer on the job skills training that teachers like me just can't. If you want to be apart of the solution, I am here to talk about how we work together. If you are an investor and want to invest in a program for Atlanta to truly be the "best place to do business" because the talent is already here and we are in investing in them, even as kids, please leave a comment below or message me. If you simply just want to work together and see how we get ambitious for kids, leave a comment below too. I know if any city can be ambitious and can meet this moment when global meltdowns are happening all around us, I know it is the great city of Atlanta. Let's show New York how it's done!

What a week this has been! New job started on Monday, 43rd birthday on Tuesday and Budget day on Wednesday - don't ask me which was my favourite! 😁 We are all digesting the information from Rachel Reeves yesterday and what it means to different areas of our professional and personal lives. Personally, as a parent to neurodivergent children, seeing the commitment to additional spending on SEND was a positive step but unlikely to start addressing the serious issues that the system has in supporting and delivering learning to these children (this is not the forum to talk about systemic change needed!) Professionally, changes in National Insurance will clearly have a huge impact for businesses across the country, especially the millions of SME organisations who will be left wondering how to budget for this increased cost on current employees and any future hiring plans. We can only hope that this doesn't lead to reduced job opportunities for people and put pressure on active employment levels (which many fear it could). There are already messages around how apprenticeships can be a way for companies to navigate around this (with the exemption for under 25's from Employer NI contributions) and, whilst this is true, the benefits of an apprenticeship are more than just a tax break. Plus, for an apprenticeship to work, employers need to understand what is required and not just what they are saving! Showing investment in development of your current people, building the skills you need for your organisation, adding new and diverse talent into teams - these are just some of the reasons to adopt and grow use of apprenticeships. So yes, apprenticeships can offer the Employer NI exemption benefit but they are so much more and I hope we can remember that as a sector. #apprenticeships #apprentify

To all the students waiting for their A-Level results, we know this can be a nerve-wracking time. Remember, your worth is not defined by a piece of paper. You have so much ahead of you, and this is just one step on your journey. Our welfare officer has composed a few tips to help you stay calm and collected during results day: 𝟏. 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭: Remember, your results don't define your future. No matter the outcome, there are always options available to you. 𝟐. 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲: Whether you want to check your results early or wait, have a plan. Knowing what you'll do in advance can reduce anxiety. 𝟑. 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭: Discuss your thoughts and feelings with friends, family, or even reach out to us if you need support. You're not alone in this. 𝟒. 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬: Everyone’s journey is different. Focus on your own path and resist the urge to compare your results with others. 𝟓. 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: If things don't go as planned, remember there are always alternatives. Universities, apprenticeships, and gap years are all valid paths. 𝟔. 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐞𝐲: Take time to relax—whether it’s a walk, meditation, or a hobby you enjoy. Your well-being is the priority today.