This is the time of year when many of us reflect on our working career and ask those key but thorny questions: Am I in the right job? What do I need to improve my career? Do I have the right skillsets for new opportunities? And, how can I combine learning – without giving up my job?

Well, you need to start with a plan. Map out where you want to go; what you want to get out of any new role; what you want to learn, and how transferable that learning could be. Most importantly, ask yourself where you’d like to be and what you’d like to be doing work-wise in a fixed amount of time.

And then look at the ‘how’ – because learning is available in a variety of formats now, with one-to-one or group working, online and off-the-job learning, accredited and non-accredited. There’s quite a choice.

You may actually only need to fill some skills gaps, like advanced use of excel, or managing conflict at work. These can be provided by short, sharp half-day sessions from a provider in your workplace. Or, you could attend off-the-job learning one day a month for four months leading to an accredited certificated test in leadership and management.

And if you’re feeling really ambitious, you could even commit to a two-year work-based FdA (Foundation Degree) in developing leadership and management skills, at Cardiff Metropolitan University with Acorn.

The Welsh Government has a Business Wales website with great advice and support in starting up, running and growing a business at http://business.wales.gov.uk/?site=230

They also provide details of the different education and skills opportunities available at http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskillsandtraining/?lang=en Or, visit the Acorn website at http://www.acornlearning.co.uk/ where you will find out more about the learning that can be provided.