Harriet Browning, of Barclays Wealth, a member of the Thrive movement, considers the issue of skills and training.

A popular question put to schoolchildren is ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ At the age of five and without preconceptions about the world of work, I thought that being a vet was probably a good job as it would involve looking after other people’s cats and dogs, all day, every day. Some of my classmates however, stretched their imagination. For example, Paul wanted to be a superhero and Thomas wanted to be a revolving door. No one questioned these ambitions and they seemed quite attainable at the time. Indeed, my dream job was not based on a desired salary, pension scheme, or the grade I achieved for my latest potato print or painting. It was based on what I enjoyed doing the most, just as Paul enjoyed reading comic books and Thomas enjoyed walking through revolving doors.

Now, as an adult, I enjoy looking after other people’s wealth rather than their pets. My career goals are more focused and I am encouraged at Barclays Wealth to develop professional skills and experiences that will enable me to fulfil my role to the best of my ability.

The greatest resource a company has is its workforce. Many firms look to hire the top talents across the city to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

However, this can be an expensive strategy and some companies are instead realising that there can be huge benefits reaped from focusing on organic growth. By providing the right training to current employees, employers can develop skills and confidence in the workplace, thus motivating its staff to succeed on a higher plane.

Over the longer term, this investment into people can be financially rewarding, as improved knowledge capital leads to greater productivity and efficiency.

The Birmingham Children’s Hospital highlights that through inward investment, organisations are able to realise their corporate social responsibility. The Birmingham Children’s Hospital’s recent training initiative has had a real impact on its workforce who come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.

We may not always grow up to realise our childhood dreams, but provided that we are given the right opportunities, training and skills, we can still grow to reach our adult life ambitions.