Latest news with #training
New York Times
12 minutes ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Viktor Gyokeres could feature in Arsenal friendly against Spurs; Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori out
Mikel Arteta says 'it is possible' that new signing Viktor Gyokeres will feature in Thursday's friendly against local rivals Tottenham Hotspur in Hong Kong. Arsenal held an open training session at the Kai Tak Stadium on Wednesday in which Gyokeres took an active part. Around 20,000 fans attended the hour-long session to see the 27-year-old Swede in action, and Arteta hinted he could yet have an involvement against Spurs. Advertisement 'He's only done today's session and yesterday — very little,' Arteta told a news conference after training. 'We're going to assess tonight how he is, and if the medical staff are happy as well with his condition to participate in tomorrow's match, then it's a possibility. We're going to discuss that tonight.' While Jurrien Timber was fit to take part in the session, there were two notable defensive absentees. 'With the rest, everybody's going to be okay apart from big Gabi (Gabriel) who is still out and Riccy (Calafiori) — it's probably going to be a bit too early for him tomorrow,' Arteta said. Gabriel, who is coming back from hamstring surgery, played 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Watford, but picked up an injury in the run-up to Arsenal's friendly against Milan on Wednesday, July 23. In the Brazilian's absence, Calafiori started both friendlies in Singapore as the left-sided centre-back. In the second, against Newcastle, he was substituted and disappeared straight down the tunnel for treatment on an injury. With Gabriel and Calafiori out, Jakub Kiwior is likely to start against Spurs as William Saliba's central defensive partner. Arsenal fans will be a little concerned that they've yet to catch a glimpse of Gabriel in pre-season. The 27-year-old, who signed a new long-term contract this summer, has become an integral part of the team. His partnership with Saliba has been the bedrock of Arsenal's defensive structure. In Gabriel's absence, it has been interesting to see Arteta starting Calafiori ahead of Kiwior on tour. The Italian was ostensibly bought to play as a left-back, but has extensive experience as a left-sided centre-back. Calafiori's issue has been staying fit. While the extent of Gabriel and Calafiori's injuries remains unknown, it could present another opportunity for Kiwior to have a run in the team. The Poland international stepped in ably when Gabriel was ruled out in April, and barely put a foot wrong in big games such as the two-legged ties against Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
Forbes
42 minutes ago
- Business
- Forbes
Barista Training And Coffee Shop Success: The Importance Of Investing In Staff
Sergey Baburov. Founder of HYDE. The global coffee market was valued at $269.27 billion in 2024, and its growth is expected to exceed $369 billion by 2030. In today's competitive coffee industry, a shop's performance hinges on more than premium beans or advanced equipment. Staff expertise plays an equally critical role. Baristas act as frontline representatives who can enhance operational success by delivering consistent experiences and reinforcing brand identity. As the founder of a coffee brand, I've seen firsthand how investing in comprehensive barista training can directly translate to customer loyalty and business growth. My experience has shown me that a well-trained team is not a cost—it's a company's most crucial asset. Baristas, Brand Perception And The Importance Of Training Baristas don't simply prepare beverages. They serve as key touchpoints between coffee shops and their clientele. Their skills can shape customer experiences and perceptions in a market where differentiation is vital. Salesforce's 2022 State of the Connected Customer report, which surveyed a total of roughly 17,000 consumers and business buyers, found that 88% of consumers said "the experience a company provides is as important as its products or services." This further underscores the need for effective training and ongoing staff development. From ensuring drink consistency to fostering welcoming environments, baristas can elevate satisfaction and retention, turning casual visitors into regulars. Their expertise impacts several core areas: • Quality Consistency: Baristas who are trained effectively can consistently provide high-quality drinks. • Customer Engagement: PwC's 2018 consumer study revealed customers will pay up to 16% more for superior services and products, highlighting baristas' role in boosting satisfaction and sales. • Revenue Growth: Trained staff adept at upselling, such as suggesting pastries or premium blends, can increase average check sizes. • Market Edge: Personalized service sets shops apart in saturated markets. Deep barista expertise can be a key differentiator that helps foster a loyal customer base and allows even smaller coffee shops to compete with larger chains. Training could benefit coffee shops from an employee retention standpoint as well. In 2019, Sitel Group found that 37% of employees would consider leaving roles without development opportunities. Learning and development opportunities can also lead to improved employee engagement and help foster "a workforce of motivated, satisfied and productive employees who feel they are in the right place to reach their full potential," per the Society of Human Resource Management. Structuring Effective Barista Training Effective barista training programs should blend technical mastery and interpersonal skills. This means it should cover essentials like espresso extraction (e.g., grind size, dose, timing) and milk steaming (e.g., temperature, texture, latte art) to ensure precision. Educating baristas on alternative methods as well—such as pour-over coffee or cold brew—can expand a shop's offerings. I also recommend incorporating sensory training to sharpen flavor detection (e.g., floral or citrus notes), so they can provide tailored recommendations that can enhance customer satisfaction. Programs should also emphasize active listening to ensure baristas can recall regulars' orders, as well as upselling techniques, like pairing drinks with food. This can help boost revenue. Conflict resolution training is another important element; this equips staff to handle feedback and maintain a positive brand image. For instance, we run role-playing scenarios for handling difficult customer feedback, which empowers the team with confidence and turns a potential negative into a positive, brand-building moment. To make this training truly stick, it must be a continuous cycle, not a one-time event. Beyond a comprehensive initial onboarding for new hires, we find success with quarterly refreshers on core skills and brief, focused pre-shift huddles for daily updates. To keep these sessions engaging, we ditch the slideshows in favor of interactive formats. One of our most effective strategies is a weekly 'taste, calibrate, discuss' session, where the entire team tastes the day's espresso together to align their palates and product descriptions. The Bottom Line Investments in training have the potential to yield quantifiable results, including higher customer satisfaction and retention rates, as skilled baristas help foster trust and comfort; improvements in revenue, thanks to upselling strategies and those improved customer retention rates; and greater efficiency, as optimized workflows can cut wait times and reduce errors. As you can see, barista training represents a strategic investment that can elevate coffee shop performance across quality, revenue and loyalty. In a market that's expected to surpass $300 billion in just a few years, prioritizing human capital and barista training could give coffee shops a competitive advantage. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
The Sun
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Tommy Brooks dead at 71: Boxing trainer who coached Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield passes away after cancer fight
LEGENDARY boxing trainer Tommy Brooks has died aged 71 after a fight with cancer. Brooks was a national amateur champion in America before turning professional in 1977. 1 He only had a brief boxing career, winning his first seven bouts before losing three on the spin to retire and focus on training fighters. Brooks shot to recognition as a coach first with Evander Holyfield. But after Mike Tyson was twice beaten by Holyfield, who also turned to Brooks during his comeback trail. And Brooks coached Tyson up until his 2002 loss to Lennox Lewis - parting way afterwards. Brooks also coached Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko as well as 2008 British Olympic bronze medalist David Price. Hall of Fame promoter Lou DiBella paid tribute, posting: "Got more bad news a little while ago. "It was just confirmed by his family that esteemed boxing trainer Tommy Brooks died tonight, after having fought a very aggressive cancer. "Too young. Great boxing man and even better person, he was just a solid dude. "Shared many memorable nights with Tommy and his wife, Donna Duva, during the glory days of Main Events. "My love and prayers to Donna and all their fam."
Times of Oman
2 hours ago
- Business
- Times of Oman
SAI participates in GCC meeting of financial, accounting audit bureaus
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the State Audit Institution (SAI) took part in the 26th meeting of GCC Undersecretaries of the Financial and Accounting Bureaus. Oman's delegation was headed by Ahmed bin Salim Al Rujaibi, SAI Deputy Chairman for Audit of Government Units. The meeting, held via video-conferencing from the State of Kuwait, covered a number of topics, notably discussions regarding the report on the recommendations and outcomes of the training strategic plan for the period (2023-2025). The meeting also included discussion of the draft training strategic plan (2026-2028), in addition to reviewing the results of the 6th GCC competition for research and studies in the field of audit and accounting. The meeting also included a review of the MoU between the King Fahd National Library and the General Secretariat of the GCC, in addition to a highlighting the draft regulations for the Professional Excellence Award in the GCC Financial and Accounting Audit Bureaus. Furthermore, the meeting touched on the draft joint training plan for employees of the GCC Financial and Accounting Audit Bureaus for the years (2026-2027), in addition to studying the proposal of the Audit Rules Working Group regarding the impact measurement form for applying the manuals issued by the Secretariat General of the GCC. It also discussed the form for simplifying the use of manuals in auditing, as well as the proposal for (governance of the audit mechanism of the General Secretariat of the GCC), and the proposal of the Audit Rules Working Group regarding allocating a Gulf week for financial and accounting audit.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Catterick soldier dies after physical training session
A 19-year-old soldier has died following a physical training session at a barracks in North Yorkshire, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has Harry Johnson, of the 2nd Infantry Training Battalion, died after the session at Vimy Barracks in Catterick on 24 July, just three months after he had joined MoD said in a statement Pte Johnson, who was "genuine, kind and funny", had joined the Army on 13 April and had "already proved himself to have enormous potential as a soldier".Officials said they confirmed his death "with immense sadness" and added that their thoughts were with his family and friends. "Although he only joined the Army recently, Pte Johnson exemplified the values and standards of the British Army and applied them in everything he did," the MoD said."He was one of the hardest working members of the platoon; reliable and disciplined."He served much of his time within 3 Platoon, B Company in the 1st Infantry Training Battalion and completed Basic Training on 11 Jul 2025. "He was awarded Best Shot within 3 Platoon at his Pass Off Parade, an achievement he was extremely proud to win. Shortly afterwards, Pte Johnson started his Infantry Initial Trade Training with Bruneval Platoon." 'Loyalty and humour' The MoD added he had "high standards of physical fitness" and always had "a smile on his face and a genuine love for the job". They added: "The loss of Pte Johnson is a tragic blow to all those who worked with him, the Parachute Regiment and most importantly his family. "To lose someone so young with so much potential is extremely hard to take, and those closest to him are distraught. "He will be remembered fondly by all who knew him and were touched by his loyalty, humour, and selflessness." Lt Col Ben Jesty, Commanding Officer, 2nd Infantry Training Battalion, said they were "heartbroken by the loss of Pte Harry Johnson from the Infantry family"."A proud and passionate future Paratrooper he represented the best of his generation. "Although early in his career he had already shown significant potential," he Toby Staker, Bruneval Platoon Commander, Parachute Regiment Training Company, added: "Despite my relationship with Pte Johnson being only brief, it was clear to see that he fully understood the journey that he was on. "He carried himself with pride, humility, and steadfast confidence well beyond his years."Pte Noah Merriman, of Bruneval Platoon, said he had first met Pte Johnson during Phase I Training and had been struck by his "politeness and caring nature"."He was always willing to help others and brought a positive energy to the group. Harry had a good sense of humour and could always make us smile with his easy-going attitude."I remember him often talking to his girlfriend in the evenings with his headphones in, which became a familiar and endearing sight."He said Pte Johnson had been a "genuine, friendly and dependable person". Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
