Upcoming Courses
Communication and Soft Skills Training Courses
Our communication and soft skills training empowers people to communicate clearly, collaborate effectively and create positive, productive working relationships.
Explore our communication and soft skills training courses
Our communication and soft skills training helps people at every level develop the skills to communicate with confidence, collaborate more effectively and handle challenging situations with ease. Whether you’re looking to improve their everyday interactions or build more cohesive, high-performing teams, our programmes give your people the tools to make a real difference.
We offer flexible delivery options to suit every organisation. Staff can join one of our public live online workshops with participants from across the world, or we’ll design a bespoke programme tailored to your team’s specific needs. All training is highly interactive – we blend group discussions, real-world case studies and practical exercises.
Browse our upcoming communication and soft skills courses below, or contact us to discuss a customised programme for your organisation.
Why our training works
- Expert trainers with real skills and experience
- Engaging, interactive, discussion-led sessions designed to develop practical skills that can be implemented immediately.
- Learner-centred approach which drives up participation and long-term transformation.
- Small-group learning for a personalised approach, to maintain interaction and quality (maximum 12 participants).
- Flexible delivery options — live online, face-to-face or a combination of both.
- All training can be fully customised for your organisation.
Upcoming training dates
Explore our current and upcoming Communication and Soft Skills courses for front line and hands-on staff to experienced managers and directors. Courses are available live online and in person – talk to us about the best solution for your teams.
| Course |  Duration |
 Date & Time |
 Level |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Progress Introduction to Excel | 2 weeks, 2 x 2-hour live online sessions a week |
Tuesdays & Thursdays 21/07/2026 – 30/07/2026 10.30am-12.30pm |
Beginner | More info |
| 8 spaces left Excel Intermediate | 2 weeks, 2 x 2-hour live online sessions a week |
Tuesdays & Thursdays 22/09/2026 – 01/10/2026 10.30am – 12.30pm |
Intermediate | More info |
| 6 spaces left Online Presentation Skills Training | 5 weeks, 1 x 3-hour live online session a week |
Thursdays 24/09/26 – 22/10/26 9.30am – 12.30pm |
Beginner | More info |
| 5 spaces left Excel Advanced | 2 weeks, 2 x 2-hour live online sessions a week |
Mondays & Wednesdays 05/10/26 – 14/10/26 1.30pm – 3.30pm |
Advanced | More info |
| 12 spaces left Assertiveness and Conflict Management Training | 3 weeks, 1 x 3-hour live online session a week |
Tuesdays 06/10/26 – 20/10/26 9.30am – 12.30pm |
Beginner | More info |
| 12 spaces left Time Management Training | 3 weeks, 1 x 3-hour live online session a week |
Thursdays 15/10/26 – 29/10/26 9.30am – 12.30pm |
Beginner | More info |
| Awaiting Dates Communication Skills Training | 3 weeks, 1 x 3-hour live online session a week | Join Waitlist | Beginner | More info |
| Awaiting Dates Communication Skills for Managers Training | 4 weeks, 1 x 3-hour live online session a week | Join Waitlist | Intermediate | More info |
| Awaiting Dates Problem Solving and Decision Making | 4 weeks, 1 x 3-hour live online session a week | Join Waitlist | Intermediate | More info |
| Team Building and Communication Training | Customised training | Customised to you | Beginner | More info |
| Cultural Awareness Training for Teams | Customised training | Customised to you | Beginner | More info |
| Harnessing the Power of Diverse Thinking | Customised training | Customised to you | Intermediate | More info |
Communication and soft skills training that strengthens how your teams work together
Our communication and soft‑skills training programmes will help your teams develop the confidence and capability to build stronger relationships with colleagues and customers. We give them the tools they need to communicate clearly, collaborate effectively and navigate challenging interactions, helping you to build a more connected, inclusive and high‑performing workplace.
Soft skills training courses give your staff the ability to communicate with poise and conviction, as well as develop those all-important competencies like time management and decision making.
Find the Right Communication and Soft Skills Training Course for Your Team:
Discover a range of communication and soft‑skills courses designed to help all levels of staff build stronger working relationships and enhance everyday interactions through improved communication, collaboration and interpersonal skills. Each programme focuses on developing practical skills and deeper understanding, with flexible options to suit your organisation’s needs.
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Excel Advanced
Take everyday Excel skills to the next level and build your team’s confidence to tackle more demanding and complex tasks. Claire will reveal new ways to manipulate data, analyse information, and automate processes, making your team quicker and more effective all at once.
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Harnessing the Power of Diverse Thinking
Diverse thinking is crucial for managers wanting to build high-performing teams. Transform your approach by embracing a variety of perspectives, backgrounds, and cognitive styles that challenge assumptions and encourage creativity.
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Team Building and Communication Training
Boost team morale, strengthen collaboration, and transform workplace dynamics with a bespoke team building and communication programme designed specifically for your team’s needs. This flexible 1-3 day experience creates lasting bonds, improves communication flow, and builds the trust essential for high-performing teams.
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Communication Skills for Managers Training
Transform your managers’ effectiveness with communication skills that inspire, engage, and drive results. This intensive 4-session programme equips managers with the confidence and techniques to build stronger relationships, influence with impact, and create high-performing teams through powerful communication.
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Cultural Awareness Training for Teams
Transform diversity into your team’s greatest competitive advantage by helping them understand and bridge cultural differences and maximise the benefits of working in a diverse team.
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Communication Skills Training
Transform workplace relationships and outcomes by helping your team break free from unhelpful communication habits. This practical programme focuses on all the critical elements of effective communication, building stronger, more trusting relationships with colleagues and team members while improving results for everyone.
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Online Presentation Skills Training
Banish presentation anxiety and transform your team into confident, compelling communicators. With extensive practice opportunities in a supportive environment, participants will master the art of presenting with impact, whether delivering to colleagues, clients or international audiences.
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Problem Solving and Decision Making
Transform decision-making paralysis into confident, effective action with this practical programme. Our expert trainers provide the tools and techniques to cut through information overload, evaluate options systematically, and make speedy decisions that bring the right results and reduce stressful over-thinking.
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Excel Intermediate
Take everyday Excel skills to the next level and build your team’s confidence to tackle more demanding and complex tasks. Claire will reveal new ways to manipulate data, analyse information, and automate processes, making your team quicker and more effective all at once.
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Introduction to Excel
Transform your team from spreadsheet strugglers to Excel confident with this essential foundation programme. Led by Claire, Sterling’s Excel expert, this course fills the gaps left by self-teaching and provides super-slick tricks of the trade that will boost productivity and confidence from the first session.
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Assertiveness and Conflict Management Training
Give your team the confidence to communicate more effectively and handle challenging situations with calm and poise. Our communication experts will transform how your staff approach difficult conversations, building their personal impact and empowering them to navigate conflict with skill and confidence.
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Time Management Training
Reduce stress, boost productivity, and help your team conquer their time challenges with this practical time management programme. Participants will discover their personal time management style, master prioritisation techniques, and implement proven strategies to banish time bandits for good.
Live online
Sterling’s live online courses bring expert-led learning straight to your screen. Your staff join interactive, real-time sessions with experienced trainers, ask questions in the moment and collaborate with other professionals. It’s engaging, practical training that delivers immediate impact and keeps them connected, focused and ahead of the curve.
Face-to-face
Working face-to-face with your staff builds teams and buy-in. We love getting into the physical training room, where it’s a great place to be creative and experiential. This method is particularly useful when driving cultural change. We are the voice of your organisation, underpinning your aims and values and helping your teams to find practical ways to work more closely, communicate better and achieve your objectives.
Meet the Communication and Soft Skills trainers
Soft skills are vital for today’s fast-paced business environment. Whether it’s assertiveness or personal influence, communication skills are becoming even more important, simply because fewer people are spending time in the office.
Our team of experienced trainers are here to help. They bring diverse expertise in areas such as Neuro-Linguistic Programming, DISC profiling, global communication, as well as a range of highly practical activities, ensuring engaging and effective learning experiences.
Learn more about each of our trainers below.
Richenda Askew
With her extensive experience working in many different countries, Richenda has a rich background in Speech and Language Therapy, Trainer Training and English Language teaching, she is also a Neurolanguage Coach and Global DISC profiler. She excels in enhancing participants’ communication skills, especially where it relates to cross-cultural effectiveness.
Lynn Mead
Lynn has worked for many years in financial, management consultancy and project management roles. She is an energetic and enthusiastic trainer and is DISC personality profiling accredited, and a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner, all of which gives her the passion and understanding of communication and soft skills at a range of levels.
Claire Aikman
Claire is officially our Microsoft Marvel! Having worked with Microsoft products since before the release of Windows, she ran a presentation centre for a US investment bank, where she trained her own team members. She trains us here at Sterling too!
Claire has delivered Microsoft training for around 30 years and particularly loves to use simple language and share skills, techniques and super tips to help people to work more effectively with Word or Excel on a daily basis. Her passion is to help save their precious time and remove some of the mystery and the many frustrations brought about by software, so that our delegates can focus on improving their efficiency and effectiveness.
Mary Tillson-Wharton
Mary is an expert in all aspects of behavioural intelligence and she designs and delivers engaging and challenging communication and presentation skills programmes. Passionate, as we all are, about delivering tangible business results, and taking the learning beyond the classroom, Mary is able to bring a wealth of business experience into the classroom, and make the ‘theory’ real and practical for participants. Her experience in coaching speakers means that she can make even the most nervous of presenters feel confident and strong.
Vicky Taylor
Vicky uses experience gained from working around the world in senior roles, to design and deliver effective soft skills and communication skills training programmes. She uses lots of relevant practical activities within her training sessions and is an accredited trainer for both the Strength Deployment Inventory and the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
James Askew
James is a former British Army officer with 40 years of leadership experience, having led military, civilian and multinational teams across the UK and internationally. His extensive career has seen him work with around 40 partner nations, giving him a unique breadth of leadership, management and communication experience that he now brings to Sterling Training.
Passionate about developing people and building high-performing teams, James specialises in leadership, management, communication, planning and team development. His engaging, learner-centred approach encourages participation, challenges delegates to think differently and ensures every session is practical, relevant and enjoyable. Whether working with corporate or military organisations, James takes great pride in helping individuals and teams develop the confidence and skills to perform at their very best.
Jono Oswin
Jono has 25 years’ experience in the communications industry and prides himself on his ability to connect with delegates in a way that makes his sessions personal and relevant. He has an honest and challenging approach which encourages open dialogue and participation and works with participants at all levels. Jono is an NLP Practitioner and uses a lot of role play in his sessions to ensure that groups learn from their experiences and develop new skills fast.
What our clients say
“It was fantastic. The time flew by quicker than I had anticipated. I would recommend all managers do the course. As the designer who tidies up presentations for presenters in the business, it would be very useful to have everyone on the same page. The course is eye opening and well worth the time investment.”
Tina Grobler – SOCOTEC UK
Presentation Skills Excellence
Learner
“I have come away from the course feeling inspired and confident in myself and the way I communicate. There were so many gems of information I can bring into my role. It will benefit me in my role as a trainer and leader.”
Darren Makin – SOCOTEC UK
Effective Communication
Learner
“The excellent combination of skills training and personal development really unlocked a new level for me. Giving me the skills and confidence to land complex messages as a presenter. They showed me the difference between the mediocre and the truly, well… Sterling!”
Audun Arly Lund – SOCOTEC
Presentation Skills 101
Learner
“You might at first glance look at the course as one of those really dry and boring ones that you are only going on because you have to. In reality the course content and delivery made for a really great and interactive training session.”
Jamie Frost – TGW Logistics
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training Course
Learner
“100% enrol for it! Emma is an amazing trainer who keeps you focused and interested at the same time”
Rhea Batten – SOCOTEC
Communication Skills Course
Learner
“Such an excellent course and trainer! Would definitely recommend!”
Sharon Coveney – MNWB
Presentation Skils
Learner
“You will learn the theory behind the techniques naturally used and utilise them beneficially, whilst gaining new skills and information. I have learnt new techniques that I can readily apply to my role to help me become more efficient”
Alana MacDonald – SOCOTEC UK
Planning and Prioritising course
Learner
“This Planning and Prioritising course has made a huge difference to how I manage my workload! The strategies we learned have helped me take back control of my workday and boost my productivity. I couldn’t recommend Sterling Training highly enough!”
Charlie Clarke – Viridis Marketing
Planning and Prioritising course
Learner
“Definitely attend! This course has increased my knowledge and awareness of not only the subject but also things like communication and understanding my behaviour.”
David Parsons – TGW Logistics
Assertiveness and Conflict Management Course
Learner
“Brilliant and relevant course content. Everyone is involved from start to finish. The trainers are amazing and make the whole day of learning educational and fun.”
Julie Dawkins – Kardex
Communication, Team Building & Branding course
Learner
“It’s well worth the time and money. Definitely do it if you’re not already super organised (and who is?)”
Martin Polley – Nagra Kudelski
Planning and Prioritising Course
Learner
“The course is very beneficial; you will learn to use tools and ways that would help understand and solve problems you face.”
Hawra Husain – SOCOTEC UK
Problem Solving and Decision Making
Learner
“Friendly atmosphere, no pressure or put on the spot. Bite-sized chunked learning… Worth doing.”
Dale Sutton – SOCOTEC UK
Understanding Finance
Learner
“Definitely worth attending, whether you use Excel a lot or a little. Lots of useful tricks to make things easier. The hard part will be remembering them all.”
Melody Wareing – SOCOTEC UK
Mastering Excel
Learner
“The Mastering Excel course has been fantastic … Claire is a great tutor, the content was delivered in a way that made sense and was easy to follow.”
Katie Hutchinson – SOCOTEC UK
Mastering Excel
Learner
“Public speaking has always been a huge source of anxiety for me but I have been able to put together a presentation using all the skills Mary has taught us. This has given me huge amounts of confidence to deliver a presentation at our organisation’s conference. I actually feel weirdly excited about it!”
Celia Jackson – MNWB
Presentation Skils
Learner
“I would recommend all managers do the course. As the designer who tidies up presentations for presenters in the business, it would be very useful to have everyone on the same page. The course is eye opening and well worth the time investment.”
Tina Grobler – SOCOTEC UK
Presentation Skills Excellence
Learner
“This is a valuable course which helps to develop your skills as a public speaker. You will come away with essential knowledge of frameworks and tools to help you deliver insightful and impactful presentations.”
Kayleigh Boam – SOCOTEC UK
Presentation Skills Excellence
Learner
“Course content and delivery is top notch. The style of learning keeps you engaged and truly changed my previous perceptions on how I approach management issues.”
Gary Stringer – SOCOTEC UK
Assertiveness and Conflict Management
Learner
“I learned how to be punchy and concise and lots of techniques on how to engage the audience. It will really help boost your confidence and think of new methods to try.”
Joel Holt – MNWB
Presentation Skils
Learner
“If you are new to management then this would be a great course to help you learn about what will be probably one of the most difficult parts of your job – conflict management.”
Graham Jones – SOCOTEC UK
Assertiveness and Conflict Management
Learner
“Do it – you might think you know the basics of Excel but chances are you will still pick up some very useful tips and tricks. The delivery of the course was fantastic with absolutely no judgement from Claire.”
Katie Hutchinson – SOCOTEC
Excel Fundamentals
Learner
“I feel so much more confident when using Excel now, especially with formulas. I have learnt a lot of quicker ways of doing things so this will speed my work up. I have already been able to take on additional responsibilities within my role thanks to what I learnt on this course, so thank you!”
Sarah Bellows – Netserve
Excel Fundamentals
Learner
“I am just speechless. What I acquired from the training was more than I expected. I enjoyed everything about the training. Kudos to Sterling.”
Caroline Griffin – Nagra
Presentation Skils
Learner
Frequently Asked Questions
What are soft skills exactly?
The ‘soft skills’ needed by today’s workforce include communicating, listening, managing our time and tasks, problem solving and working as part of a team. These skills drive employee effectiveness and potential.
How do you teach communication and soft skills?
All of our training is learner-centred. That means it’s highly experiential, and yes, that may involve role play, especially in communication skills sessions! Talking about using a technique and actually using the technique give two very different results. We focus on giving our participants real, practical skills and our trainers use a facilitative approach and teach theory only where and when it’s most useful.
What are the benefits of training my staff in communication and soft skills?
Developing communication and soft skills give your staff the ability to communicate with poise and conviction, as well as be more effective time managers and decision makers. You benefit through more effective all-round employees, who are better able to cope with the challenges of the ever-changing business environment.
Who would benefit from attending communication and soft skills training?
There isn’t a single person in your organisation who won’t benefit from sharpening their skills in these critical skill areas. Whether time management and prioritising is their challenge or they need to communicate and influence more effectively, everyone needs a regular skills brush up in these areas.
Why is training my staff important?
Recruiting and developing staff is an expensive business. A comprehensive learning and development programme will build employee engagement and help you retain staff. Training key staff to develop their peers will help them build confidence and share their skills and knowledge to ensure continuity as well as reduce expensive outsourcing costs.
Need some advice?
Then we’d love to help. Pop your details into our contact form and we’ll be in touch.
Business training courses in Southampton
We deliver our CPD Accredited business training courses from our Southampton office, and offer in-person and live online sessions for companies across Hampshire and the South. Whether you’re looking for on-site team development, live online workshops or bespoke training at your workplace (wherever that is), we will make it easy for you to upskill your staff.
Contact us to discuss training solutions that suit your team, your organisation and their challenges.