Mark Krull, Director at Logic4training, looks at the benefits of training from within and how courses can be tailored to a specific business and its needs.
Training is important for any business working in the electrical sector. Staff must be qualified to do their job safely and within the law and upskilling presents a good way of helping an organisation to expand and improve delivery, without necessarily employing new staff.
A widespread skills gap in the electrical sector has been well-reported and while new entrants are undoubtedly needed to fill this hole, many businesses can plug their own skills gaps by training from within; an option that offers a number of benefits.
Cost saving: Recruitment is notoriously expensive, particularly if you use a recruitment agency. While there will of course be a fee attached to training, it is unlikely to cost the same as employing someone new. By upskilling a less qualified member of the team, you can stagger their pay rise as they prove themselves in their new role, rather than bringing in a fully trained employee who will expect the higher salary straight away.
Low risk: Introducing someone new into your organisation has risks attached. You can’t always trust what their CV says and however good they look on paper, personality clashes are sometimes unavoidable. By training already trusted staff, you can pretty much ensure the outcome of upskilling will be positive and they will abide by the established culture of your company.
Morale boosting: Upskilling will appeal to those staff looking to progress their career, just the kind of self-motivated individuals your company needs. By offering training opportunities, highly prized staff members will be less likely to look for employment elsewhere, loyalty to your business will be boosted and those who have re-trained will gain more job satisfaction, as well as feeling valued and worth investing in.
Meet customer demands: The electrical sector is moving fast, new technology is rapidly developing, spurred on by our increasing submergence in the digital world. Through training, businesses can be more dynamic, offering new services and meeting demands as their customer’s requirements evolve.
Training in yet untapped business streams can spark ideas amongst team members and may see your organisation heading in a direction that is more profitable. In general, a more knowledgeable workforce that’s up to speed with the latest developments will be able to communicate, participate and contribute more effectively, as well as providing excellent customer service.
“By upskilling the workforce from within, using tailored courses that in many cases can be delivered on the job, practical skills are used directly in the application they’re intended for, making training far more effective, worthwhile and responsive, ensuring every penny is money well spent.”
One size doesn’t fit all
While you may be convinced of the benefits of training, it can be hard to choose the right course and the reality of setting time aside to get staff trained often doesn’t fit with workloads and deadlines.
Firstly, generic training courses will often miss the mark when it comes to plugging a specifically identified skills gap within your business. Your team may have already covered half the course and just be missing one essential element, meaning much of time spent training is wasted.
Training could be required because of a big job that’s been won, upskilling in a unique and application specific areas; areas that might not be dealt with by an off-the-peg course. Apart from the content, employees’ individual needs must also be considered, with varying aptitudes meaning that in many cases, blanket training courses will not maximise workforce potential.
Overall, for training to be meaningful it needs to be relevant and practical – ‘training for training’s sake’ is a significant waste of time and money.
The answer could lie in bespoke training, designed to specifically meet the needs of an individual business. By upskilling the workforce from within, using tailored courses that in many cases can be delivered on the job, practical skills are used directly in the application they’re intended for, making training far more effective, worthwhile and responsive, ensuring every penny is money well spent.
Skills gaps cost
According to a survey by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills in 2015, 66% of employers who identified skills gaps in their workforce reported these as having an impact on their organisation’s performance. Don’t let your business suffer due to gaps that could be easily plugged. Look at your staff, many are full of untapped potential that will eventually be lost to another employer; train to retain these stars and help your business progress in a competitive marketplace.
Logic4training delivers bespoke training for the electrical sector analysing individual businesses to develop programmes tailored to specific needs and skills gaps.
