Professional Development Will Kill the Skills Gap

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In recent years it has been proven that employees who are recognised for their achievements and motivated to develop are likely to be more productive. Professional development encourages employees to stay loyal to their employer as they feel like they are making a contribution to the success of the business.

This is why staff training is extremely beneficial to both employees and employers. If employees have the tools, then need to be more successful then more opportunities will open up for them within their current role. By training employees, employers will begin to utilise the skills they have within the business.

Better Employees, Better Business

If your workforce is more engaged, then it will reduce your turnover and hiring costs. A study of 550 executives, showed that 71% ranked employee engagement as the most important element in achieving organisational success.

Low morale can come from lack of training, if your employees are feeling undervalued then they are more likely to look for opportunities elsewhere. If you do provide your employees with training, then your employees will be better equipped to handle the potential changes and challenges in the marketplace.

Fighting The Skills Gap

The phrase “Skills Gap” is used now more than ever before. Employers are struggling to keep up with the advancements of technology, therefore many businesses are using the ‘skills gap’ to describe the difference between the skills that they want from candidates and those that are available from workers looking for a job.

professional development

Statistics from the US have shown that in 2014 there were 4.7 million jobs advertised, and 9.7 million people looking for a job. This is one of the reasons why employees and employers must invest in professional development.

If employers are looking for candidates that tick all of the right boxes, then they must give back by developing their skills further.

What Skills Are We Lacking?

Recent reports have shown that the UK now has more graduates than non-graduates in the job market. This appears to be a worldwide trend with Finland, Sweden and Japan in the same position. There are lots of trained candidates out there, but what skills are they lacking?

Technical skills such as IT are often cited as a shortage area and this is extremely worrying for those living in the digital age. Studies from Harvey Nash have suggested that 2/3 of chief information officers have said that they are “concerned that lack of skills in IT would hold back their companies”.

IT is not the only skill that many businesses are lacking as the main skills were cited as project management and change management.

What Technical Courses Are Available?

  • ITIL Training
  • APMP Certification
  • Agile Training
  • PMP Training

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Are you looking for a course that will impress future employers and enhance your skills? The ones listed above are great choices for both beginners and intermediates as they come for those at different levels.

There are a number of online courses that you can study out of business hours. E-learning is more popular than ever before and many candidates are looking to spruce up their CV with a professional certification.