Our world is rapidly changing and competition in business is growing day by day and technology is advancing robustly which is why skills programmes are imperative. Not only do we need to find a way to reduce unemployment, but we must also keep our businesses relevant, a battle that businesses and organisations constantly face. 

Therefore, businesses and organisations and their workforce should be prepared to proceed successfully. The only way that this can be achieved is through consistent training and skills development in the workplace. In fact, you can only obtain skills through learning. Skills programmes are not only crucial to organisations, but they are vital and cannot be overemphasised as they ensure a more skilled, empowered, and motivated workforce.

Skills programmes are more in demand now than ever before which presents a key opportunity to expand the knowledge base and skill sets of employees. This allows employees to have a thorough understanding of their roles and be fully prepared to be more effective in performing their duties. It is also imperative for employers to take into consideration that training, and development need not only take place once they start observing a decrease in production, but it should be consistent. We believe that prevention is better than a cure.  

This is one of the reasons why South Africa’s unemployed rates are on the rise and is arguably due to a lack of skill sets as well as experience. Workplace training is especially crucial when it comes to increasing the competitiveness of the South African work industry.  

Enriching SA With Essential Skills Programmes

Often there are costs involved in skills programmes for employees which is expensive, and employers are often concerned about the time it takes from the actual working hours creating gaps in the workload or delays in the completion of projects.

However, despite the potential drawbacks, skills programmes offer benefits for both the company as a whole and the employees with benefits that really make the costs and the time a rewarding investment.  They benefit the company in the sense that the workforce will be more skilled and able to work more productively. This means more turnaround times, fewer mistakes, and ultimately more profits.

The employees on the other hand reap the benefits of feeling more confident in their roles enabling them to take pride in their work. Skills programmes also lead to workplace well-being which is an imperative factor in the modern-day workplace setting. Employers should also give way to these modern and effective strategies to master the importance of skills development and training in the workplace.

These strategies include: 

• Targeting soft skills. 
• Personalising employee development. 
• Digital learning. 

You can expect employees to have a naturally higher level of job satisfaction, as they will feel valued that their employer took the initiative to provide skills programmes.  Find out about us and our upskilling courses that create opportunities for our most vulnerable individuals. 

Five Essential Ways Skills Programmes Educate, Enrich And Empower SA

Another matter of interest is that there is a massive skills shortage in industries like engineering.

This skills shortage is visible across all business levels, from high-level management to artisans. The specific skills in question include technical and trade skills, basic numeracy, foundational skills like literacy, problem-solving, soft skills, project management, quality management, and general management skills.

This lack of skills heavily impacts local economic development as well as the global economy. There are business opportunities available but if you do not have a pool of skillful individuals to do the work you cannot take on the project and will ultimately lose out on that opportunity and profit. This is a conundrum for different businesses, but it can be solved with a long-term focus and commitment to skills programmes and training. It is important to note that skills development training should be built into the business’s overall long-term strategy as it is not a once-off process.

1. Addresses Employee Weaknesses

It is inevitable that certain employees will have weaknesses in their work skills. Excellent skills programmes allow for those weaknesses to be addressed and strengthened accordingly. A skills development program will also bring all employees to a higher level so that they have the necessary skill set to perform tasks. This will eliminate weaker employees relying on other employees to fulfill their specific roles and will create a platform where employees can be fully functional both independently and in teams.  

2. Consistency

Robust skills programmes will ensure that employees are consistent with background knowledge and experience. This consistency is in correlation with the company policies and procedures. When employees are aware of these procedures and policies, companies stand to gain financially as this will allow for increased efficiencies in the work line. 

3. An Increase In Innovation And Creativity For New Products And Services

Skills programmes undeniably encourage a more creative and innovative workforce. Innovative ideas are often born because of skills development and training, and this means more business and increased profits. 

4. Decrease In Staff Turnover

Employees are more likely to feel valued when their employees invest in them and as a result, it becomes less likely for them to feel the need to change employers. Skills programmes are a company benefit and therefore recruitment costs decrease due to staff retention. 

5. Enhances Company Reputation And Profile

A strong and successful training strategy helps in developing your brand as an employer and moves your company to the forefront as a consideration for graduates and mid-career changes. Training also makes a company more attractive to potential new recruits who seek to improve their skills and the opportunities associated with those new skills.