Education is never wasted: why employers should invest in skills development

James Kearney

Mobility & Supply Chain Skillnet Network Manager, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT)

Good supply chain management requires upskilling and sustainability efforts to foster skills development and attract and retain talent, thus strengthening the workforce.

Companies report that the fundamentals of good supply chain management are never not needed. In a workforce at full employment, companies are seeing, more than ever, how hard it is to secure and retain good people. More and more companies invest in training to upskill the staff they have and to assure the staff that they are investing in their future.

What are the most in-demand skills or qualifications in today’s job market?

Companies with the foresight to consider skills for the future are undertaking programmes on sustainable business models, carbon reduction and reporting. Larger companies are recognising that adoption of sustainable practices is no longer optional, and they are investing in training to ensure they can secure the most advantage from the changes.

Smaller operators are identifying the opportunity in compliance — as carbon measurement and reporting becomes a requirement and an advantage for larger companies, they are increasingly focused on doing business with operators that can support them through accurate, timely and useable data.

Employees develop best when
they have a stake in the process.

How can employers secure the correct training for their employees?

Ask the employees. Employees develop best when they have a stake in the process. Offering training that they want is the easiest and most cost-effective way to secure their buy in, particularly so if they can see a progression pathway via the training.

Much like the ‘respect for people’ philosophy in Lean Six Sigma, the person doing the job is often the person best placed to know what is needed for it to be done better.

What are some of the benefits to upskilling?

• Education is never wasted. Multiple studies have shown that investing in employees through skills development has resulted in higher retention, lower costs and higher productivity.
• Education converts experience into expertise — understanding the how and why of your experience helps you to take better advantage of your experience.