Over the years many companies have discovered the benefits of upskilling their existing workforce through traineeships and apprenticeships. Companies are now urging their employees to further their skills, which for the company eliminates the need to hire outside staff and contractors.
It can be a large commitment for a company to undertake upskilling of an existing employee, particularly if they need to adhere to a current high workload. For others, the idea of gaining a new qualification may seem like something they are past doing. If a worker has been established in a current position for a long period of time, they may be ‘comfortable’, or perhaps even worried that they will be unable to successfully undertake a new role.
While these are all concerns are valid, the right training institution along with encouragement from employers can really help both the individual and the business thrive in the long run.
There are many advantage to upskilling your current workforce, and below we have listed some reasons to consider.
New skill sets within the workforce
One of reasons that upskilling your current workforce is beneficial is to reduce the need to bring in subcontractors from the outside to complete jobs that your current workforce are not qualified to undertake.
An apprenticeship or qualification for an adult within your organisation means that these qualifications and skills can be developed within your company, effectively eliminating the need of bringing in people from the outside.
This will not only allow the skills to be developed by the employees with your company in mind, it will also take your employees out of their comfort zone, giving them a sense of achievement.
It will bring a strong work culture to your workforce, and workers enjoy knowing that their company wants them to grow and succeed.
There is available assistance for both employers and employees
There are certain situations within your workplace where you may be able to gain assistance and additional support when undertaking an existing worker apprenticeship. The funding may depend on the level of study they will be undertaking and whether the skills are on the national skills set list.
There is a degree of funding that is available for older individuals that are looking to further their studies, this includes the ‘Support for Adult Australian Apprenticeships” initiative.
There are many forms of assistance available, of which some include the topping up of a worker’s salary, or assistance provided to the place of employment. Each situation is different, and it’s best to get in touch with a registered training organisation such as ours to talk about what’s best for you.
Previous experience counts
A worker looking to update their skills may be able to count their previous skills and experiences towards the gaining of a new qualification. Employees may have previous work experience that could enable them to be exempt from certains parts of a course or qualification.
Current or past experience that a worker has could help them skip through things such as foundation skills training, which will enable them to gain the qualification faster.
Get in touch, we can help!
For more information on upskilling yourself or your employees, get in touch with us today on 03 9763 5449.