22/03/2002

Companies advised to reassess training schemes

A report issued by the Department of Education and Skills has stated that most medium to large sized firms provide off-the-job training - but advisory firm Arkadia-HR has warned that companies could be wasting money on schemes that do not address individual needs.

The Learning and Training at Work 2001 report, as released by the Department of Education and Skills, details that 93 per cent of employers with 500 or more employees provide off-the-job training, and three out of four employers who funded or arranged off-the-job training in the previous twelve months had a member of senior management responsible for training.

However, Dr Roland Tarleton, director of Arkadia-HR, explained: "Training should be an integral part of an employee's career, but too many individuals progress through a rigid training programme that can be ineffective. Our experience shows that the businesses that will have the best success in retaining and developing key employees are those that focus in on the individual and then develop a training programme around their needs."

Dr Tarleton advises that companies should perform an objective assessment of what intrinsically motivates each individual employee, and the type of situation in which they will thrive. He cited the example of the high flyer, who was likely to thrive when empowered and allowed to drive their own development.

He added: "Organisations should aim to get employees' training requirements right from the outset. There is no standard formula that can be applied universally across the workforce. Employees cannot be sent through the same system with the expectation that they will emerge with the same skills and 'fit' into their role."

(CL)

Related Northern Ireland Business News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

22 August 2018
Equality Training Sessions Announced
A number of training sessions for employers and service providers across NI have been announced by the Equality Commission's Advisory Services Team. The training sessions cover some of the most common enquiries received by the Equality Commission each year and will help keep employers on the right side of the law.
11 September 2001
Farren launches north-south tourism initiative
The Minister for Employment and Learning, Dr Sean Farren, has officially launched a joint training initiative aimed at helping those in the tourism sector recoup losses from the effects of the foot-and-mouth crisis.
31 October 2002
Local firm appointed as new training providers
Sandy Arthur Training Services has become the first company in Northern Ireland to be accredited as a Construction Skills Register Provider by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).
01 May 2002
British Computer Society welcomes training boost
The British Computer Society has welcomed Chancellor Gordon Brown's Budget announcement to give a £30 million boost to small firms training provision.
12 March 2002
Workforce survey reveals training imbalance
A survey released by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) shows a substantial gap between the ‘training haves’ and the ‘training have-nots’.