It’s all about skills these days. But are employees getting the opportunity to update theirs, while they work? How can you improve your chances of skilling up?

When did you last take the time to learn something new? People who participate in learning at work have higher levels of pay, self-esteem and job satisfaction. Studies show that training can lead to between five and fifteen per cent higher pay. It's something that makes you feel positive about yourself and your employer. So what can you do to ensure you get enough to develop your potential at work?

The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) suggests that, 90% of adults believe learning is important, and two-thirds would like to take some up. But there’s a shortfall – the Labour Force Survey states that, at any one time, only one in seven working adults are involved in formal learning. The barrier is usually a combination of time restrictions and cost. Employers who provide help with either of these stumbling blocks are much prized – many job seekers rate good training provision to be as important as salary, when choosing whom to work for.

Front runners
Companies like Unipart are a shining example of what can be done to encourage learning that benefits both the company and employees. They established the first corporate university in the UK ten years ago. As well as offering courses directly related to their many areas of work, they also give employees the chance to learn a new language and gain a range of IT skills. And the result? High morale, low staff turnover, increased productivity, and a workforce with high levels of computer literacy.

Nokia employees inhabit a fast-changing world, and the company recognises how vital training is. One of the four core values of the company is continuous learning. Through six monthly reviews, staff identify training needs, that are then catered for through a mixture of on-the-job training, external courses and e-learning. All of which is done in work's time, rather than spilling over into free time. They also have an innovative scheme of giving small grants of £150 to employees who want to learn something new for themselves, with no requirement for it to be work related.

Next page: creative solutions

Feeling well trained and valued makes you more likely to enjoy your work, and it also encourages loyalty. Belinda, a Senior Account Executive at Praxis PR was heartened by the support available in her new job. ‘When I started I expressed an interest in working towards CAM qualifications. My employer was keen for me to go ahead, and stumped up the required fees with enthusiasm. I study at home, with online support from a tutor. I do feel more loyal toward my employer because it's clear they're interested in my professional development, which is imperative, if you are to get the most out of staff.’

Creative solutions
E-learning is growing in popularity, as a way of providing flexible training. Computer based training comes in various forms – it's possible to do a degree using web-based resources, backed up with support by email and occasional tutorials with a real person. Many companies are using the potential of the technology to share resources and good practice, providing help to staff when and where they want it. Unipart has put most of its training materials available electronically, and these can even be accessed from the shop floor to help staff directly at the point they need it.

However, beware of poor quality resources that can turn your desire to acquire skills into raging frustration. Just being given a CD and manual or told to look at a few websites will not help you learn something new. Nor should using electronic resources be an excuse for pushing you into doing lots of extra work in your own time. If your training is being done via a computer, you also need the option of human help from time to time. The computer is, in many cases, replacing the textbook, but you still need someone to guide you through and explain the difficult bits.

There's much to be gained from informal training that uses the expertise of those you work with. This happens regularly at the PR Company, Eulogy! ‘With lots of experienced, capable people in our agency, we wanted to devise a process that encouraged everyone to share knowledge. We run hands on workshops on topics chosen by the team and have someone act as facilitator. That could be one of our guys, a client or journalist. We recently had a client talk us through “dealing with a difficult client”, and one of our own staff plus a journalist did a session on how to sell a news story.’

Next page: Don’t miss the boat

Lack of training can damage future employment prospects and undermine your confidence and ability. Sue now looks back with disbelief at her time working in a further education college. ‘The only training available was about how to deal with the ever growing paperwork; there was nothing that helped me develop my subject knowledge or teaching skills. On top of that, to attend such sessions, I had to find someone to cover my classes for me; which was never easy. For the last year I've been working back in industry and can't believe the difference. I get the chance to participate in worthwhile training, at least, once a month, which keeps me updated, and inspires me to do more. This is a give and take situation, so I'd be happy to do work in my own time, but that's not expected. It seems bizarre that the hardest place for me to get training was in the education sector.’

Be proactive
If your employer is not providing you with the training you deserve, there are several ways in which you can improve the situation:

• Identify your training needs and find solutions to them. Then prepare a strong case for how upskilling yourself would benefit the company.
  
  
• Be prepared to meet your employer half way; for example, offer to do some of the training in your own time, in exchange for having fees paid.
  
  
• Investigate Individual Learning Accounts. This is a scheme whereby, if you pay an initial £25 towards the cost of certain courses, the Government will contribute an extra £150. Get your employer to chip in too. You can find out more about which courses are eligible on www.my-ila.com.

Next page: more you can do

• Take a look at the Campaign for Learning website. As well as organising events during Adult Learners Week, they promote the cause of learning in the workplace, all year round.
  
  
• Contact Learndirect to get more information on training and learning opportunities in your area. They can also provide details about funding, childcare, and local guidance provision.
  
  
• If you’re a member, investigate opportunities offered by your Trade Union. If they're not offering anything, suggest they look at the help available through the Union Learning Fund
  
  
• If all else fails, start looking for a better employer – one that realises the value of offering good training.

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