In the modern knowledge economy, pressure is on employers to deliver effective training to their staff - in terms of both keeping the right people and ensuring the maintenance of correct skills.
Work-based training is a solution for many employers. Says Rueben, a mechanic who recently completed a work-based training
programme through his employer: ``My boss came up to me one day and asked if I was interested in upgrading my own skills as well as earning New Zealand Qualifications Authority [NZQA] credits for national certificates and diplomas. I jumped at the chance, and through a private provider I was able to learn some of the latest techniques as well as add something more useful to my own CV.''
As the SkillNZ website emphasises, workplace learning - or industry training - is on or off-the-job education and training that counts towards a nationally recognised qualification. One of the main benefits is that business workforces can learn and upgrade their own skills and get more skills to do the job. As in Rueben's case, in trade-based education, it is the `on-the-job' learning that is most beneficial. And this is something that the government, training organisations and employers are latching onto.
Work-based training is potentially useful for a huge range of industries, and is a useful step into industries for school leavers who may lack the formal school-level qualifications but who could, with the right aptitude and practical guidance, excel in numerous professional trades, such as the armed services and the police.
Research by SkillNZ shows that staff training can potentially produce returns ranging from 30 per cent to 7000 per cent. It says that employees who have undertaken recognised training courses may be up to 230 per cent more productive than their untrained colleagues undertaking the same job.
Essentially, training in strategic areas improves productivity and employee motivation. This has been shown to filter through to business profitability and ultimately to future growth opportunities. Innovation is another aspect of business performance, which is likely to increase from work-based training.
Vince is an employer who has hooked into modern work-based training at his plastics factory.
"My employees are able to utilise the latest technologies more efficiently than before, they are now well on the way to national diplomas in business administration as well as trade and information technology qualifications."
"Motivation and morale has increased as a consequence and I'm not as worried as I was about losing trained staff and trying to find replacements.''
Work-based training is here to stay, and something all employers should take seriously.
In the modern knowledge economy, pressure is on employers to deliver effective training to their staff - in terms of both keeping the right people and ensuring the maintenance of correct skills.
Work-based training is a solution for many employers. Says Rueben, a mechanic who recently completed a work-based training
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