New Zealanders Want More Help to Develop Skills On the Job

MEDIA RELEASE

4 May 2013

New Zealanders Want More Help to Develop Skills On the Job

Latest findings from Kelly Global Workforce Index™

As skills shortages become more prevalent, particularly in IT and engineering, fewer than half of New Zealand employees are happy with the training they get at work, according to the latest findings from the Kelly Global Workforce Index (KGWI).

The international survey of around 122,000 people, including over 3,500 New Zealanders, examined the ways employees preferred to develop their skills and their motivations for doing so.

Kelly Services® managing director Australia and New Zealand Karen Colfer says the survey underscores how important it is for New Zealand businesses to continue to invest in training and development for staff, particularly as the recovery gains traction.

“The latest KGWI survey highlights that training and professional development are not only essential in building the productive capacity of local businesses, they also play an important role in the retention of employees,” says Karen Colfer.

“For more than half of all local employees, however, the training available in the workplace is not meeting their needs.”

Training for a promotion

According to the survey, 62 percent of New Zealand employees are planning to increase their skills, behind Australia on 64 percent, but ahead of the UK (57 percent) and the US (47 percent).

The key motivation for undertaking additional training or up-skilling is the opportunity for a promotion with their current employer (66 percent). However, almost half (49 percent) said it would give them the chance to enter a new field of work while 46 percent believe additional training or skills development could give them the opportunity for advancement in another company.

Thirty-six percent of New Zealand employees are currently considering re-training to enter a new field of work.

“With the economy showing steady signs of improvement, training does give employees the skills to seek new roles, or change careers entirely,” says Karen Colfer.

“But when provided as part of a total employment package that focuses on professional development, opportunities for interesting and rewarding work, and a great employment experience, training forms a critical part of an effective retention strategy.”

Workplace experience key

According to the KGWI, most New Zealanders like to train on the job, with 79 percent preferring to develop their skills through practical experience at work. Continued education is also popular, with 55 percent of employees indicating this is the best way to improve their skills, followed by professional certification (28 percent) and seminars and webinars (24 percent). Taking on special or rotational assignments is the least popular form of skills development (13 percent).

However, fewer than half (49%) of New Zealand employees believe that the training provided by their employer allows them to upgrade their skills and progress in their career.

“The survey has highlighted a considerable gap between the preferences of New Zealanders to learn on the job and their experience of workplace training,” says Karen Colfer.

“To get the real benefits of training – both in terms of productivity and staff retention – employers need to focus on how successful the training programmes are in their workplace, and consider providing additional support or bringing in experts to help better engage their staff.”

Critical skills

According to New Zealand employees, the critical skills for success in the workplace are active listening (79 percent) cooperation and teamwork (78 percent), and organisation, and verbal communication (76 percent).

Areas New Zealand employees believe they need to develop include leadership (46 percent), bilingual skills (44 percent) and creativity and innovation (40 percent). English, Mandarin Chinese and French are the preferred choices for employees seeking bilingual skills.

Training for IT and engineering

With ongoing skills shortages in key local sectors, the KGWI survey also explored the skills required in IT, engineering and science. Employees in the IT sector identified analytical thinking (80 percent) and technical skills in systems and software (78 percent) as the critical skills for their success. IT employees also felt they need to develop skills in cloud platforms and migration (62 percent), mobile technologies and UI design (47 percent), and agile development – Scrum certification (42 percent).

Engineering sector employees highlight evaluation and troubleshooting (80 percent), complex problem solving and critical thinking (78 percent) as key to success in their chosen field. Engineering employees would like to develop their technical skills in systems and software (47 percent), project management (42 percent) and 3D solid modelling (40 percent).

“As the local economy grows, employers are going to find themselves in increasing competition for skilled employees, particularly in areas that are experiencing steady growth – like the IT sector – or critical demand – such as engineers to support the Christchurch rebuild,” says Karen Colfer.

“To find and retain the right staff, while supporting the demands of the business, a strong focus on training is crucial.”

Complete findings are published in a new report, Career Development and Upskilling. For more information about the Kelly Global Workforce Index and key regional and generational findings, please visit the Kelly® News Room or www.kellyservices.co.nz

ENDS

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