Published on the 10/05/2013 | Written by Newsdesk

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…

The Kelly Global Workforce Index (KGWI) is an annual global survey of 122,000 people, including more than 3500 New Zealanders, that examines the ways employees prefer 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,” said Colfer.

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

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, however, almost half said it would give them the chance to enter a new field of work or the opportunity for advancement in another company.

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

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

“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,” said Colfer.

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).

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

Complete findings are published in a new report, Career Development and Upskilling.