Employees must continually adapt their skills to keep pace with the evolving job market. Sofie Gollob, project manager at the Swiss Federation for Continuing Education, shares insights on effectively identifying and meeting these needs.
Developing employee skills is a key challenge for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as they adapt to technological advancements and face growing shortages of qualified labor. According to a study by the Swiss Federation for Continuing Education (FSEA), nearly three-quarters of companies include continuing education in their strategies, and two-thirds allocate it within their budgets. Despite this, nearly half of employees rarely have the chance to gain new skills, and 45% of companies report challenges in assessing their employees' training needs. Sofie Gollob, project manager at the FSEA and co-author of the study, distinguishes between 'non-formal' training – such as courses – and 'informal' development, which encompasses knowledge-sharing among colleagues and mentoring from managers within the company.
Why do nearly half of employees have limited access to continuing education?
Sofie Gollob: Many companies lack the time and financial resources. In addition, companies often do not systematically integrate further training into their strategy, even if they recognize the need to expand employees' skills with the help of further training. This has to do with the fact that many only rarely and selectively perceive a corresponding need. Almost half of them find it difficult to determine their employees' skills requirements at all, which can have an inhibiting effect. And if SMEs do not see the concrete benefits of further training, they do not implement it.
There is also a tendency to underestimate how much informal training companies provide. The relevant measures are often not seen as training by the company managers themselves because it is part of everyday working life and is therefore perceived as a matter of course.
What is the best way to determine their employees’ needs in terms of skills?
Gollob: There is a need to cultivate a culture of learning and continuous training in companies. Regular, inclusive meetings with employees, for example, can help to jointly identify skill gaps and areas needing improvement. Businesscan also seek advice from training providers to develop customized solutions. A collaborative approach between the company, its teams, and external experts often provides clearer insights into skill development needs, emphasizing proactive preparation for future changes rather than occasional adjustments.
How can training providers help improve continuing education in Switzerland?
Gollob: For non-formal training, one way to strengthen offerings is through closer collaboration with industry associations. These associations can serve as intermediaries between their members and training providers, enabling more sector-specific, tailored courses.
Informal training can also be enhanced within the company by regularly organizing targeted knowledge-sharing sessions among employees or arranging coaching from supervisors and experienced colleagues. Additionally, promoting self-directed learning through specialized reading materials, videos, and now AI tools, is an effective approach.
Resources for continuing education often focus on the most highly qualified employees. Why is this?
Gollob: Highly qualified employees tend to be more proactive in seeking training opportunities and often have stronger negotiating power with their employers. Many managers also expect that these educated profiles, already accustomed to learning, will acquire new skills more quickly and effectively than less-qualified employees, providing a better return on investment. Moreover, skill requirements in highly technical and complex roles evolve more rapidly than other areas of activity, which drives a greater need for continuous training.
How can we prevent the skills gap from widening?
Gollob: At company level, the question arises as to whether SMEs see their low-skilled employees as a resource to cover their skills shortage. This requires the willingness of company managers to support employees who have the necessary motivation to obtain a vocational qualification, for example. This will allow them to move out of the 'low qualification' phase and be integrated into the Swiss education system.
From a socio-economic perspective, it is to be feared that developments in the field of artificial intelligence will widen the gap between highly trained workers and those with an ever-greater skills gap, meaning that the latter will be increasingly excluded from the workforce. The Confederation and cantons should therefore continue to invest in measures to promote basic skills among adults, as digital skills are also strengthened as part of these measures.
Biography
Sofie Gollob holds a master’s degree in economic history from the University of Zurich and a Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in applied statistics from ETH Zurich. Her work has focused on areas such as continuing education statistics, training evaluation, corporate continuing education, and essential skills development. Since 2020, she has been a project manager at the Swiss Federation for Continuing Education (FSEA).
In discusion
"Weiterbildungen müssen Teil der Unternehmenskultur werden"
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Last modification 20.11.2024
