Training and development and skill inventory:

Fundamental to the delivery of any path project is the development of the team and the professional development of all individuals.

Training and Development is an educational process- ‘the process of bringing a person to an agreed standard of skill by practice and instruction’.

Effective trainings can develop skills and behaviors that can be transferred back to the workplace.

when setting any objectives for  ‘The Training Cycle’ we should be using the standard management practice of using SMART objectives.

S	we will notice that the above objectives are specific in that they explain a number of individual tasks.
M	They are measurable in that we can determine if the tasks have been completed by checking against the targets, e.g. 2000 words, four bridges, grid reference, and so on.
A	They are achievable in that resources are available to complete the project. For example, is there sufficient time for completion and does the candidate have access to a computer?
R	They should be realistic. Clearly projects have to be set at an appropriate level and be relevant to the development of the individual. We have to ask whether the person presently has the skills to carry out the project, does he/she need training or can they learn by completing the project?
T	Finally, the project should be time-bound in that we have to set time targets for completion, and possibly for reviewing progress.

If we are able to set SMART objectives it makes the job of evaluation and review much easier.

Identify the need

The need for staff training can be identified in a number of ways, such as during interviews, through feedback from colleagues, by competence or knowledge tests, by observing work taking place, or from appraisal documents or CVs. Skills and knowledge audits and a SWOT analyses are well-known techniques that can be used for self-assessment as well as for identifying the needs of individuals and groups.

Training can: -

●      _ increase people’s confidence

●      _ confirm to people the value of what they are already doing

●      _ enable people to pass on new skills to colleagues in the workplace

●      _ raise general awareness

●      _ change people’s attitudes

●      _ improve morale

Skills Inventory:

A skills inventory is a compilation of the skills, education and experiences of current employees. Organizations use these inventories to assess their ability to meet certain company goals. Understanding the company’s pool of current skills/talents and its future skill requirements can aid an organization in its strategic planning efforts.

i.e. Listing of abilities, capacities, qualifications, and career goals of the employees to identify suitable candidates for internal recruitment or promotions.

It can include: -

●      skills,

●      talents,

●      knowledge,

●      Attributes (like motivation, and confidence).

Benefits of an Employee Skills Inventory: -

●      Collect skills in real-time.

●      Report results immediately with our robust, online diagnostic platform.

●      Gain a comprehensive view of the current skill base for the entire organization.

●      Locate specific skills by geography, division, or many other useful demographics.

●      Identify strengths that correlate with organizational success.

●      Isolate skill gaps and build targeted training programs.

●      Prioritize skills needed in critical strategic areas to meet business requirements.

●      Create a searchable directory of skills to be used throughout the organization for team building and succession planning.

●      Create a community of practice for technical resources across the globe.

●      Give employees an opportunity to voice their skills, talents and interests.

●      Match job descriptions with employees’ skill sets for better employee satisfaction and productivity.

Four Essential Components for Skills Inventory Management:-

1. A Well-defined Classification System:

An objective system must rely on an established list of predefined skills and an agreed-upon set of criteria by which to measure them.

2. A Consistent Unit of Measure

3. An Efficient Measurement Process

4. A Practical Tracking and Reporting System

●      Skills tracking:  “The skill tracking system helps us get the right talent at the right time and engage existing employees appropriately. Employee-skill inventory also helps in designing customized training and development programmes.

●      Skills mapping: the process of giving the employees feedback on their skill sets.. “An assessment exercise helps to measure the “as-is” status of the employee and provide a structured feedback on the strengths and the weaknesses. Based on this feedback, the employees are provided a learning environment where they can pick up specific topics and improve their understanding of these topics.