It is recognised that there is a notable gap between the number of vacancies that require new skills and the able candidates to fulfil them. Investing in employee skills addresses not only any missing job relevant capabilities, but also helps considerably when saving resources or staying lean as it eliminates the need to recruit and onboard. An organisational learning culture not only demonstrates to employees a defined path to career progression but increases retention rates and productivity. Put neatly the company is investing in its own competitive advantage in the market.

The apprenticeship levy supports SMEs with relevant and current apprenticeship programmes at a fraction of the cost through the co-investment scheme. It has never been cheaper to have access to truly great programmes for your staff. Those larger organisations who pay into the levy directly have basically already paid for these programmes so upskilling for them is a way to not only engage positively with employees but to use that money effectively and drive internal capability. The current economic turmoil that has resulted from COVID-19 is a timely reminder that a focus on learning and skillsets is not just for when times are good but even more necessary when we need to stimulate growth and performance.

Every career has ups and downs but the key is to always try to give yourself the best possible chance for success. Being an asset with a diverse and more advanced skill set not only reduces the possibility of redundancy as companies increasingly focus on lean methodologies but demonstrates your professional value thus giving you job security.

Giving your qualifications a boost with current and job relevant learning opens up more varied and interesting work for you to get involved in and helps with promotion by giving you a competitive edge. Training can be equated to future proofing and offers you new challenges and opportunities. 
Simply put, improving your skill set improves your employability.