16 Best practices for upskilling your team

[caption id="attachment_1003739433" align="alignnone" width="660"] Best practices from Edumine. Credit: Edumine[/caption] Mining is facing a critical skills shortage which is threatening a lot of companies. A shortage of skilled workers has been a major concern for the industry for quite some time. Not enough qualified entrants are coming into the industry and experienced people are leaving along with their knowledge. With the age gap widening it has been predicted that one third of the workforce is expected to retire by 2022. Educating your team and continually developing their skills is key to solving this problem. A company who invests in their employees by providing upskilling opportunities, helps fill important positions with experienced, skilled workers who have knowledge to do the job required. A comprehensive learning plan can save a company’s future, not only by educating their staff, but by retaining them. With over 20 years of experience in training the mining industry, Edumine has put together a list of 16 Best Practices for Upskilling Your Team. “Over our 20 years in business, we have helped most of the top mining companies in the world to create meaningful and long-lasting training programs. In the next few years, it will be critical to have strategies in place to train teams and getting that right can be tricky. That’s why we have put together a list of best practices we believe are the key to success,” Marc Borbas, VP of talent solutions with Edumine, said in a release. The 16 best practices include: 1. Have an organizational-focused goal: Organizations should establish the main reasons for wanting to upskill their employees. Oftentimes, training is project specific or to do with cross training so that employees are skilled at multiple roles. Outlining the objectives for upskilling makes it easier to see the type of training the team needs; whether it is for professional development or career advancement, etc. 2. Have employee-focused goals: Employees should establish their objectives before starting a course in order to get the most out of the course. Why are you taking a course? To meet your CPD (continuing professional development) obligations; to increase your chances of landing a job; as part of a mine training program; or a personal imperative to increase your knowledge of the subject? 3. Set aside budget: Training is very beneficial and should be looked at as an investment. Setting aside a budget and making learning opportunities readily available makes employees feel valued and appreciated. It also helps the company organize their spending. 4. Begin by looking internally: Oftentimes, there are experts within the organization who can render training to those who need it. Start by looking at the staff members who can provide training to others. Employees who have been trained in certain skills can, in turn, train their colleagues to get the necessary knowledge. To learn more about Edumine's offerings and download the rest of the practices, visit https://www.edumine.com/16-bestpractices/. Edumine is part of the Glacier Resource Innovation Group