Upskilling has become more and more important for companies to invest in since the pandemic – investing in skills development for your workforce could be necessary for growth. The pandemic and geopolitical factors have affected the economy as well as many businesses all over the world, so it’s essential that you take advantage of the new favourable conditions to help grow your business. For example, investing in green skills training for your business could be one of the best things you do if you want to prepare for the impact of the green economy.
However, you may not need to pay for all of these upskilling efforts out of your own pocket – you might be able to take advantage of local funding opportunities that will help your staff and business. There has been a worldwide skills gap, and many local authorities are funding education and skills opportunities for working adults in order to close this gap – and many industries are included in the funding. Making sure that you’re looking thoroughly for these opportunities is one of the best things you can do if you want to find funded educational programmes, qualifications or training days for your staff.
For example, one of the largest industries that is benefitting from funded educational training is the construction industry. 1 in 14 of the world’s workers have jobs in the construction industry, so many people are benefitting from the results of nationwide funding in England. Construction NVQs are one of the most popular types of qualification being funded, and there are many benefits for construction workers if they decide to get their NVQ in their chosen occupational role. For example, construction workers with NVQs can access more work and get more experience, allowing them to progress in their career. Construction workers who get their NVQ have more support when it comes to becoming a site supervisor, meaning that they can get more money throughout their working life.
There have been many changes to the law recently regarding construction, and funded NVQs are helping construction workers throughout England navigate these challenges. For example, Grandfather rights will soon be ending throughout England and the UK. This means that construction workers who need their CSCS cards to work on site can no longer get them through a one-time assessment – they will need to work towards their NVQ to be able to receive a card. Funded NVQs are helping construction workers get their CSCS cards without spending thousands of pounds.
The English construction industry has proved that upskilling can only benefit the cause – it has been one of the fastest recovering industries since the pandemic, and has even surpassed it’s progress from before the pandemic. More and more people are currently thinking of entering the construction industry, because of how fast it is currently growing. If you want to take your business to the next level in 2024, make sure that you’re taking advantage of all the available upskilling funding opportunities in your area – this will help your staff gain the skills they need for development, as well as grow your business exponentially.