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At the end of last year,ÌýtheÌýÌýhighlighted that investment in training among UK businesses had fallen toÌýitsÌýlowest levelsÌýsince tracking began back in 2011.ÌýThis seemed toÌýindicateÌýthat organisations are tightening the purseÌýstringsÌýand,Ìýin an increasingly challenging climate,Ìýthe first casualty is the L&D budget.ÌýÌý

But cost-cutting when it comes to trainingÌýdoesn’tÌýhave to spell a cut in quality or a delay in individual and organisational development. This isÌýbecause trainingÌýdoesn’tÌýrely on big investment, but onÌýbetter consideration of your needs, careful planning and ensuring you are playing to your strengths.Ìý

As well as this, Welsh businessesÌýare able toÌýaccessÌýfully-fundedÌýwork-based learning from the Welsh Government. Meaning thatÌýthe only investment they need to make is time and ensuring their employees are supported throughoutÌýtheirÌýlearner journey.Ìý

Here are some things to consider.

TrainingÌýisn’tÌýa tick box exerciseÌý

TrainingÌýshouldn’tÌýbe treated as something someone doesÌýbecause theyÌýhave to. Attendance aloneÌýdoesn’tÌýcreate the value, rather the change it yieldsÌýas a result ofÌýwhat’sÌýlearntÌýisÌýwhat’sÌývaluable. GoodÌýtraining challenges how a person performs, how a teamÌýoperatesÌýand how a business can drive positive change.Ìý

OrganisationsÌýwho maximise their training budgetÌýshift the question fromÌý‘what training should we buy?’ÌýtoÌý‘what do we need our people to do better?’ÌýThis shift in thinkingÌýreframes learning as a strategy rather than aÌýone-offÌýpurchase.

Talent is right under your noseÌý

Before looking externally,Ìýit’sÌýworth taking a closer lookÌýat what you have within your organisation. ManyÌýbusinessesÌýassume they lackÌýcertainÌýskills when, in reality, theyÌýjustÌýhaven’tÌýhad chance to come to the forefront yet. Knowledge often sits informally within teams, built through experience but notÌýformally recognised or shared.Ìý

Employees can often become accidental experts in their field, with a wealth of knowledge that they could be sharing with others. And that’s not just sharing within their team but to the wider organisation to help others gain new insight and skills. By utilising internal staff knowledge, businesses can reduce unnecessary spend and share skills that are particularly relevant to their operations.

Ensure change is the centre of your focusÌý

A common challenge in learning and development is focusing on the training itself rather than the impact it can have. It’s easy to measure how many people attended a course or enrol in a qualification, but much harder to measure what change it yields.Ìý

The most effective training isÌýdirectly linkedÌýtoÌýreal businessÌýchallenges and gives people the opportunity to apply new skills straight away. When learning is tied to practical,Ìýmeasurable goalsÌýthat areÌýlinkedÌýto an individual’s roleÌýit becomes part ofÌýeveryday workÌý– meaning changeÌýfeels like a natural development rather than another task added to the list.Ìý

When looking at training options,Ìýkeep in mind the goals you have and how this training will help obtain them.
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Apprenticeships are for everyoneÌý

Apprenticeships are often misunderstood as being only for new starters or entry-level roles. This is not the case, in fact, they are undertaken by professionals at all stages of their careers as they offer a flexible route to develop skills on the job.Ìý

FromÌýgaining better insights into digital tools to becoming aÌýmore confidentÌýmanager,Ìýwork-based learning offers progression in a wide variety of subjects.ÌýÌý

ACT,ÌýWales’Ìýlargest training provider,Ìýworked with more thanÌýa thousandÌýorganisations to help develop their staff.ÌýThe team works with businesses to understand their goals, ensuring that training becomesÌýa strategic tool for growthÌýboth for the individual learner and their employer.

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IfÌýyou’reÌýcurrently looking at your 26/27 training budget, make sureÌýto keep in mind that the most important questionÌýshouldn’tÌýbeÌý‘what training can I afford?’
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It should instead be ‘am I making the most of the funding available to me?’ ‘Am I developing the people I already have?’Ìýand ‘Is the training yielding the results we need?’ÌýBecause ultimately, theÌýorganisations that are getting ahead this yearÌýwon’tÌýbe the ones spending the most on training, but the ones thinking about how learning can driveÌýthe mostÌýchange.