-David O’Connor, Commercial Manager, The Learning Wave

Having had the opportunity to attend a number of industry conferences over the past few weeks and network with a variety of industry players, I can’t help but reflect on the role training plays in the Manufacturing sector.

I find myself questioning whether there is a reset needed in order for the industry to see the desired value and outcomes from the training investment.

Traditionally, the Manufacturing sector believed that ‘qualifications’ are the currency when it comes to training staff, and while there is a place for qualifications, we need to challenge ourselves on whether we are seeing the outcomes deemed so essential in the current environment through this means of training.

The general feeling amongst the industry at the moment is that there is a need to lift productivity, create a more dynamic workforce and work on the softer skills which ultimately create a more engaged and efficient organisation. Unfortunately it’s commonly agreed that the current qualification based training is not hitting the mark.

With increasing commentary about the need for NZ Manufacturers to invest and adapt to smart technology it has been encouraging to hear the conversation evolve into the importance of investing and developing in smart human capital as well.

We need to start talking about how we create smart people, and in doing so create a NZ wide training approach that prioritises skills development and transferable skills , creating a team who are fully engaged and adequately equipped to meet the evolving demands of today’s work.

Focussing on transferable skills in critical areas like leadership and problem solving, rather than task based, role specific skills is the step change the industry needs. Not only will this result in positive productivity and engagement benefits, but will no doubt improve employee retention too.  According to Gallup’s 2022 global workforce survey, engaged workers are 23% more profitable than non-engaged workers.

With the disestablishment of Te Pukenga  and an unclear picture of what the future of the vocational Education system might be, businesses now feel like they are having to shoulder the burden of a system which is not fit for purpose, and we don’t have the luxury of time to wait for central government to solve this.

The evidence is clear, having a workforce that is capable of learning and applying a wide range of skills leads to increased efficiency and productivity. Rather than being constrained by narrow job descriptions, and traditional task focussed, qualification based training pathways, lets focus on creating teams who have a broader skill set, the ability to handle complex problems, individuals who are constantly looking for opportunities to make things better,  with transferable skills enabling them to support different teams and projects, and with the confidence and skills to lead, coach and mentor.

The question is, what now? The answer is simple: invest in your people, invest in creating development pathways to grow their transferable skills, and give them the opportunity to apply them across a range of roles, tasks and experiences.

As a sector, we have an obligation to do right by our people and businesses, rather than live in hope that a pot of funding becomes available to support this.