Weighing in on the Training Scale

[Suzanne-Boden]

Like people, training comes in different sizes. Put another way, training suits different purposes—and it scales from individuals to organizations.

• Individuals use training to gain new knowledge and skills that will help them do their current job faster and smarter, earn more responsibility (and pay), and reinvent themselves professionally.
• Projects use training to make sure team members acquire the skills they need to complete the project on time, on budget, and on spec. The skills that project team members acquire are almost always transferable to future projects.

• Departments use training plans to support functional job roles. Training is used to onboard new employees and support  performance objectives for all employees. Training plans are a great tool to document the knowledge and skills needed for each role—they also assist with writing job descriptions used to recruit and evaluate job candidates.
• Organizations increasingly understand the strategic benefits of workforce development. Workforce development includes training but more fundamentally, it encompasses the organization's belief that investment in their human talent is directly linked to achieving long-term business objectives. When integrated into the fabric of an organization, resources spent on workforce development are validated by the organization's bottom line. Because when individuals are empowered to perform to their potential—and they believe the organization is vested in their success—productivity, loyalty, and innovation have a rich environment in which to thrive.

Where are you on the training scale? Esri offers free planning assistance for all sizes.