A report released this month by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, Upskilling and reskilling: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on employers and their training choices, has found that a sizeable proportion of businesses are now looking to training to help them to recover and grow in the post pandemic economy: around one third expect to increase the training provided to employees over the next 12 months.
Referencing Ai Group’s research, the report discusses the variety of human capital investment strategies that employers use to achieve their business objectives. It recognises that ongoing skilling of the workforce is widely seen by Australian businesses as being essential for competitiveness in a globalised post-pandemic economy, characterised by rapid technological change. The report’s research found that the most important drivers of training were:
The report suggests that the nation’s post-pandemic economic recovery, with the transition to new ways of working, offers opportunities for the VET system to address the needs of employers. It suggests that the VET sector’s ability to respond to industry’s challenges will play a key role in determining the future competitiveness of Australian employers in a post-pandemic world.
