IT Training Not Meeting Employers' Standards

According to a recent study conducted by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), there is a severe lack of individuals with relevant training for a career in the IT industry. This lack of IT training is evident despite the eminent employability of skilled individuals in the field and the wide range of routes into a career in IT.

The study reveals that a lack of training in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has led to “employers … concerned about the basic literacy and numeracy skills of their current workforce, with over a half (57%) worried about IT skills” and as a result “two-thirds (66%) of firms are having difficulty recruiting STEM skilled staff with a third (32%) having particular problems at graduate and postgraduate level.”

This deficiency in skilled workers has proven to be a positive for those already equipped with these in-demand skills. Employers have been compelled to offer higher salaries than in other areas, even at entry-level. Many employers regardless of the current economic climate are also offering IT Training, as companies see it as a secure investment in their future, with skilled employees in this sector adding value to the company as a whole.

Employers are therefore encouraging people currently seeking jobs to acquire IT training in order to stand out from the crowd, and this education is available even to those currently without any qualifications in the desperately needed subjects. Methods such as distance learning through a home study course allow employees to boost their career while still earning, and this has proven to be an attractive proposition.

The survey, carried out in conjunction with Nord Anglia Education, goes on to disclose the discovery that firms value the analytical and problem solving abilities augmented by study in STEM subjects, and “four in ten employees prefer a STEM degree over any other subject.” With this in mind, it is now a better time than ever to devote time to IT training. Clearly though, people need to factor in existing commitments such as family and social life, so a degree-equivalent qualification earned through distance learning and home study course remains the most appealing option.

A home study course provided by an industry recognised distance learning company often rates as the most viable choice because at the moment in-house training is inadequate, despite the government’s flagship Train to Gain scheme aiming to grant training to employees of SMEs. Unfortunately this has been less than successful according to the study: “two-fifths (42%) of employers using its flagship Train to Gain programme say it has delivered ‘no impact’ for their business, and three-quarters rated its training brokerage service as ‘poor’ or at best ‘mixed’.”
The principles of the government scheme are undoubtedly sound and well intentioned, but until the program can offer the specialised career-geared training that the workforce needs, the fact remains that most individuals will choose the convenience of distance learning consisting of a home study course, or seek a place at a college or university for further study.