What are the best ways to help your team develop technical skills?

- Assess your team's needs. Before implementing any training or development program, survey your team members to understand their current skill levels and identify any gaps compared to the skills needed for their roles. Ask them directly about areas they want or need to improve their skills. - Establish goals and learning plans. Work with each team member to set customized development goals and create detailed learning plans to reach those goals. The plans should include specific skills/topics to focus on, resources to utilize, benchmarks for progress, and timelines.

- Training Programs: Create targeted training programs that align to skill gaps you identify from assessing team needs. These could be in-house programs led by knowledgeable staff or external programs led by subject matter experts. Ensure programs provide opportunities for hands-on practice. - Online Courses: Curate a selection of online courses in needed skill areas and provide subscriptions and time for team members to complete courses. Udemy, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and other platforms offer a huge range of options.

- Set up "lab days" - Schedule regular blocks of time (e.g. every Friday afternoon) when team members can experiment with new technical skills through hands-on labs, projects, prototypes, etc. Create space to try things without pressure. - Use real projects for practice - When appropriate, allow team members to get experience with new technical approaches on lower-priority client projects or internal tools. Have them present resultados for constructive feedback.

Feed back should not focus on the individual who has made a mistake but as a focal point for learning by everyone. Feedback should on behaviours or work not not the person. Feedback should be specific and it should be in a constructive tone. The Team should have ongoing training and development opportunities . Also there should be matching of tasks to the right people in the team.

The most important aspect of any individual or team when it comes to continuous development is curiosity. If a person or group is curious, they will foster a natural motivation not only in themselves, but in any team they collaborate with or contribute to. It is important to reward and praise as appropriate where members share evidence of their curiosity, and not allow competitive personalities or egos to drive away these conversations.

In one of my past work experiences, there was a practice of preparing technical presentations for other members of the technical team on subjects or areas that one did not know well. This practice significantly contributed to a deeper understanding of the technical aspects, manufacturing standards related to the subject, market solutions, and more. The rest of the team participated in a round of questions, followed by an open conversation to share their experiences on the subject.

- Conduct assessments - Measure progress by conducting skills assessments every 6 months. You can use online skills tests, technical interviews, peer reviews, or small projects to rate abilities. Compare results over time. - Gather feedback - Survey team members on the quality and usefulness of training programs. Ask for input on other areas of need and how offerings could be improved to be more practical and impactful.

1. Make it ongoing 2. Align to goals 3. Variety in approaches 4. Consider recognition 5. Be patient 6. Support transition 7. Re-evaluate fit The key is viewing technical skill development as a critical, integrated business priority rather than a one-off training event. It requires serious commitment and a supportive infrastructure to do well.