What's the expiration date?

Would you believe me if I said this may be the most important question you could ask about your skills initiative?

Back in 2020 the WEF printed that over half of all employees globally will need to upskill or reskill to keep pace with evolving job requirements. I'm not certain if it's that high as we close in on 2025, but the WEF also forecasted that by 2030 more than 1 billion people will need to be reskilled to adapt to the changing job landscape. So, what does this mean for us?

The Skill Learning Predicament: When to Jump In and When to Hold Back

As corporate learning leaders, we often find ourselves in this whirlwind of skill initiatives. But before diving headfirst, it’s crucial to pause and consider whether it’s truly worth the investment. Let me share an experience that illustrates this dilemma perfectly.

The Situation: Identifying a Skill Gap

A while back I identified a skill gap for one of our machine operator roles. At first glance this gap impacted about 23 operators across five of our facilities, with even more operators waiting to move into the role. This seemed like a pressing issue that required immediate attention. However, a deeper dive into the situation revealed some important nuances.

The Discovery: Machines on the Way Out

After a little digging, I learned that these particular machines were scheduled to be replaced over the next three years. This revelation significantly altered the urgency and relevance of addressing the skill gap. Why invest heavily in training for a machine that’s soon to be obsolete?

The Specificity: A Niche Problem

Further investigation revealed that this skill gap only occurred when running one specific product with a certain color requirement: further narrowing the scope of the problem considerably.

The Frequency: Rare Occurrences

Looking into our product development spreadsheet, I found that we only run this type of product about five times a year. It’s a short run of a few thousand units and is always done on the third shift to minimize disruption. This means the impact of the skill gap is limited both in frequency and scale.

The Dilemma: To Train or Not to Train?

Given this information, I faced an internal predicament. Addressing the skill gap is important, but is spending two to three months developing a learning solution and the accompanying training time truly worth it?

Based on all the information above, I was able to present a sound argument for only developing a job aide because I was able to get all the information before starting; some of it without asking. So, with this in mind here's a few things to consider in skills initiative.

Key Considerations for a Skills Learning Mindset

1. Assess the Longevity of the Skill: Before jumping into developing a new training program, consider how long the skill will be relevant. If the skill is on its way out, it might be more prudent to invest resources elsewhere.
2. Evaluate the Specificity and Frequency: Determine how often the skill is actually needed and in what specific contexts. If the skill gap only affects a niche area or is required infrequently, the urgency to address it may not be as high.
3. Weigh the Impact vs. Investment: Balance the importance of addressing the skill gap with the resources required to develop and deliver the training. If the impact is minimal and the investment is substantial, it might not be worth pursuing.
4. Consider Alternative Solutions: Look for other ways to address the issue. Could temporary measures or quick fixes suffice until the machines are replaced? Sometimes a simpler solution can be more effective and efficient.
5. Future-Proofing Your Training: Ensure that the skills you’re investing in are aligned with future needs and technologies. Avoid spending time and resources on skills that are likely to become obsolete soon.

Conclusion: Strategic Skill Development

Jumping right into a skills learning mindset without thorough analysis can lead to wasted resources and suboptimal outcomes. By carefully considering the longevity, specificity, frequency, and overall impact of the skill gap, we can make more informed decisions about when and how to invest in training programs.

In our case, the decision to hold back on developing an extensive training program for a soon-to-be-obsolete machine running a rarely used product made sense. Instead, we focused on more pressing and long-term training needs, ensuring that our resources were used effectively.

As corporate learning leaders, it’s our responsibility to balance immediate needs with strategic foresight, ensuring that our training programs are both relevant and impactful. So, the next time you identify a skill gap, ask yourself: Is this worth the investment, or is there a better way to address the issue? Sometimes, the best course of action is to hold back and wait for the right moment to jump.

Tune in next time for more insights into what can derail your skills initiative. Thanks for reading, until next time...