UK workers want employers to offer more training

Events for Learning at Work Week are taking place all over the UK this week (16–22 May), yet a report has revealed that over a quarter of workers want their employer to offer more training opportunities.

According to recent research conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Halogen in their latest Employee Outlook report, more than a quarter (27%) of the employees questioned were ‘dissatisfied with the opportunity to develop their skills in their job’.

These results correspond with figures from Love Energy Savings which, after surveying more than 1,400 people, found that almost half of them (49%) did not believe that their employer was offering them enough learning and development opportunities.

Learning at Work Week (which was formerly Learning at Work Day) Is an annual awareness campaign organised by the Campaign for Learning, which aims to put the spotlight on the importance and benefits of learning and development in the workplace. It promotes an inclusive approach and supports the extension of opportunities to learn to all employees, especially those who may not currently participate for reasons that may range from personal barriers to historic organisational structures that focus development on particular staff.

Organisations taking part in this year’s Learning at Work Week events include Debenhams, Tower Hamlets EBP and Companies House, among others. Its partners include The Open University Business School, which is running two free webinars for colleagues during Learning at Work Week on professional networking and business communications. Meanwhile, Pearson is offering a series of special webinars on New Apprenticeships for HR, L&D and Recruitment professionals (which can also be viewed online after broadcast).

Julia Wright, National Director of Campaign for Learning, said: “The surveys’ results suggest that people continue to recognise the value of learning and developing at work. But it also throws up interesting questions including how learning opportunities are defined.

“Often, learning at work is equated to formal training but there are so many ways in which our development can be supported, from peer support to coaching through online and social learning. Many companies that participate in Learning at Work Week are leading the way in promoting the different ways we can learn at work and supporting learning cultures where all types of learning are valued.”