The workplace survey highlights that nine out of ten Indian respondents believe their current skills will be outdated within five years. The survey reflects that employees across age groups have put emphasis on training and skill development to further their career goals in a rapidly changing labour market. Of the sample, 69% of respondents thought that training should be a joint responsibility between an employer and employee. More than half of those surveyed (52%) preferred on-the-job training followed by another 33% opting for professional development courses. Only 13% of respondents chose to be trained in the form of self-initiated learning and 3% opted for formal university or college qualifications.
While more women respondents preferred on-the-job training and more men preferred professional development courses as the best method to upgrade their skills, a Kelly statement said.
It is the current economic environment that has made people well aware of their skills and whether the existing skill set would be sufficient to survive the recession and beyond, into a period of economic recovery said Dhiren Shantilal, senior vice president, Asia Pacific, Kelly Services. Shantilal feels that training may not seem a priority in the present economic climate, but organizations that devote the resources will be more likely to see higher productivity and profitability in future.