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Assess your training needs

Before you put in place the right training for your business, you need to identify the skills needs of your workplace and your workers.

You can follow these four basic steps:

Step 1: Give your business a health check

Consider these points

Are you achieving your business goals?
What is your market share and where is it heading?
How is your bottom line?
Are you getting the most from your staff?
What is the level of client satisfaction?
Do you have effective business systems?
Are you achieving high quality outcomes?
What parts of the business need improvement?

Step 2: Consult your staff

Consult your staff on an annual basis to determine their training and development needs. Examine their existing skills and see if there are any shortfalls or mismatches. Also listen to their career aspirations and ambitions.

Step 3: Create a training needs profile

After consulting with your employees determine where skill gaps lie.
Compare skills already obtained with skills required to do the current job, and those skills required for future development.
Identify any staff who would benefit from the skills recognition process.
Consider the need to cross-skill staff.
Identify any need to replace graduating apprentices or trainees or to recruit new apprentices or trainees to meet new skills needs.

Step 4: Establish a training and development plan

Decide how to deliver the skills to your staff, either through in-house training or through outsourcing to a Registered Training Provider
Once all requirements have been worked out, draw up a training and development plan to show your commitment to the training process.
The plan should list all of the courses scheduled, the employees identified as participants, the dates, venues and session times.
Remember that existing staff can participate in apprenticeships and traineeships.