Training and Development – Fit for the Challenge!

It is an understatement to say that the current economic times are challenging.  The role of human resource development in the achievement of the strategic plans and objectives required to deal with these challenges is therefore central and now more important than ever.  Ireland faces similar challenges to other economies and the question we must ask ourselves is “are we ready to respond when the circumstances change for the better?”.

Ireland must become faster and more competitive than the international competition and the same applies for our organisations and people.  As local and international markets contract, we must be leaner and continuously improve what we do to ensure our economic success, perhaps even our economic survival.  With exchequer funding and organisational profits tightening, we must find new and innovative ways to address our training and development needs at national, organisational and individual levels.

In this context, the human resource development profession needs to identify the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to respond rapidly and appropriately to new opportunities, as they make themselves available.  And to make the future even more testing, you must now do this with reducing budgets and with no option but to assure the organisational stakeholders that there is a clear return on investment in the event they accept your recommendation to invest. So, it is incumbent on us all in the profession to ensure we invest wisely as this testing period will set the scene for the profession into the near future.
This testing period will identify those organisations who really believe in investing in their human resources. This testing period will also identify those human resource development professionals who are willing and able to meet the challenge as it is now presented.

While budgets and access to resources may be uncertain the following activities are the cornerstone of what we need to do;

1. Conduct organisation led, focussed Training Needs Analysis which will help to prioritise training and development interventions that add immediate and longterm value to the bottom line; e.g. up skill the income generators or the cost reducers in the business to meet the demands of the new business environment.
2. Be creative so training and development solutions make an immediately impression on the individual’s development and the impact on the business is reduced; e.g. blend the use of classroom, support materials and on-the-job coaching to achieve the optimum use of the individual’s time.
3. Find new sources of resources to support your investment in people; e.g. County Enterprise Boards, FAS One-Step-Up and Skillnets. These fantastic supporting organisations provide access to financial supports, grants and various other mechanisms that can significantly reduce the burden on budgets while allowing the necessary investments to take place.
4. Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate ….. Providers are now selling a commodity in a market where there is over supply, so take advantage of this now as who knows how long it will last; e.g. if you are a provider make sure your product has a valuable unique selling point and when procuring training make sure you insist on the best possible value for your outlay.
5. And finally, make the time to measure the impact so that the benefits of the investment are tangible, understood and actually impact on the bottom line. Businesses will always invest when the return on the investment is worthwhile; e.g. when you demonstrate that the resources expended have made a positive impact on the bottom line you are more likely to get the investment when you look for it again.
6. As human resource development professionals, it is incumbent on us to lead the way and continuously develop our own professional skills to ensure we can support our organisations and our people as they strive to continuously improve.  We cannot expect our clients to embrace continuously improving their skills, knowledge and attitudes, if, as professionals we do not embrace adapting and improving our own. Not only will further learning and development enhance the quality of your contribution to your clients, it will give you a competitive edge when it comes to adding value to your clients, changing jobs or winning new business.

As you upgrade your skills, knowledge and attitude the return on investment to both you and the organisation will be ultimately visible in the quality of the human resource development service and solutions you provide. As the professional body representing members involved in, or concerned with, human resource development in Ireland, the IITD (Irish Institute of Training and Development) is committed to supporting the continuous professional development of the human resource development profession.  This is a core tenet of our mission and through the provision of education and training programmes, the Institute provides the opportunity for members to actively embrace their continuous professional development in the area of training and development.
IITD has developed an accredited qualification route for training and HRD professionals, mapped to the National Framework of Qualifications, from the Certificate in Training and Development and the four-day Trainer Skills Certificate, through to the BA in Training and Development at FETAC level seven. The Institute has also collaborated on the new MA in Learning and Development Consultancy, which commenced at UCC in September.    

Set up earlier this year, the Trainers’ Learning Skillnet offers micro training organisations, and training departments within larger companies, a host of support and development opportunities.  This IITD led Skillnet provides a forum where organisations can collaborate, network and promote best practice in trainer competencies and skills, and offers the training and development profession the opportunity to continuously develop their skills, knowledge and attitudes through its development opportunities.  New members to the Skillnet are very welcome and I would encourage you to avail of the cost effective and value adding CPD opportunities presented by this Skillnet (www.trainerslearningskillnet.com).

The IITD continues to adapt and change to meet the evolving challenge for the profession and we will continue to support you as we all face into the challenging times ahead. As a professional Institute, the IITD is inclusive and recognises the importance of networking with your peers.  We welcome and encourage new members to join and enjoy the many benefits, which membership offers. 

On behalf of the Institute, we look forward to continue working on behalf of you - the human resource development profession in Ireland – into the future.

John Gorman is President and a Fellow of the IITD. 
HR Manager of Green Isle Foods, John has been involved in the training & development profession for almost 15 years.