With the economy and our world of work changing at an ever-faster pace, learning new skills isn’t just something that young people have to think about.
From getting to grips with advancing technologies to adapting to new ways of working, more and more people are looking towards upskilling and reskilling to help their careers.
And neither is it something to only consider when changing jobs. For businesses looking to source new skills, plan ahead or attract new talent in a competitive jobs market, training and development can be an essential ingredient to future success.
To support businesses with their skills needs, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) has launched a new employer hub, bringing together a series of tools and services so that employers can identify ways of working smarter.
Recognising that skills are a vital part of the growth and productivity of any business, the support available on the employer hub can help employers plan for and manage their skills needs to ensure their business has the right people with the right skills in the right roles.
Marion Beattie, Head of Skills Growth and Inward Investment at SDS said: “This new part of the existing SDS website has been developed in consultation with employers and offers tools so businesses can identify the skills they need now and in the future.
“It’s easy to navigate, points employers towards what further support is available and can help any business develop a skills plan that will help boost growth and productivity.”
The employer hub includes a Skills Management Tool to help businesses identify their skills priorities and a Skills Discovery Tool which offers help with upskilling and reskilling by comparing current roles in a business with future needs.
There’s also access to useful webinars and lots of information on other ways that SDS can support a business.
One company to benefit from SDS support is RoslinCT, a global cell and gene therapy contract development and manufacturing organisation based in Edinburgh and Boston.
With support from SDS and Scottish Enterprise as part of a Team Scotland approach, the company has been able to grow their business by investing in upskilling their people and attracting new talent.
RoslinCT has been account managed by Scottish Enterprise since 2015 receiving a range of support, and in 2020, went through Skills for Growth, a fully-funded service from SDS for businesses with fewer than 250 employees which helps them identify their skills needs.
This led to a new people strategy to help leadership and management deal with challenges associated with rapid growth, including communications and personal development.
Callum Watson, Head of People at RoslinCT, UK said: “Team Scotland have been incredibly supportive throughout our growth journey and have been instrumental in helping us to ensure we are able to meet our ambitious plans for expansion and growth. The team have been with us, providing guidance and support whenever we’ve needed it.
“They have supported us in the creation of our People Strategy which provided a roadmap to ensuring RoslinCT was able to meet its goals from a people perspective and that our workplace is the best possible place to work.”
To find out more about the skills support available for your business, visit
employers.sds.co.uk
