skills gap

3 Ways to Close the Skills Gap for Your Employees

The skills gap is a term to describe the difference between what skill-set an employee has and what they need to do their job. The large majority of companies worldwide (87%) are aware that they either already have a skills gap or will have one within a few years, according to McKinsey & Company.The skills gap in tech can be caused by anything from skill shortage to changing careers to simply the pace of technology. 

Read further to learn how to focus on three different ways to help your employees get the skills they need to succeed at their job. 

1. Provide Training for Your Employees

Training is a great way to bridge the skills gap. You can provide employee training and ensure your company employees are trained upon the core skills they need to do their jobs. Hiring employees with a skill gap can be difficult and often mean more job-hopping and lower retention rates. This is one of the essential strategies for closing the skills gap. If you have an employee who needs to improve their skill set but doesn’t have time or resources, training is the most effective option.

2. Coaching and Mentoring is Another Option 

Coaching is another effective strategy for closing the skills gap. With coaching, instead of educating employees on how to perform a new task, they are helped and guided on learning and improving. If a lot can be accomplished with an already available resource, what about those who still have no mastery of the task? This is where coaching comes in handy. It can provide guidance and understanding of the skill set that is mastered by the employee. Mentoring is a great way to learn more about your job and career options. At Udacity, there are a plethora of mentoring options available for students to access.

3. Offer on-the-Job Learning 

On-the-job learning can be beneficial for professional development and leadership. It provides practical experience with the job tasks and allows for various skills to be developed, such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and more. When on-the-job learning is done correctly, it follows a structured process that includes several steps, building on the previous.

Udacity Helps Companies Accelerate Learning 

Ready to reduce your learner turnover? Udacity is a leading online learning destination that uses technology to change the way students and professionals learn fundamentally. Udacity’s Enterprise Solutions are designed to help companies modernize their workforce by accelerating their learning and improving retention rates.

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Eraina Ferguson
Eraina Ferguson
Eraina Ferguson is the Marketing and Communications Manager at Udacity. Her recent monologue, Listen to Her, was read by actress Marla Gibbs and featured at the WACO Theatre’s 50in50 event. Her writing has been featured on NBC Universal, Red Tricycle, LA Parents Magazine, and the LA Times. Eraina lives in California with her husband and children.