The Importance Of Workforce Skills Development Shared At eCom Scotland’s Annual Conference
Speakers from government and industry shared their vision for workforce skills development at eCom Scotland’s annual conference, Upskilling the Workforce – A More Innovative Approach, on Wednesday 15th March in Edinburgh.
In his keynote address, Jamie Hepburn, Scottish Government Minister for Employability and Training, talked about the importance of developing the young workforce and the impact that apprenticeships will have on skills development in Scotland.
A key theme for the day was that more innovation is needed to meet the training and skills challenges for workers at different career stages. Clare Moore from Business Jigsaw provided an interesting insight into the current trends in workplace skills development and how organisations are tackling leadership development.
Presentations from Joanne Simpson and Antony Quin from IWCF (International Well Control Forum) highlighted the benefits that an integrated learning platform has brought to their organisation, including helping to push the boundaries of well control training.
The event concluded with eCom’s Shona Smart showcasing how flexible digital learning is helping Third Sector organisations to upskill across the wider organisation.
Minister for Employability and Training Jamie Hepburn said: “This conference is an opportunity to discuss and share ideas on the different approaches organisations are taking to help people develop and get into work. This is consistent with our own drive to give the workplace more options and flexibility to provide training. We have committed to supporting 30,000 new MA opportunities annually by 2020 and have confirmed that we will use the apprenticeship levy to address the needs of existing employees where a full apprenticeship might not be appropriate. A skilled workforce is crucial for us to meet the needs of employers and to boost the Scottish economy.”
Wendy Edie, eCom Managing Director said: “Our annual conference is always a great opportunity for public and private organisations to network and hear about digital learning successes from other sectors. A challenge common to all is the need for targeted skills development and we are pleased to facilitate an event which shows how innovative learning technologies are making a real impact on upskilling the workforce”.
