Watch out for the gap



Training gaps are basically areas where knowledge and skills you don't currently possess would be useful for your current role or the transition to the next one. Training in these areas could mean the difference between a promotion coming your way or else going to a colleague who had thought ahead and taken a few courses.

Education never actually ends; the world moves quickly and technology continually advances - only those who keep up will make the grade in today's competitive employment market.

Finding the gaps

Areas of weakness usually don't scream so loudly while happily ensconced in your current role. If you lacked the tools to do your job, you probably wouldn't have been hired in the first place. Retraining is about keeping up, with one eye on the future: where do you want to be in a year's time? Will your current skills be sufficient to get you there?

It isn't possible to cover all contingencies when planning your training program. A dream job may still come up unexpectedly and leave you caught short without an essential skill. Just taking the time, however, to sit down with pen and paper and work out where you want to go with your career and what skills it will take to get there, will stand you in good stead. Having a solid plan may even convince an employer to give you a chance, even though your training might be ongoing.

Retraining through necessity

Occasionally, retraining may be foisted upon us. Many people find it discomforting to be pushed into a new skill set, far beyond their comfort zone. It is particularly threatening to those who have been performing a particular role within a defined skill set for many years. It is understandable that a person might resent having their position of advantage stripped away through the introduction of new technologies, systems or requirements.

Ideally, the best approach to forced retraining is to go with the flow and be happy to learn something new. While it might rankle at first, the fact that an organization is spending the money to introduce something new and retrain staff is a great indicator that the industry you work in is moving in that direction. Accepting paid training as a boon rather than a burden is the best attitude to keep and will engender the respect of your employer while enhancing your career prospects.

Retraining occurs for many reasons, often to help us get to the next point in our careers - which may be far removed from what the current role entails. At all times, it represents an opportunity to add a new skill set to our bag of tricks: and that's always a great thing.