Is it best to focus on training or learning in a business? Or is it a hybrid of both?
Both learning and training are an important part of gaining knowledge and skills, to assist career progression and professional development. An individual’s development is intrinsic to a successful strategic plan as businesses evolve and need to remain agile, especially in the tech sector.
Training is the transmitting of information and knowledge. It is often specific, with definable objectives and often with a certificate or an accreditation upon completion. Accreditations are beneficial to the individual as a validation of their efforts and an addition to their CV, proof that their professional development is progressing.
Learning is the process of accruing new understanding and absorbing information to use skills and abilities in a variety of contexts. It doesn’t happen at a fixed time and instead is a continuous process. Learning is not always the outcome of training, as learning only happens when people are engaged, they find value in the content and can apply it to their everyday lives.
At Software Solved we put a lot of focus on learning not just for professional development but also for personal growth, which we believe to be just as important. Whilst we support and fund staff to complete training courses, such as Microsoft certifications (we are a Microsoft Gold Partner in Application Development, Cloud Platform and Application Integration). Some of the best learning opportunities come from colleagues or mentors, self-learning such as reading or research, and learning by ‘doing’. We provide our staff with valuable time each month for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and encourage the team to share their knowledge with each other. By learning in this way, we find that the staff take ownership of new ideas that they want to implement as a result. For example, reading a book on a topic might give ideas and inspiration as to how to approach a specific job differently, which is both empowering for the individual and helps the team to evolve.
Each month, Lindsay Lucas, our Managing Director shares a Podcast/TED Talk recommendation to the team, on a topic which she has found enlightening or useful, whether it be about positive thinking or the power of vulnerability. We feel that acknowledging and understanding the differences between learning and training allows our managers and staff to recruit more diversely and identify development opportunities for existing staff.
“Software Solved are fantastic investors in people. Throughout my time at the company, I have been provided outstanding technical mentoring and training, and have also been given the opportunity to invest time into my own Research and Development projects. It is brilliant to work for a company which holds the importance of career progression and professional development at its core.”
Dan MacDuff, Software Development Manager
“I often find that people fixate on going on a course in order to learn, when in my experience some of the best learning opportunities I’ve had in my life have come from real experiences, mentors, colleagues or self-learning and those are the things that have been incredibly useful in my career for both personal and professional development.”
Lindsay Lucas, Managing Director
Looking to discover more about our culture at Software Solved or interested in finding out more about our team? Please do get in touch.
