The situation is tense in many companies. Orders are falling apart, costs are rising, investments and new hires are being postponed, employment relationships are being questioned. And in the middle of all this is a question that is unpleasant but unavoidable: Can we still afford training at the moment?
However, the strategic counter question is: Can we afford to do without it? This is exactly where the conflict of objectives that currently shapes operational reality lies: on the one hand, there is the short-term, sometimes enormous, economic pressure – on the other hand, there is the long-term need to replace qualified specialists. And this need will increase significantly due to demographic change, as more baby boomers will be retiring from this year than young ones will be joining.
The reflex: save in the short term
When things get tight, companies understandably have to react. Budgets are reviewed, projects postponed, costs reduced where possible. Training comes into focus – not because it is unimportant, but because it is not easy to convey that new trainees will be hired when existing jobs are threatened. The fact that the returns from training as an investment only appear with a delay makes it “seductive” from a business perspective: savings have an immediate effect, the consequences only become apparent much later.
But this is exactly where the problem lies. While savings are immediately visible, the missed effects remain invisible – until it is too late: a lack of young talent, rising recruitment costs, a lack of fit, longer training, declining employer attractiveness. Or to put it bluntly: If you don’t train today, you’ll pay more tomorrow.
The strategy: invest for the long term
The perspective of securing skilled workers changes the assessment. Training is then not a cost center, but an investment in securing the future of the company, the industry and the region. KOFA gets to the point: Companies that provide training are shaping their future in a targeted manner – they secure skilled workers, strengthen their competitiveness and increase their innovative strength. (You can find further information here: Training costs: How much does a trainee cost the company? – KOFA)
This aspect is becoming increasingly important, especially in times of structural change and digitalization. Because the requirements for skilled workers are changing faster than ever before. Anyone who relies exclusively on the external labor market runs the risk of being left behind. Training thus becomes a strategic answer to the transformation.
The decisive lever: the people who train the next generation
As clear as the strategic importance is, in everyday life the impact and quality of training are determined by the people who implement it: trainers and training officers are the interface between expectations and reality. They translate training regulations into company training plans and concrete learning processes, they accompany development and learning progress, give feedback and stabilize performance.
These important tasks have become more difficult in recent years. Trainees are often under operational pressure, especially in smaller companies:
- Training runs “in parallel” to the increasingly demanding day-to-day business, time is short,
- School performance has often decreased while the demands of training have increased,
- the requirements with which trainees start are becoming increasingly heterogeneous,
- digital content and new technologies (e.g. through AI) are added.
The result: The importance of training is increasing, but the general conditions are becoming more difficult.
Training under pressure requires highly qualified trainers
If training is to fulfill its important function of securing high-quality young skilled workers, then the key players must be appropriately prepared and qualified. The role of trainers has changed and has become more demanding.
This includes:
- Learning support instead of purely technical instruction
- Give feedback and motivate
- Teaching media literacy and digital skills
- Design training marketing and recruit applicants
This requires a wide range of skills and constant further training. This is exactly where projects like the Q 4.0 network come into play. They support training staff in building digital and didactic skills and adapting training to changing requirements. The crucial point here is: the ongoing qualification of trainers is a prerequisite for training to work under pressure.
Motivation determines quality
Another central factor is the motivation of the trainers. Because training depends on the commitment of those who design it. And this commitment doesn’t happen on its own. If training in the company is perceived primarily as a burden and not as a career step, this has a direct impact on quality.
What helps against this is clear:
- Appreciation and visible recognition of the role
- Time budgets for training and its further development
- Continuous further training as a lived practice in the company
- Exchange and networking
- Development prospects
Or to put it another way: If you want excellent training, you have to value and strengthen trainers.
Make training visible – especially in difficult times
In times of economic crises and rapid transformation of entire industries and business models, it is difficult to invest in training as a high priority. Training then quickly loses visibility. This can be problematic for the company. Especially in challenging times, sticking to training sends an important signal – internally and externally:
- internally: “We believe in our future and continue to invest in development, innovation and qualification.”
- externally: “We are a stable, future-oriented employer and therefore always the right choice for applicants.”
Companies that make training strategically visible not only strengthen their image and employer brand, but also their own future viability.
What companies can do now
In order to maintain the balance between short-term challenges and long-term needs, three things are crucial:
- Consciously classify and communicate training as a long-term investment,
- Qualify and continuously support trainers,
- Anchor training visibly and valued in the corporate strategy.
That sounds simple – but it is an important strategic decision.
Conclusion: The future space is defined by today’s decisions
Today, training stands exactly where many key company decisions stand: between short-term pressure and long-term needs. If you only look at the pressure, you may be saving in the wrong place. Those who keep an eye on demand invest specifically in their own future.
The crucial question is therefore not whether training is worth it. But rather how consistently companies are prepared to further develop them even under difficult conditions. Because one thing is clear: the skilled workers of tomorrow will not emerge at some point. They arise where training takes place today – or not.
Info
Miriam Schöppthe authorthe Column “How training works” is a senior speaker for vocational training at the KOFA Competence Center for Securing Skilled Workers at the Institute of German Economy Cologne eV
Hereyou can find all articles in the column.
