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Do you know where your team’s biggest skills gaps are?
For organisations across the water industry and its supply chain, having the right people is only part of the workforce challenge.
Understanding whether those people have the right skills, knowledge and experience – both for today’s roles and the demands of tomorrow – is just as important.
A clear skills plan can help employers identify where capability is strong, where development is needed and how to make the most of the people already within their organisation.
Start with the skills you already have
Before looking at where your organisation needs to recruit, it is worth understanding the capability already within your workforce.
Different employees will bring different levels of experience, technical knowledge and practical skills. Some may have developed through formal qualifications, while others have built extensive knowledge through years of working in the industry.
Mapping these skills can give employers a clearer picture of the strengths within their teams – and highlight areas where further development could be beneficial.
It can also help identify where important knowledge currently sits within the organisation.
Identify where capability needs to grow
Once you understand your existing workforce, the next step is to consider where additional skills or knowledge may be needed.
This could be linked to:
- New technology and ways of working
- Changes in operational requirements
- New or evolving roles
- Leadership and management responsibilities
- Health, safety and compliance
- Changes across the wider water industry
- Succession planning
- Skills that may be lost as experienced employees leave
Not every skills gap requires a new qualification or a recruit. Sometimes a targeted programme of development for an existing employee can be the most effective solution.
Look beyond immediate requirements
It is easy for workforce planning to focus on what an organisation needs right now.
But effective skills planning should also consider what the business is likely to need in the future.
For example, an employee who is developing strong technical experience today could potentially progress into a supervisory or management position tomorrow.
Similarly, someone entering the industry through an apprenticeship may develop into an experienced technician or operative who becomes an important source of knowledge for the next generation.
Thinking further ahead gives employers the opportunity to develop people before a skills gap becomes an operational problem.
Don’t overlook existing employees
Recruitment will always have an important role to play in the water industry, but organisations should also consider the potential within their existing teams.
Employees who already understand the organisation and its working environment can often be well placed to take on additional responsibilities.
Providing structured opportunities to develop can help people progress while allowing organisations to retain valuable experience.
Apprenticeships are one way of doing this.
Despite often being associated with people starting their careers, apprenticeships can also support existing employees who are looking to gain a formal qualification, develop new skills or progress into a different role.
Consider the whole workforce
Skills planning shouldn’t stop with direct employees.
For many organisations, contractors, subcontractors and supply-chain partners are an important part of delivering water and wastewater services.
Considering the skills and training requirements across the wider workforce can help create greater consistency and ensure everyone involved has the knowledge required for the work they undertake.
This is particularly important where teams work across different organisations but are carrying out connected activities.
Match development to the role
Once skills gaps have been identified, the next step is choosing the right development route.
That might be an apprenticeship, a recognised qualification, specialist training, refresher training or a more bespoke development programme.
The important thing is that the training is relevant to the role and the individual.
A one-size-fits-all approach is unlikely to address every workforce challenge. Someone new to the industry will have different development needs from an experienced operative preparing for a management role.
Understanding those differences allows employers to make training investment more targeted and effective.
Review your plan regularly
A skills plan shouldn’t be created once and then left on a shelf.
As the industry, technology and workforce change, development priorities will change too.
Regular conversations with employees and managers can help identify new opportunities for progression, areas where knowledge needs refreshing and emerging skills that the organisation needs to develop.
This creates a more proactive approach to workforce development – rather than waiting until a skills gap starts affecting operations.
Building a stronger workforce
A strong skills plan isn’t simply about identifying what people can’t do.
It is about understanding what your workforce can already do, where people have the potential to progress and what skills your organisation will need in the future.
For water industry employers and their supply-chain partners, taking this approach can help retain experience, support career progression and build the capability needed to meet changing demands.
At Watertrain, we work with organisations to support workforce development through apprenticeships, qualifications, specialist training and competency development.
Whether you’re looking to develop an existing employee, build a pipeline of new talent or address a specific skills requirement, we can help identify a training approach that works for your organisation.
Want to strengthen your workforce skills plan? Talk to Watertrain about your training requirements.
