Personal Learning Accounts allow business to access free and flexible training for their employees – allowing them to study part-time around existing responsibilities.
Leigh Hughes, the corporate social responsibility director for Bouygues UK, Wales Nation Chair of the Construction Industry Training Board, current capital region chair for the Regional Skills Partnership and contributor to the Regional Economic Growth Partnership, discusses how employers can use the training support to upskill staff to meet digital challenges.
Leigh Hughes says,
“Personal Learning Accounts have been very successful in upskilling the existing workforce to meet the needs of new and emerging industries.” The programme, funded by Welsh Government, allows those who meet certain criteria to access free courses and qualifications that develop skills and help them progress or change career.
Workplace changes have been accelerated by the pandemic, creating a demand for new skills, says Hughes. “Businesses have had to press fast-forward to survive because with agile working and working from home, business continuity has meant that digital upskilling has come to the forefront.”
He says it is now incumbent on employers and employees to work together to upskill and identify where, and what level, of skills are needed.
“At the moment, it’s hard. It’s a challenge for everybody but there’s no need to go it alone – there is support available.”
Hughes suggests employers engage with Business Wales to get support to upskill their staff to meet changing needs.
