Tech and Digital Skills Matter says Derrin Kent
It is unwise for any employer organisation to overlook the importance of harnessing tech and digital knowledge and competencies, according to Derrin Kent, CEO of The Development Manager, which coaches and trains employees. The core shopfront for supermarket chains is increasingly their website shopping cart, less so their out-of-town buildings.
The software engineering required to manage this process can be outsourced but it will always remain wise to have someone in-house who retains knowledgeable and competent control over the software development process.
Organisations also need a capable network engineer. Large private, third and public sector organisations (not least the NHS) are increasingly harnessing innovations in mobile and cloud techniologies to radically improve their service delivery.
The same organisations also need an informed, internal business information systems analyst who can work out how best to harness technologies which harmonise with business critical - and often very human - business processes.
Information security (or cyber security) matters far more than information technology to organisations who hold sensitive data. Who cares about the tin? It's the information that matters.
Data Analytics can make a difference between a successful business expansion and a failed venture when launching a new product line or service. The same data analyst skills can be applied to harness practical business efficiencies: improving quality of service or cutting costs of delivery.
All of these digital skills need the presentation of new knowledge and understanding. Short courses towards that end are definitely useful. As are online video tutorials, eLearning packages and tech manuals, tutorial books, journals and lab tasks in trade magazines. But skills development requires genuine application in practice and systematic and challenging coaching from an expert.
For an organisation to become genuinely good at any of those tech and digital skills, some team members must engage in a long-term process of skills development. they need to apply the new knowledge and understanding they are learning to develop genuine, practical skills and they are best supported by a critical, supportive and directive Tech Coach.
Apprenticeships funding can be deployed to help your organisation to fire up real new skills. Apprenticeships are for the ambitious and employed as well as for fresh new job seekers.
