Job performance in the tech sector isn't improving, despite the billions of dollars being poured into worker training, new research has claimed.
A report from learning platform Skillable found many tech workers complain about receiving inadequate training for their role. 40% said they aren't happy with the current learning technologies available to them, as they don't help with their job performance or advancement.
In ranking the most important skills to have in order to support CIOs and CTOs, the tech workers put IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) at the top (53%), while IT Service Management (ITSM) was second with 45% of the vote.
Hands-on learning
Database management (40%), AI for IT (37%), and database design (33%) rounded out the top five.
The workers were also in unison over the top three skills required in order to remain competitive. These were mastering generative (44%) and composite (46%) AI, as well as managing the technology's risks (51%).
40% also said that current learning tech doesn't let them demonstrate their skills effectively, which in turn fails to illustrate how prepared they are for new opportunities. 59% wanted training that was more relevant to their role.
Skillable believes that this is especially concerning for certain tech roles, as "assessing current skill levels and job readiness is table stakes for ensuring ethical use and development of AI, data protection and adhering to data legislation."
When asked what would improve their learning experience, 67% of tech workers said that making it applicable to the real-world would do the trick. Skillable points out that tech giants such as Microsoft, Amazon, and IBM are adapting their training based on this notion, making it more hands-on rather than purely knowledge-based.
Skillable CMO Sarah Danzl commented that, “you wouldn’t let someone fly a plane who has only read the airline manual, yet this is how we often approach tech training," adding, "hands-on training should be required today, as it’s not only the most effective learning modality... [it] also positions companies to be more competitive today and going forward."
