If you think training is expensive, try ignorance

摘要

Any Initiative that encourages companies to train has to be good for the building services sector. That's why the SummitSkills Awards for Excellence are such an excellent idea. Celebrating outstanding achievement by craft, technical and professional engineers in the mechanical and electrical services sector, the awards will be presented during the WorldSkills event in London on Friday 7 October. Initiatives like this are good news for the industry. However, beware. A "scatter-gun" approach to training is worse than useless; not only is it ineffective, but it also encourages the misconception that it is doing some good, and therefore stifles real learning. One of the most valuable aids to the efficiency and effectiveness of any company is a highly motivated workforce, and well-targeted training goes a long way to achieving this. It also helps bridge the widening skills gap in our sector.