MEDIA RELEASE
Australians say more training vital to remain competitive in job market
May 6, 2009 - Even in the face of economic recession, the importance of training and skills
development has been highlighted by a recent international workplace survey that shows
more than three
quarters of Australian respondents believe their current skills will be
outdated within five years.
The survey, by global workforce solutions leader Kelly Services, finds that almost half of the
respondents
believe the training currently provided by their employers will not meet their
future career needs.
The Kelly Global Workforce Index
obtained the views of nearly 100,000 people in 34
countries including more than 13,000 in Australia.
Kelly Services Managing Director, James Bowmer, said
that in an increasingly competitive
global economy, investing in vital human capital can become a key competitive advantage
for firms. “Training may not seem a priority in the present economic climate, but
organisations that devote the resources will be more likely to see higher productivity and
profitability in the future,” Mr Bowmer said.
The survey highlights the significance that employees across the generational age groups
place on training and skills development to sustain them in a rapidly changing labour market.
Among the key findings of the survey:
Baby boomers (aged 48-65) are most worried about the level of training, with 59 per
cent saying it is not sufficient to upgrade skills and advance their career.
83 per cent of Gen X (aged 30-47) say that within the next five years their skills will
need to be upgraded to keep pace with changes in the workplace.
73 per
cent of Gen Y (aged 18-29) see the provision of training as a joint
responsibility between the employer and employee.
On-the-job training is the preferred form of training nominated by employees.
Human resource professionals come under scrutiny, with almost half of all
respondents saying their HR department has not helped them to achieve their
employment goals.
Across generations, women generally are more concerned than men about their skill set and
have a higher expectation of their employers’ HR departments in managing their careers.
Among respondents, almost three quarters (74 per cent) say that training should be a joint
responsibility between an employer and employee. The preference among those surveyed
2
is for on-the-job training (48 per
cent), followed by professional development courses (31
per cent), self-initiated learning (11 per cent) and formal university or college qualifications
(10 per cent).
Mr Bowmer said the findings reveal the depth of concern across the population at the
capacity of the current skills base to meet new workforce challenges.
“The current economic environment has made people very aware of their skills and whether
they will be sufficient to survive the recession and beyond, into a period of economic
recovery,” Mr Bowmer said.
“It is only very recently that we faced skills shortages across many industries, and unless
skills and training are enhanced, that situation may occur in the future. Increased
competition for jobs combined with technological change makes it vital that employees are
assisted to become even more productive, through the best training possible,” Mr Bowmer
said.
About the Kelly Global Workforce Index
The Kelly Global Workforce Index is a survey revealing opinions about work and the workplace from
a generational viewpoint. Results of the current findings from across Kelly’s global operations in
North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific will be published throughout 2009 in a series of six
releases.
About Kelly Services
Kelly Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: KELYA, KELYB) is a world leader in workforce management services and
human resources solutions, offering temporary staffing services, outsourcing, vendor on-site and full-
time placement to clients on a global basis. Kelly provides employment to nearly 650,000 employees
annually, with skills including office services, accounting, engineering, information technology, law,
science, marketing, creative services, light industrial, education, and health care. Revenue in 2008 was
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