HR leaders should prioritise workforce upskilling, writes Insaaf Daniels.
Technology is used by almost all businesses. More companies than ever are becoming digital, using websites and applications to maintain the viability of their operations.
All those programs that have made our daily lives easier were shaped to a large extent by software development. In addition, software developers are the ones who came up with the modern technology you can't live without. Since software runs today’s society and this tendency doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon, it is no surprise there will always be a need for these jobs.
For developers at all levels, the job market in 2022 offers excellent opportunities. Full-stack developers and back-end developers are two tech occupations that will continue to be in great demand in 2022. DevOps, technical leads and mobile development are additional popular job categories. It’s also important to keep in mind that the era of academic degrees will soon be coming to an end. As a result, talent and experience will be given more weight by recruiters than academic credentials.
In South Africa, there are just 121,000 of the 26.8 million active software developers in the world.
Numerous companies have decided to take it upon themselves to assist in fostering a learning culture in order to prepare their workforce for the impending changes in response to the poor quality of our educational systems and fundamental accessibility challenges.
Employees are taking the initiative to upgrade their skills by utilising self-development resources provided by their employers. This shared responsibility for learning will guarantee that both businesses and employees are prepared to take on the challenges of the future.
According to a South African report, women hold 23% of technology occupations and 17.2% of the country's software developers are female. The number of female developers who are learning to code, mentoring other aspiring female developers, particularly for women who code, has increased, which is a good development.
Companies that want to see long-term change should reaffirm their commitment to gender equality by developing a strong culture of support for women through mentors who can offer encouragement and empathy, as well as assist women in working toward goals and ensure equal access to skills-building opportunities by providing the appropriate training at the appropriate time.
Human capital’s role
It is clear for Human Capital professionals, prioritising the development of the appropriate framework and methods for workforce upskilling is necessary. Building the necessary talent within an organisation is essential if it wants to survive and grow in a dynamic new environment.
Putting in place a learning and development strategy that works and can provide people the skills they need isn’t simple. The solution requires more than completing a few online courses from staff members.
Given the rate of development, any lengthy and intensive course format will almost certainly become redundant. In order to be effective, course content development must use an agile approach. Giving learners more options and power allows them to modify the curriculum so that it aligns with their goals as well as larger organisational objectives. This is critical to ensuring employees are motivated and interested in what they are learning.
Businesses should examine hiring practices currently in place to ensure that the protocol and standards that are being followed aid in the management and analysis of data by human capital departments to better inform outreach and recruitment tactics. This could involve performing onboarding interviews, conducting exit interviews, reviewing employee retention and turnover statistics as well as offering acceptance rates to enhance processes.
Human capital plays a crucial role in making sure that enough attention is put on creating efficient programmes that help people upskill themselves so they are well-equipped to provide value in the era of the fourth industrial revolution.
