3 minute read
The future of learning & development
Hovione, an international contract development & manufacturing organisation, has been operating globally for 60 years and based in Cork for the last 10. For nearly six of those Donnacha Ryan, Learning & Development Specialist, has been working for Hovione. Here he shares some insights with us on the learning & development landscape of Cork.
Why should employees be interested in learning and development?
Investing in your learning and development will provide people with skills that not only improve their performance but will also show that the company is invested in them too. We cannot stand still as a contract manufacturing company, we must be robust, be change ready and flexible for our customers – having well trained, engaged Team Members will ensure we meet these objectives.
Why should companies prioritise training and upskilling?
Training and upskilling secure your future as a company and upskilling team members will allow companies to fill positions from within. The investment in training is a key foundation to running of any business; retention and loyalty will improve by investing in employees to allow them to grow to their full potential and possibly take on key project management and leadership roles within the company.
As a company that is constantly expanding and in an everchanging industry, why do you put such an emphasis on training?
We continually survey our team members to ensure we are meeting their requirements; training has always been a key aspect of this research. We are always looking to improve our systems, training content and invest in upskilling our trainers and SMEs. At Hovione, highly motivated employees are well trained employees, and that our goal.
Do you have an example of someone putting their training to use to upskill?
Many of our process engineers attended Project Management and MS Project Training via Cork Chamber Skillnet and it is great to see them now take lead positions on many of our new product introductions projects.
Can you see any emerging trends/areas of focus in training that you feel people can benefit from?
Virtual reality is an area that is being explored more and more, particularly for operational tasks. Having a virtual headset allowing team members to mimic the real task is something I am looking forward too.
Where do you see learning and development going in the future and the future of work?
I see a lot more investment in digital training and a move to a more pull rather than a push experience. We need to work closer with universities and technical colleges to ensure the curricula matches the requirements of industry.
Stay focused and always try to build on your experiences
For queries regarding your training needs, please contact the Cork Chamber Skillnet team at training@corkchamber.ie
