Companies that instill a culture of continuous learning and make workplace training easily accessible to workers, including low-skilled employees, are usually very successful. The ultimate outcome of any fruitful workplace adult education and training or “AET” programme is to instil a passion for learning among low skilled employees. Partnering with a leading accredited training provider will help you put in place the building blocks you need to create a culture that continues to inspire your low skilled employees to want to learn and add more value to your company and grow as individuals.
Triple E Training, an accredited training provider, is the country’s foremost supplier of adult literacy training and adult numeracy training. Its many clients continue to lead the way in workplace training that is geared at upgrading the English literacy and basic maths proficiencies of low skilled employees. Together with its many clients, the accredited training provider is building workplaces that are structured to promote continuous learning for the benefit of both employees and employers, alike.
While the adult literacy and numeracy training needs of companies differ from one to another, successful workplace training interventions have one thing in common. They are undertaken by companies that value skills development and that have, therefore, created a culture of ongoing learning. Triple E Training, an accredited training provider with extensive experience helping companies upgrade the English literacy and basic maths proficiencies of their low skilled employees, provides advice on how to instil a culture of learning in your workplace. This is to ensure meaningful participation in your adult literacy and numeracy training by your low skilled employees so that they are able to gain critical English literacy and basic maths skills quickly and efficiently.
Importantly, the accredited training provider’s clients have established a sustainable workplace culture in which learning happens on an ongoing basis. In line with this, they have made it as easy as possible for all low skilled employees to access adult literacy training and adult numeracy training from accredited training provider. This is opposed to just making adult basic education and training or “ABET” available to a few select low skilled employees and only on an ad-hoc basis when believed to be necessary.
In many instances, the accredited training provider’s clients have also implemented learning systems and incentives to motivate low skilled employees to want to participate and succeed in adult literacy training and adult numeracy training. Bear in mind that many of your low skilled employees may have had previous bad experiences with education. This is why they perhaps did not complete their basic education. They may, therefore, be reluctant to participate in workplace adult literacy training and adult numeracy training. It is, therefore, vitally important that your low skilled employees are motivated to succeed right from the outset when placement assessments are first undertaken.
Placement assessments ensure that your employees are placed at the correct adult education and training or “AET” level so that they are able to cope adequately with the course content and derive maximum benefit from the instruction. A reputable accredited training provider, such as Triple E Training, will always first undertake a placement assessment at your facilities to also gain a better understanding of the extent of the English literacy and numeracy gaps in your organisation and the exact interventions required to address them quickly and efficiently. This helps the accredited training provider to tailor a unique adult basic education and training or “ABET” solution to suit your specific needs.
THE BENEFITS OF WORKPLACE TRAINING
Workplace training provides many benefits. They are as follows:
- The hiring and retention of employees can be an ongoing challenge for management. Companies that provide their staff with career development opportunities are more likely to attract the best talent and retain it. Employees see that their employers are invested in their success at the company, and this fosters loyalty among staff. Even your low skilled employees can be motivated to want to succeed in their jobs and to be given ongoing opportunity to gain skills that will help them to develop their careers and as individuals through quality workplace training programmes.
- Workplace training inspires and ignites employees’ imaginations and mobilises them with a compelling vision. Managers who focus on establishing this type of workplace culture through skills development programmes, including adult literacy training and adult numeracy training, are more effective than those who only emphasise improving the bottom line. The reality is that adult education and training or “AET” improves profitability through productivity and efficiency gains. This is in addition to an array of other benefits that contribute to the creation of productive, efficient and safe working environments.
Increased workplace engagement: Continuous skills development initiatives, including training in English literacy and basic maths, help keep employees motivated to want to excel in their jobs. It also facilitates continuous re-evaluation of employees, skills and processes. By constantly assessing the existing proficiencies and abilities within your teams, management is able to better plan targeted skills development interventions that address possible deficiencies in capabilities. This is where placement assessments have added immense value. Working with an accredited training provider, companies are able to identify the extent of the English literacy and numeracy skills deficits in their organisation and exactly what is required to address them. You will also know how long it should take your employees to gain essential English literacy and numeracy skills because they will be placed at the correct adult education and training or “AET” level. Moreover, you will have the confidence that they are progressing and not regressing because a placement assessment also takes into consideration your low skilled employees’ previous learning experience.
Workplace Adult basic education and training or “ABET”
English literacy and basic maths skills benefit both employer and employee
Moreover, companies have structured their organisation in a manner that enables workplace training to be undertaken on a continuous basis. This includes directly connecting both the training needs of learners with those of employers and vice versa. In this way, these companies have ensured the entire organisation is invested in the success of workplace training, spanning top level management all the way through to the factory floor, worksite, rock face, warehouse or farm where the work is being performed. All stakeholders view interventions, such as English literacy and basic maths training, as critical to the success of the organisation and a strategic part of it achieving its business goals. Unfortunately, many companies still train just for the sake of it.
This means that they are not realising the full benefits of adult literacy training and adult numeracy training. This is over-and-above the role that adult education and training or “AET” plays in helping companies achieve their Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment targets or the large contribution it can make to corporate social investment initiatives. Many companies still only view adult basic education and training or “ABET” as a means of achieving their scorecard or socio-economic commitments, as opposed to an essential workplace training intervention that will also help improve productivity and efficiency levels of staff.
The accredited training provider’s clients have also transformed their workplaces into an alternative environment in which employees are able to gain relevant skills that will benefit their careers and help them grow as individuals. This is opposed to having to enrol at places of learning to acquire skills that will help them to improve their circumstances. It is important that employees who have completed all four levels of adult basic education and training or “ABET” are provided further opportunities to grow and develop. In enterprising companies’, adult literacy training and adult numeracy training is just the starting point of low skilled employees’ long learning journey.
Bear in mind that the ultimate outcome of any adult basic education and training or “ABET” programme is to instil a passion for learning among low skilled employees and prepare them for further training by equipping them with basic skills. English literacy is the official language of learning and basic maths enables people to think critically and logically. Employees who have completed all four levels of adult education and training or “AET” are, therefore, functionally literate. This also means that they have the Basic English literacy and numeracy skills that they need to learn further. It is, thus, very important that the adult literacy training and adult numeracy training that companies provide are also relevant and addresses specific challenges that low skilled employees encounter in the workplace so that they can continue to advance in the workplace. They need to know right from the outset when placement assessments are undertaken how participating in training, including English literacy and basic maths, will help them improve their overall performance in the workplace.
HOW TO DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE WORKPLACE TRAINING STRATEGY
2) Personalise your skills development strategy: Taking a blanket approach to developing the skills of your low skilled employees will not work. Firstly, it is important to ensure that they are placed at the correct adult education and training level, taking into consideration their previous learning. This ensures that they progress and do not regress in their training and, thus, acquire the relevant English literacy and basic maths skills they need to add more value to your business. It is for this reason that a reputable accredited training provider will always first undertake placement assessments before providing instruction in English and basic maths. It also enables your accredited training provider to better understand your English and basic maths skills requirements and how they are deployed by employees when performing their daily duties. This helps Triple E Training to devise a unique adult literacy training and adult numeracy training programme to suit your specific needs.
3) Create a strategic employee development strategy: Your plan needs to identify what skills you require and how you will address them. It will also, for example, clearly identify how specific skills, such as English literacy and basic maths, are deployed by employees to undertake their duties accurately, efficiently and in a safe manner. This information must also be aligned to your business goals. In this way, you will be able to measure the success of your ongoing investment into workplace training. It, therefore, becomes easier to motivate continuous adult education and training or “AET”.
MOTIVATING ADULT BASIC EDUCATION AND TRAINING OR “ABET”
Getting low skilled employees to participate in workplace training
The accredited training provider’s client’s also communicate the many benefits of adult literacy training and adult numeracy training to low skilled employees in a manner that they can understand. They are able to clearly explain how improving low skilled employees’ English literacy and numeracy skills will enable them to perform better in the workplace. For example, low skilled employees also need to know how completing adult literacy training and adult numeracy training will improve their employability; sustain their existing employment; and help them assume more responsibility in the organisation and be rewarded accordingly for their efforts. You also need to be able to clearly explain to your low skilled employees how adult education and training or “AET” will enable them to acquire important knowledge by connecting old and new learned concepts in practical applications.
They need to recognise that participating in adult education and training or “AET” is an opportunity for them to address their own shortfalls in skills and knowledge for not only their employer’s benefit, but also for their own. Employees also need to know how English literacy and basic maths training will help them to improve their functioning outside the world of work. Equipped with English literacy and basic maths skills, they will be in a position to make more informed decisions regarding their health and finances, for example. They will also be able to better understand public announcements and information disseminated in the media to improve their lifestyles. Employees who have completed adult education and training or “AET” are also more willing to participate in society and their communities. This is because they have the English literacy and basic maths skills to do so.
The accredited training provider’s clients have also ensured that their workplace training programmes have been tailored to suit the specific workplace needs of employees. They have also taken into consideration the characteristics, backgrounds and prior experience of low skilled employees who have been selected to undergo adult literacy and adult numeracy training. This will help create a positive learning experience for low skilled employees. In this way, companies empower low skilled employees to remain engaged in further learning. It is also critical that adult education and training or “AET” is flexible in terms of its approach and delivery, as well as timing and duration.
SOUTH AFRICAN COMPANIES’ INVESTMENT INTO WORKPLACE TRAINING
COMPANIES SPEND SIGNFICANTLY ON THEIR EMPLOYEES
Breakdown of total expenditure of R2,39-trillion spent by companies in 2018
| Purchases | 60% |
| Employment costs | 14% |
| Rental/leasing of land and buildings | 3% |
| Interest pain on debt | 3% |
| Depreciation | 3% |
| Losses on assets and investments | 2% |
| Other expenditure | 16% |
ADULT BASIC EDUCATION AND TRAINING OR “ABET”
Adult literacy training and adult numeracy training must benefit the employer
Adult literacy training and adult numeracy training must also be to the benefit of the employer. There are many ways in which adult literacy training and adult numeracy training benefit a company. Firstly, it helps companies address skills gaps that can delay the development and provision of new products and services, respectively. The modern economy is relying increasingly on higher levels of skills and competencies, with English literacy and numeracy the basic proficiencies that employees need to function at optimal levels. Employees who participate in regular formal workplace training are also more motivated because they appreciate the opportunity that they have been provided to improve their abilities; assume more responsibilities; and possibly improve their earning potential.
They are also more likely to stay at the company because they know that there are constantly prospects available to help them develop their expertise and capabilities. However, the most notable benefits of adult education and training or “AET” for employers are the role that it plays in improving productivity and efficiency in the workplace. For example, adult literacy training and adult numeracy training help low skilled employees adapt to new processes or machinery, reducing breakdown rates and incidents. It also accelerates the induction of new personnel. This type of workplace training also has a positive impact on safety in the workplace because employees understand health and safety protocol, as well as have an ability to think logically when they work. It is also important to assure the quality of adult education and training or “AET” that you will be providing to your low skilled employees to ensure that you realise a return on your investment.
One of the easiest ways of ascertaining that you will receive adult literacy training and adult numeracy training of a very high quality is to always deal with an accredited training provider. Also assess potential adult literacy training and adult numeracy training suppliers’ legacies of providing adult basic education and training or “ABET “specifically to industry. This is considering the unique English literacy and numeracy requirements of business versus those deployed outside the workplace. Moreover, the English literacy and basic maths skills of companies are constantly evolving, and it is, therefore, that your accredited training provider has kept pace with the latest trends.
Triple E Training has more than 30 years’ experience providing adult education and training or “AET” to industry. The company also harnesses a nationwide footprint which covers remote areas, enabling it to adequately service mines and quarries, as well as the agricultural industry. It is also important to deal with a flexible accredited training provider that is able to accommodate your tight production schedules. One of the biggest constraints companies face when trying to implement workplace training is time. An adaptable service provider will help you overcome this hurdle to developing the proficiencies of your low skilled employees.
HOW ADULT LITERACY TRAINING AND ADULT NUMERACY TRAINING BENEFITS EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES ALIKE
Workplace training benefits both employees and employers in various ways.
Workplace training, including instruction in English literacy and basic maths, helps low skilled employees:
- Work accurately and efficiently
- Stay safe and healthy in the workplace
- Experience less work-related stress and focus on being productive
- Sustain their employment over a long term
- Potentially earn more by being able to assume more responsibility at work because they have the necessary English literacy and basic maths skills.
Companies that invest in quality adult literacy training and adult numeracy training experience:
- Cost savings and productivity gains
- Increased customer satisfaction and loyalty
These, in turn, lead to increased revenues, which mean that there has been a positive rate of return on investment into workplace training.
ACCREDITED TRAINING PROVIDER
Triple E Training is industry’s foremost accredited training provider
Triple E Training continues to set the benchmark in adult education and training or “AET”. The accredited training provider’s adult literacy training and adult numeracy training has been designed to equip your low skilled employees quickly and efficiently with the basic skills that they need to perform at their best. Learn about the many industries that we continue to help to improve the English literacy and basic maths skills of their employees. www.eee.co.za.
