Modern Mining September 2024

TRAINING

Upskilling and reskilling for the future world of work By Anton Visser, Group COO of SA Business School

Anton Visser - Group COO SA Business School.

T he rapid pace of technological advancement, globalisation, and changing market dynamics is reshaping the world of work and the skills needed to remain relevant. What’s the most important skill right now? It is, the ability and willingness to adapt to changing rules, and includes the ability to think differently, to do differently and to connect and engage with others differently. Employees and businesses have a role to play Experts suggest that the key to individual success will be continuous learning and adaptability, while leveraging the power of technology and AI to augment skills and capabilities in virtually every job role. To stay competitive, businesses need workforces that are dynamic, resilient and equipped with future fit skills. Reskilling and upskilling your people, while fostering a culture of innovation and continuous learning, is the difference between business survival and obsoletion. Anyone remember Kodak, Blackberry, Nokia or Blockbusters? They were big - in the 2000s. When you look at the rapid pace of change and the monumental shifts in industries, you’ll understand how critical it is to have an upskilling

and reskilling strategy for your employees – that is, if you’re serious about business competitiveness and innovation. For example, predictive analytics is used in finance, healthcare, and marketing to anticipate trends and behaviours, which means human beings must understand data science and analytics tools. Logistics and procurement professionals must learn how to implement and use blockchain solutions. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are changing the nature of training across industries, from medical simulations to manufacturing processes, which demands completely new skills from training providers and developers. Biotechnology is improving crop yields and resistance – so different biotech applications and abilities are needed in agriculture. Planning your upskilling and reskilling strategy Given the rapid pace of change and the consequent need for reskilling employees, we at SA Business School believe that commitment to continuous learning is a key performance indicator. Here is some guidance on how to approach your reskilling/upskilling strategy as a continuum, rather than as a once off-event:

38  MODERN MINING  www.modernminingmagazine.co.za | SEPTEMBER 2024