MY TURN: Training stays high on business essentials list for 2012

By 2015, 60% of new jobs being created will require skills only held by 20% of the population, according to a report from the American Society for Training and Development.

It is a dilemma created by successful innovators and new technology. These innovators are creating industries, technology, processes and products not seen or used before that will shift the way in which you are currently doing business. So, if innovation continues does that mean in the next few years employers will experience a worker shortage? Where will our future employees come from if only 20% of the population will have the skill necessary to perform the jobs?

Brian Tracy, business expert and business coach says "No one lives long enough to learn everything they need to learn starting from scratch. To be successful, we absolutely, positively have to find people who have already paid the price to learn the things that we need to learn to achieve our goals."

As an employer, in order to stay competitive using these new technologies and processes in your business you will need to either:

• Hire new people who know or have the new skill sets or,

• Begin training your current employees so they can adapt to the changes.

As we work with our manufacturing partners for education and training, we have seen a shift in the types of skills required for jobs in their industry. Many of them are requiring their new and current employees to have an associate degree in industrial maintenance and technology. There are many more industries and companies that are requiring associate degrees of new and current employees and are assisting with education dollars.

But don't just think industrial or office when it comes to innovation and new processes. Other businesses may need to enhance their worker's skills on new software for a variety of office applications, which also seems to be changing rapidly. Health care has seen a shift in creating and maintaining patient records.

Even at the college, our Foundation has discovered in order to stay abreast of donor and alumni records and information, it must employ new computer technology that will assist with database management and its marketing efforts. Using social media for marketing isn't an ahead-of-the-curve trend but a business necessity and if you don't know how to employ it, you could get left behind.

That brings us to the idea that training needs to be ongoing. Change is coming rapidly in all segments. Training and skill enhancement can take many forms – from degree programs to one- or two-day training sessions. Whatever form it takes employers need to encourage their employees to be prepared to shift or expand their skills and get accustomed to life-long learning. The result is increased company productivity. As your staff becomes more productive they will fill orders faster and production errors are reduced.

Roberto Mangabiera Unger, a Harvard professor, said incorporating training in an industry not only helps the industry but also breaks the cycle of low skills, low productivity and low wages – which impacts our economy and competitiveness with other nations as well.

So, again training plays a major role in keeping your business and our region competitive and innovative. As we say here at Ivy Tech, your employees are your greatest asset. Your company will not look the same over the next 10 years as technologies and processes change. That makes education and professional development training among the most critical investments you can make in your business for the new year and going forward.

Ivy Tech Corporate College has reached an agreement to offer the prestigious Disney Institute at various campuses of the community college and, potentially, at business locations in Northwest Indiana.

The Disney Institute programs will give Indiana businesses the opportunity to explore topics such as leadership, customer service and creativity - topics that are world-renowned in relation to the Disney brand. As the professional development arm of The Walt Disney Company, Disney Institute helps organizations from all industries benchmark these best practices and incorporate them into their own day-to-day business.

To learn more about the Disney Institute and see a full schedule of upcoming events, please visit www.disneyinstitute.com .