More than one-third (36%) of IT professionals in the UK have not received any technical training through their employer in the last three years, despite 97% describing is as essential.
Research by freelance website Upwork found that seven in ten (70%) admit that the speed at which technology is developing and changing means it’s almost impossible to train their staff in the latest skills and techniques. Other challenges include budget restrictions (49%), time limitations (44%) and prioritising other business responsibilities (33%), which all hold back training efforts.
Nearly nine in ten (89%) IT workers said they would consider leaving their current organisation for better training opportunities elsewhere. For some IT businesses, this is already a reality - more than one in four (28%) has lost an employee due to a lack of training opportunities available.
Rich Pearson, senior vice president of marketing at Upwork, said: “IT managers recognise the value in having a well-trained workforce but other business priorities and tight budgets mean training is often neglected. As a result, workers often feel stifled in their jobs, which can have negative effects on performance, morale and loyalty."
