Today is International Day of Education, hosted by UNESCO. This day celebrates the role of education in global peace and sustainable development. This year’s theme is focused on how investing in education means prioritising education.
Daniel Hill, Regional Vice President for Instructure in EMEA shares his opinion.
Daniel comments: “This year’s International Day of Education serves as a reminder of the importance of lifelong learning. It represents the curiosity to explore new ideas and develop new skills. While previously, this type of education took place outside of a corporate setting or a formal educational programme, we’re seeing an increasing shift of workers wanting additional learning at work, beyond their day-to-day, and with more collaboration between employers and educational institutions to provide upskilling opportunities.
“This new mode of education mandates that corporations prioritise learning for all of their workers by investing directly in their employees and offering flexibility in how employees access that learning and display their achievements.
2022 saw a number of challenges when workers tried to develop their skill sets. Those organisations that supported their employees in exploring new opportunities saw a positive impact around employee engagement, whereas organisations that did not-saw outcomes aligned with the relatively new concept of quiet quitting.
“This year’s International Day of Education is focused on investing in people and prioritising education. With recent research revealing that almost half (47%) of British workers are considering a job move, the stakes have never been higher for organisations to actively invest in employees and retain talent.
“Providing employees with the opportunity to upskill also provides these learners with an opportunity to acquire new skills that ultimately support the workforce. One example of how corporations can support the lifelong educational journey is the “Help To Grow” initiative to support UK SMEs in the digital adaptation process.
“The initiative, launched last year, saw Instructure, makers of the virtual learning environment Canvas, help SME owners through an upskilling partnership. This initiative demonstrates how investing in education benefits business health and employee satisfaction.
“Ultimately, prioritising education means corporations across sectors and industries must take that next step of upskilling for success. Investing in microcredentials (mini-digital certifications that can be used to validate skills in a specific area) for employees enables businesses to secure the possibilities and prospects that ultimately inspire people to be part of a lifelong learning journey.”
