The employment environment in the UK is experiencing a great resignation. A survey by PwC reported that a fifth of workers in the UK are “very or extremely likely” to switch jobs within a year. The education technology industry (edtech) is not insulated from this phenomenon. Because of the difficulties of the past few years, burnout and exhaustion became prevalent and led employees to seek less exhausting work elsewhere.

Digital transformation became the norm in the edtech industry and caused its rapid evolution. Because of the demand for talent, the intensity of the job market is increasing. However, the number of employees and job-seekers is also dwindling. This can be attributed to various factors, but one primary reason could be the disengagement between edtech companies and their employees. To retain talent and keep your employees engaged, you must make your workplace a fulfilling place to work. You could do this by making growth and development a core strategy through reskilling and upskilling.

Here are three reasons why reskilling and upskilling is your answer to the great resignation in edtech:

It creates an agile workforce

The BBC reports that there is a labour shortage within the technology industry, primarily because of the lack of essential digital skills among workers. Through reskilling and upskilling, you can fill new openings fast through highly trained employees within the same organisation. Ronan Harris, Google UK and Ireland’s managing director emphasises that tech companies play a role in providing people with the necessary digital qualifications.

Having an agile workforce requires keeping skills fresh and updated to keep up with rapidly changing processes within the edtech industry. Trends such as AI-driven technology, social learning, and big data continue to define edtech. This requires dedicated time for education and relevant information that employees can conveniently access. Custom learning programs allow employees to face real situations and novel scenarios brought about by the developing landscape of edtech.

It shows that you value your employees

Focusing solely on hiring new talent runs the risk of neglecting current employees. Training is essential to boosting employee morale. By providing personalised upskilling and reskilling opportunities for edtech talent through further education and certificate programs, you can demonstrate your commitment to your employees. This is especially true for employees that are not seeking rapid vertical progress within an organisation. In fact, the career ladder is now seen as a less viable option in the edtech industry.

The career ladder’s one-size-fits-all approach assumes that employees are alike. Because of its flexibility and adaptability, the career lattice model is more ideal says LHH. This framework highlights internal talent mobility by providing lateral moves, special projects, and even foreign assignments. Because it doesn’t follow the traditional career ladder, talent and roles become better aligned, and the individual employee’s potential is further maximised. By providing opportunities to develop their skills, you can show that you want to help your employees grow with you.

It future-proofs your company

When you invest in upskilling and reskilling, you prepare your employees with the skills they will need in the future. Providing opportunities for training lets your employees know that you care about their success and career growth. New research from PebblePad shows that 69% of their respondents expect investment in classroom technology to increase in the next three years. This includes significant changes in teaching assessments and learning outcomes. To make these investments a success, there is a need for staff training and further education.

Because edtech looks into the future for industry growth, employees need to keep up with the latest technological developments to support their clients, including learners and educators.

Upskilling and reskilling should already be embedded in employees’ career paths from the moment they are hired. This will help maximise their potential as future leaders of the edtech industry.

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New to EdTech?  Read our EdTech 101 guide: https://global-edtech.com/edtech-definitions-products-and-trends/