Talent Identification: Upskilling Your Corporate Team

By Jessica Mitsch Homes ● 07/13/2021

Talent Identification: Upskilling Your Corporate Team

By Jessica Mitsch Homes ● 07/13/2021

Talent identification is the first step in determining the best candidates for upskilling.

Demand for tech talent is on the rise, so what better way to satisfy the demand than by training current employees who are already committed to the company? Upskilling presents a valuable opportunity to take your business to the next level while simultaneously improving talent retention rates. Investing in non-tech employees through technical training creates a more productive workforce targeted towards digital transformation.

In order to begin corporate training, HR managers must evaluate existing talent and identify upskill-worthy candidates. Let’s take a look at the qualities needed for an upskilling candidate to be successful in their new technical role.

Committed and Knowledgeable About the Organization

Talent identification should begin by identifying candidates who are committed to the organization and know its ins and outs. If you are going to be investing in an employee, it’s important to know that they are likewise invested in the company and its mission. The value of upskilling is that onboarding training is not required. Identifying talent means finding someone with domain knowledge. This knowledge is an important asset that is transferable to new roles within the organization.

Entry-level or Administrative Employee

As companies are undergoing digital transformations, many jobs have become obsolete and certain skills are required to remain productive. Looking to younger employees or those in entry-level positions is a great place to start your upskilling strategy. They often offer the most potential for growth while possessing an eagerness to learn and advance in the organization. Along with entry-level, there may be employees in administrative positions who are over-qualified for their roles. Many employees at this level have the intelligence and ability to learn new skills, but just aren’t being put to use. Through technical training, administrative positions can be upgraded to fit the IT needs of the organization.

Ability to Adapt

The ability to adapt is an important quality to recognize throughout a talent identification campaign. First, the employee must be willing to undergo training to learn new technical skills and eventually change roles within the company. This requires a great deal of flexibility. Second, the ability to adapt is a necessary skill shared across many roles.

For example, web development training is a common path taken with technical upskilling. As a web developer, no day is the same and projects are constantly changing as new problems arise. Even when working within one project, ideas aren’t always executed as planned. Adaptability is an important skill to have as projects are scrapped and strategies are adjusted.

Strong Communication Skills

If an employee is working in an administrative position, they most likely have strong communication skills. Administrative roles typically involve answering phone calls and serving as the first point of contact between the business and consumer. Written and verbal communication skills are essential at all levels of an organization, especially in IT roles. So, identifying this skill in potential upskilling candidates is a good measurement of future success.

IT professionals and web developers alike all utilize communication when working across teams and sharing ideas. Strong communication skills are especially important in these roles as the job involves providing technology solutions for people who are not familiar with programming languages or other tech terms.

Problem Solving Skills

A strong candidate for technical upskilling will have experience with creative problem solving. A major aspect of coding is troubleshooting and brainstorming different solutions to a problem. Knowing how to take a problem, analyze it, and reason through it is a process that will serve useful for any employee as they transition into a technical role.

Though problem solving may not be used in the same context across all roles in a company, examples can be found anywhere. Individuals in customer facing roles often have to think on their feet to resolve conflicts with a client and find a solution that will leave both the consumer and the company happy.

How Momentum Can Help Upskill Tech Talent

Once your business has completed the talent identification process and chosen upskill-worthy candidates, it’s time to start thinking about training options. Companies like Momentum partner with businesses to provide custom corporate training programs and meet digital needs. Contact our team today to learn how Momentum can help!

Recent Posts


Apply Now

Learn more about the admis­sions process and sub­mit your appli­ca­tion in 3 easy steps.