Employers working hard to develop talent in tight labour market

The unique development experience also left Grew with confidence in his ability to make a difference.

“Despite being a grad, and only a few months out of university, George has made me feel like I have a valuable contribution to make. Each one of us comes to our roles, irrespective of our years of experience, with lived experience and perspectives, and I now recognise how valuable that can be.“

Training and development opportunities vary widely between organisations. Arnotts is not the only employer thinking creatively about what might work for their people.

The team of twenty at Sydney-based Taurus Marketing are offered personal brand sessions, mentoring from founder and CEO Sharon Williams, and personal executive coaches.

“I run Taurus to build people, brands and businesses, so it’s my mission to build careers and success. At Taurus, I take people on and help them realise their dreams to guide them into becoming exactly who they want to be,” she says.

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At PwC Australia, events like SXSW, TEDx and Coachella inspired a six-month highly experiential learning experience called “The Outside”. It features webcasts, podcasts and a book club with books on thinking differently, before culminating in an exclusive, three-night festival-style event.

PwC Australia’s Head of People and Culture, Catherine Walsh, says The Outside was a chance for their people to learn about themselves, connect to colleagues and develop their skills.

“It is a completely unique experience around building curiosity and integrating lifelong learners rather than doing what is required for the next job. It is a radical investment in our people, how to think differently about creating the next generation of leaders, plus reward recognition,” she says.

In terms of the response at least, the investment seems to have paid off.

“We’ve been blown away with the feedback and positive advocacy. The impact of world-class keynotes, mixed with deep immersive experiences, art installations, music and entertainment, in a purpose-built environment is unlike anything our people have experienced,” Walsh says.