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I recently had the opportunity to contribute to a CIO.com article by Esther Shein examining how CIOs are addressing one of technology leadership’s most persistent challenges: building the skills organizations need as technology continues to evolve at an extraordinary pace.
The skills themselves may change, but I have long believed that one principle remains constant: IT is a world of continuous improvement.
Technology professionals cannot stop learning, and technology organizations cannot stop evolving. As CIOs, part of our responsibility is creating an environment where both can happen.
Build Before You Buy
There will always be situations where organizations need to recruit specialized expertise from the outside. But hiring cannot be the only answer to every emerging skills gap.
Some of the best talent may already be inside the organization.
As I shared with CIO.com:
“It’s a lot easier to train the good people you have than go find them in the market.”
When you have talented people who understand the business, know the organization, have earned the trust of their colleagues, and possess the curiosity and drive to grow, investing in them can be far more valuable than continually searching the market for the perfect candidate.
That means making learning part of the operating model rather than treating training as an occasional activity. Certifications, formal education, mentoring, stretch assignments, exposure to new technologies, and opportunities to move into increasingly complex roles all contribute to building a stronger organization.
Career Paths Matter
Upskilling is only part of the equation.
People also need to understand where that growth can take them.
One of the initiatives I discussed with CIO.com was developing a more mature IT mastery model with clearly defined career paths from roles such as analyst and engineer through to solution architect.
The objective was bigger than training. It was about helping people see a future for themselves within the organization.
When employees can connect the skills they are developing today with the opportunities available tomorrow, professional development becomes a powerful tool for both capability building and retention.
The Technology Organization Must Evolve Too
There is also a limit to what can be solved through upskilling.
As technology portfolios change, CIOs have to continually evaluate whether the organizational structure, roles, sourcing strategy, and skills within IT still match what the business needs.
AI, cybersecurity, cloud, data, automation, and emerging technologies will continue creating demand for new capabilities. Sometimes the answer will be training. Sometimes it will be hiring. Sometimes it will require partners or specialized external expertise. And sometimes the organization itself needs to change.
The CIO’s responsibility is knowing which approach makes sense and creating a technology organization capable of continually adapting.
Ultimately, building a future-ready IT organization is not simply about finding people with the skills you need today. It is about creating a culture where talented people can continually develop the skills the organization will need tomorrow.
Esther’s CIO.com article explores how technology leaders are approaching this challenge and includes some excellent perspectives on upskilling, career development, mentoring, and building technology talent from within.
Read the full CIO.com article: CIOs Get Serious About Closing the Skills Gap — Mainly From Within