IT skills and support for your staff

Information technology (IT) training can help your staff be more confident and comfortable using IT. This can lead to numerous benefits to your business, including:

• increased productivity
• greater efficiency
• improved bottom line
• quicker adoption of new technologies

Due to the costs involved, user training and systems support are often seen as additional overheads. However, you need to invest money in both of these areas to ensure the success of IT systems.

Benefits of IT training and development for staff

There are many potential benefits of investing in the IT skills of your workforce. For example, staff training and development:

• helps your business run better - it makes your staff better equipped to use computer systems, handle customer enquiries or make a sale
• helps staff acquire new skills - this can increase their contribution to your business, as well as their self-esteem and personal development
• enables staff to undertake new and different tasks - this can lead to job enhancements, promotion and increased motivation and job satisfaction
• helps staff gain confidence in their use of IT - this can increase their productivity and efficiency
• makes the transition to new IT systems and technologies easier - for both your staff and customers
• makes your staff feel appreciated - they will see you investing time and money in their professional development, so retention and morale can increase

Risks of not investing in IT training

If you don't give your staff adequate IT training, they may not be able to use your IT systems efficiently. This can potentially lead to:

• business operations being disrupted
• efficiency and productivity falling
• staff becoming frustrated and unhappy
• deadlines being missed
• the business losing confidence in the new system

The more effort you put into training and supporting your staff, the greater the rewards will be in the end. See more on the types of IT training available.

Developing your employees’ digital skills is key to helping them succeed in the modern workplace. To support effective training, it’s important to understand the different types of information technology (IT) skills your staff may need.

Basic digital literacy

This focuses on the essential skills employees need to use everyday devices and software. It includes tasks like using computers, sending emails, browsing the internet, and working with tools such as word processors and spreadsheets. It’s especially important for employees who have limited or no digital skills.

Job-specific or application-oriented skills

Technical training programmes help employees gain the IT knowledge they need for their specific roles. For example, learning to use industry-specific software, such as accounting or customer management tools, or mastering advanced features in programs like Excel. This is targeted at employees who need particular skills to carry out their job tasks effectively.

IT support skills

Development focuses on helping staff maintain and fix IT systems, both hardware and software. It includes topics like troubleshooting computer issues, managing networks, and basic device repairs. This is aimed at IT support staff or those in technical roles within your business.

Cyber security awareness

General awareness of cyber risks is essential for ensuring all employees understand the importance of protecting your organisation’s systems and data. Basic training will cover areas like recognising phishing attempts, creating strong passwords, securing devices, and understanding data protection regulations. You should provide this type of training to all employees, as everyone plays a role in supporting the cyber security of your organisation.

Advanced IT and software development

Bespoke or advanced training may be required for employees involved in the development and management of complex systems or software. For example, programming languages, database management, and cloud computing. Such training is primarily designed for IT specialists, developers, and those working on technical projects.

Leadership and IT management skills

Various training options are available for those managing IT teams, projects, or strategies, teaching skills like IT project management, leadership in technology environments, and using IT to achieve business goals. This sort of development is crucial for managers and senior staff in charge of IT operations.

Compliance and legal training

This helps staff understand the legal and regulatory requirements surrounding IT use. It includes topics like data protection laws (eg General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR), intellectual property, and IT-related legal matters. This is particularly important for HR or legal teams, or anyone who handles sensitive company data.

Each category addresses different skill levels and requirements, ensuring your staff are equipped to perform their roles effectively and safely. You should carry out an IT training and learning needs analysis to tailor skills development to the specific needs of your business and workforce.

Before arranging IT training for your staff, you should carry out a training and learning needs analysis (TLNA). This will ensure that your training is cost-effective and better received.

Training needs analysis for IT skills

Training needs analysis can be very sophisticated, but a simple approach is suitable for most small businesses. The goal of a training needs analysis is to:

• decide if training is really needed
• find any causes of poor performance
• decide on the content and scope of training
• define the required training outcomes

Training needs analysis stages

Typically, you can carry out an IT training needs analysis in stages:

1. Identify the problem

Decide which business issues you need to address. For example, you may need to improve productivity in producing reports for clients. This may involve different staff carrying out different roles.

2. Plan the TLNA

This work will involve some or all of your staff. It's important to have a clear plan for the training needs analysis and keep all those involved informed. Tell staff how long the exercise will last, who you will interview and the outcomes that you expect from the TLNA.

3. Collect information

Interview your staff so that you understand their current IT skill levels. In a small business, this can be a fairly informal process. If you need basic office skills, you can use the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL), now commonly rebranded as ICDL (International Certification of Digital Literacy) to provide a structure for these interviews.

4. Analyse information

Review the interview results to determine where you should concentrate your training effort. Consider which training methods may fit your business.

5. Develop a training action plan

Define what training is needed by whom, and how soon, and develop a staff training plan.

6. Communicate the results to your staff

Once you identify your training needs, consider the ways in which you can deliver the required training. See more on the types of IT training available.

Staff training can take many forms and utilise many different methods. The right training can help you make the most of your investment in information technology (IT) systems.

To determine what type and level of training your staff may need, you should carry out an IT training and learning needs analysis.

Methods of IT training

Depending on what IT skills your business needs, there are many sources and methods of training available, including:

Internal training

You can ask an experienced person within your business to train their co-workers or host a training session that focuses on a particular skill or task. This can be an inexpensive way to upskill your staff. Keep in mind that effective delivery of training is a skill in itself and you may need to source course material separately.

Public courses

You can book a training course with professional training providers or companies. The course can take place away from the workplace, often at the provider's own venue, and the price of the training may also include course material.

In-house training

You can hire training organisations, IT consultants or system suppliers to deliver bespoke training to your staff at your own premises. Larger organisations may find this type of training cost-effective if they have multiple employees with the same training needs. This is unlikely to be the case for small businesses with just a few staff.

Online training

Some training providers will offer computer-based training, most often delivered over the internet. These types of courses often provide businesses with a more cost-effective and flexible approach to staff training.

Self-paced learning

Some people may find learning on their own easier than taking a training course. You may wish to source some self-study books or manuals if you find that your employees best learn on their own.

One-to-one

In some circumstances, one-to-one delivery of training may best meet the learning needs of individuals. For example, many IT qualifications are based on experience gained in the workplace and are often highly practical in nature. The training required will often be given on a one-to-one basis that provides hands-on experience.

Some training - such as webinars, interactive tutorials, learning videos, etc - may be available online free of charge. There are pros and cons to any type of training. Make sure that you consider all the options to find training methods to fit your business.

Choosing your training provider

Any business can set itself up as a training provider. When choosing training solutions, make sure that the provider is legitimate, accredited, with good references and that the training meets a recognised standard. See more on IT skills standards and qualifications.

In Northern Ireland, various IT qualifications are available to help businesses upskill their workforce. These range from globally recognised certifications to nationally recognised qualifications, catering to different levels of expertise and roles.

Global standards and IT certifications

Choosing the right qualification will ensure your employees are equipped with the necessary skills to succeed in the digital workplace.

International Certification of Digital Literacy (ICDL)

ICDL is a widely recognised qualification for basic to advanced digital skills. It covers areas like word processing, spreadsheets, presentations and online collaboration. The certification is accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS). Training and testing in Northern Ireland are available through BCS-approved centres.

CompTIA certifications

CompTIA stands for Computing Technology Industry Association and offers a range of vendor-neutral, industry-recognised certifications for different levels of IT knowledge. The core certifications are ideal for employees looking for broad IT skills for job roles in IT support, networking or cyber security. Find a list of CompTIA certifications.

Microsoft certifications

Microsoft offers certifications for IT professionals at fundamental, role-based, and specialist level. They help validate skills and expertise in working with Microsoft technologies across a range of categories, including infrastructure, data and artificial intelligence, digital apps, modern work, business applications and security. Free learning resources are available through Microsoft learn. Courses are delivered through a network of official learning partners, further education colleges and private IT training providers.

Cisco certifications

Cisco certifications are widespread in the IT and networking industry. They validate skills related to network administration, security, design and related IT fields, with a structured path that allows individuals to progress from entry-level to expert level-certifications. Training can be instructor-led or self-paced, online or in-person, through further education colleges, private training providers and global learning partners. Read about Cisco certifications.

It is important to note that many certifications, particularly those from global providers, require recertification after a certain period.

Sector-specific qualifications

Specialised IT qualifications are designed to meet the unique needs of specific sectors or industries. For example, qualifications are available in areas such as:

• accounting software training – for finance roles
• CAD certifications – in architecture, engineering and product design

As industries adopt emerging technologies, qualifications are increasingly expanding into new areas. For example:

• artificial intelligence and machine learning training
• cloud computing certifications
• digital marketing tools and platforms accreditations

These credentials can ensure staff are familiar with the latest industry tools and technologies, and can apply them effectively in their roles.

National qualifications

National qualifications provide recognised standards of learning and skills development, helping individuals gain the knowledge and expertise needed for various roles in the workplace. They are typically delivered by further education colleges, community organisations, and training providers.

Essential Skills IT qualification

These qualifications help employees develop essential digital skills at Level 1 and Level 2. They cover basic tasks like using devices, online communication, and staying safe online. In Northern Ireland, Essential Skills IT is free.

Level 2 and 3 IT qualifications

These qualifications offer more advanced skills in areas like IT user skills, systems support, and software development. They are designed for employees wanting to progress to more technical roles. See what different qualification levels mean in Northern Ireland.

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) in IT

NVQs are work-based and focus on practical skills in IT support, web development, and network administration. These are available at Level 2 to Level 4. Your staff can study them at work, at college or as part of an apprenticeship. Find out more about NVQs.

There are various government-funded schemes and local initiatives in Northern Ireland to support IT skills development, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses. If you’re looking for training subsidies, check our Business Support Finder for funding options.

Information technology (IT) training should aim to meet business objectives. You can use an IT training and learning needs analysis to decide who needs training, and in what skills.

Once your staff complete their training, make sure that they have the opportunity to use and reinforce their new skills. Without this immediate practice, much of the benefits of the training can be lost.

How to evaluate the effectiveness of training?

You can evaluate the effectiveness of the training by reviewing the capabilities of your employees in the relevant set of skills, before and after training.

A good way to do this is to:

• speak to staff and ask them how well they are able to carry out the tasks that they were trained on
• seek feedback on trainers who delivered the training
• monitor changes in staff performance and efficiency after the training
• monitor the need for external support in this particular IT area

Understanding the impact of the training can help you select better training suppliers and courses in the future.

The complex nature of computers and applications means that problems with hardware or software are inevitable. Some form of technical support is essential for ensuring the continuity of information technology (IT) systems used by your business.

Reactive vs. proactive technical support

Technical support can be categorised in two ways:

• reactive support is concerned with responding to problems as they occur and identifying and supplying solutions
• proactive support attempts to ensure that systems are properly maintained and monitored to find potential problems and fix them before they become major issues

Both types of technical support are available as either in-house or externally sourced solutions.

Advantages of in-house support over outsourcing IT

The main advantage of providing in-house IT support is that you can deal with problems quickly and provide proactive support more easily. However, employing dedicated IT staff can be expensive.

Contracting out or outsourcing IT support to third parties is more common. It tends to be more cost-effective because you seek and get support as required. The support service is:

• usually accessed via a telephone helpdesk
• often supplemented by email communications

If you can't resolve a problem over email or phone, it will be escalated. If an on-site visit is required it usually costs extra.

If you are considering outsourcing your IT support to a third-party provider, it is best to choose someone based on a personal recommendation as the quality of service can vary.

Bear in mind that you might compromise your customers' rights and void any potential warranties if you have the equipment serviced by an unauthorised third party.

Read about the different types of outsourcing services and their advantages and disadvantages.

Support for your business software and hardware

Most software manufacturers provide remote support for a limited period. Typically this will be from 30 days to one year, with the option to purchase additional support as required.

Outsourced support isn't usually an option with hardware, as problems often require some form of physical intervention. However, warranties may require faulty equipment to be returned to the supplier rather than being repaired on-site by an engineer. This could mean that you are without key equipment for the duration of the repair if a replacement hasn't been provided.

Before you buy any IT equipment, you should look into the length of the warranty, and service levels during the warranty and after it.

With many options available, choosing an information technology (IT) training provider can be difficult. Before committing to a particular course or entering into a technical support contract, it can help to ask the following questions:

• How long has the supplier been established?
• What training materials and documentation are provided to attendees of the training company's courses?
• Does the training company offer any materials for evaluation purposes so that you can try them before you buy?
• Does the training company conduct a training needs analysis and offer consultancy? If so, at what rates?
• Are training costs based on the number of students or is there a set charge for a particular course?
• Is the training company prepared to provide training on-site? What facilities will be needed, eg room layout, equipment, etc?
• What are the specific costs associated with the provision of technical support, eg an annual cost or renewable subscription, a charge per PC being supported, charges based on the number of users, etc?
• What procedures are in place to escalate support calls to ensure that they progress towards a solution?
• Is the technical support supplier prepared to make on-site visits to address and rectify technical issues with your systems? If so, what are the charges associated with such services?
• What qualifications do the supplier's technicians hold? Are they fully qualified or certified by the manufacturers to support and maintain your IT hardware and software?
• Can the support company provide references for you to contact?

Get help with ICT

If you are a business located in Northern Ireland, and you need assistance with ICT issues or with assessing your business' skills requirements, you may be able to get practical advice and help from Invest Northern Ireland.