There’s a tendency to think of learning as something that finishes when formal education ends, but at BiD Masters, we know the reality is we continue learning throughout our lives. The more experiences we have, and the more varied those experiences are, the more we learn. Learning is a natural part of our existence.
 
The same is not always true of workplace learning, yet it plays an important role in promoting work efficiency and in personal development. When it comes down to it, ongoing learning is an essential component in our working lives that benefits both the employer and the employee. It’s more than a professional course or a single training programme – these are components, sure, but they have a fixed term. Learning and development is something that continues throughout your career, that is ongoing, and that engages, encourages and motivates. That’s why ‘Continuous’ or ‘Lifelong’ Learning is such a buzz word – it captures the idea that this learning is never completed. What we really need though, is for that learning to build on existing skills, rather than just drum policies into our heads.
 

The benefits of continuous learning

The world around us is constantly changing, often in unpredictable ways. We only need to look back to 2020 to see a pivotal change, with many of us navigating the ongoing effects. Technological advances, disruptive business models and changing work patterns are amongst a multitude of drivers of change. Learning new skills is therefore vital in keeping pace.
 
Think about it this way, if you are aware of changes in your field of work that may impact your role or your business model, quick to learn new concepts and adopt new technologies, and able to adapt to organisational change by picking up new skills and knowledge, you are likely to be in demand. Of course, it’s in every companies’ best interest to promote continuous learning ¬– although not all do ¬– to help their employees thrive in the changing work environment and promote innovation, flexibility and agility. These are the traits that set businesses and people apart.

What does this really mean?

It’s clear then, that businesses should be focussed on providing and promoting learning opportunities. This needs to be more than paying lip service by training on company policies. It’s about finding those learning methods that motivate, whether it’s a professional training course, workplace shadowing, best practice, mentoring or any of a number of learning methods.
For individuals, it’s about making the most of these opportunities. If your company doesn’t offer the kind of learning programmes you need, push your agenda – find the right course or programme and put forward a case as to the benefits to the company from your participation; find someone who would make a good mentor and gauge their willingness to help; set aside a little time each week to research industry developments. Do what you need to do to continue your learning.
 

A note for entrepreneurs and sole traders

It can be difficult to set aside time for personal development when you’re building a business or when your focus is on delivery as a sole trader. Just remember, continuous learning is an investment in yourself. It’s worth taking the time to build a personal development plan so that you are continually enhancing your skills and building a portfolio of abilities for the future.
 

And finally, for the bids and proposals industry

At BiD Masters, we recognise there are limited training and development opportunities for budding bid professionals or those looking to enhance existing skills. That’s why we’ve built a self-paced training programme based on best practice and experience in the field – we want to see every bid professional reach their full potential and continually build their skills. Find out more about our training programmes here.