Almost half, or 47%, of Australian jobseekers wouldn’t join an organisation that didn’t offer formal training opportunities, according to research from Hays.

The research surveyed 1,253 professionals and 951 employers. Hays’ research found that 96% of the professionals surveyed consider upskilling as ‘important’ or ‘very important’, and 84% would not consider a role that lacked skills development.

For some professionals, not receiving time off to attend seminars or conferences (34%), a lack of coaching (27%) or mentorships (24%) and not providing time off for university or TAFE studies (18%) were considered deal breakers.

Meanwhile, 64% of professionals said they were more likely to join and stay with an organisation that uses the latest technology.

In contrast, 77% of the employers Hays surveyed said they were more likely to shortlist a qualified candidate who regularly upskills themselves and 59% actively encourage employees to become self-directed learners.

“There’s a push-pull between employers and employees when it comes to upskilling,” Nick Deligiannis, Managing Director of Hays in Australia & New Zealand, said. “Today’s jobseekers are far more likely to judge a potential job role on how well it will position them for career longevity. Given how quickly technology changes, the challenge is to stay employable by keeping skills relevant. Employers that provide on-the-job training are therefore becoming very attractive to jobseekers.”

“With highly-skilled professionals in demand, it could be that bosses who ensure their employees’ continuing learning will gain the upper hand in securing top talent,” Deligiannis said.

“Given that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is reshaping how every industry and profession operates via digital transformation and technologies such as AI, the answer is probably a combination of employers hiring in active learners with a demonstrated history of upskilling, while also training up their existing employees,” Deligiannis said.