Learning and development is critically important to ERM and a key area for continuous improvement based on our employee engagement survey results.
We offer a mix of classroom, digital, on-the-job and informal educational approaches – with technical experts contributing to specialist curricula.
From new consultants starting their career, to professional support roles essential to the smooth running of the business, or a Partner looking to grow their skills and further their abilities, ERM provides many opportunities to continuously learn and develop through a blended approach to learning.
The ERM Academy, our online portal, is aligned with our career framework at each level. Employees can enhance the skills, knowledge and behaviors they need to adapt to a changing market and advance their career with ERM.
Learning@ERM is dedicated to supporting each employee’s personal and professional growth to deliver exceptional client value. Although a significant percentage of an individual’s learning opportunities come from on-the-job learning, we have a dedicated team of learning professionals and a learning management system to ensure that we offer more formal development that is relevant, current and responds to the changing needs of our employees, our business and learning solutions. For example, we recently deployed training on the low carbon economy transition to adapt to changing market needs.
Every new employee completes mandatory training and local induction activities so that they can carry out their work safely and in compliance with ERM governance requirements and policies, our clients and relevant legislation. In addition, existing employees are required to take refresher training every three years, based on their start date. During FY21, we will provide refresher training to a significant percentage of our existing employees, and this will be tracked as part of our training target.
Technical Communities are where our expertise resides in the company, and where thought leadership and innovation occur. A Technical Community is a group of people who share a common technical interest, and who expand their individual and collective knowledge utilizing a range of platforms. Information sharing includes data, tools, research and experiences, new methodologies, best practices and industry developments with a focus on knowledge expansion and problem solving. They are a key platform for technical learning and development, knowledge sharing, and connecting people to new opportunities. We have also introduced the Technical Paper and Publications Awards program, which recognizes skill development through thought leadership and is open to our consultants.
Our Leadership Development programs support our Partners and employees as they transition to the next leadership level, preparing them to take up roles of increasing complexity and learning more about ERM. Collectively the different programs support the development of knowledge, skills, behaviors, relationships and experience required by ERM leaders at different levels in the organization.
For example, to empower all our Partners to understand LCET and our clients’ changing needs, we require all Partners to participate in a mandatory five-part LCET webinar series. The materials will be made available to all employees via the ERM Academy.
"Developing our technical capabilities is vital to the growth of our people and our business. Key to this is participating in one or more of ERM's technical communities, where we build and share our technical knowledge, incubate thought leadership, solutions and innovation, and facilitate learning and development.