With hundreds of thousands of jobs being created through recent federal legislation plus an increased focus on climate action planning and net zero building, our industry is poised for rapid change. These changes come quickly. With an industry in such high demand, employers struggle to keep up and find affordable training options. Yet, continuing education is often what sets an employer apart and supports employee retention. 

Benefits for the Employer

As the sustainability and net zero industry grow so do the qualifications and demands placed on employers. Architecture firms and municipalities must keep up with code changes, infrastructure funding opportunities, and community demand for more sustainable building practices.

Continuing education programs are beneficial in all industries and offer a wide range of benefits to employers and employees. Continuing education decreases mistakes that may result in company audits and decreases turnover rates. It also aids employees in career advancement, helps maintain job security, and increases overall workplace satisfaction. 

Benefits for the Employee

Continuing education is increasingly important as millennials, the largest generation in the workforce, further their career. According to a report by Gallup, 59% of millennials prioritize being able to learn and grow when considering a job position. According to the same report, 87% of millennials surveyed expressed that professional or career growth and development opportunities are important to them while actively working in a job position. 

The Cost of Continuing Education

Costs for employer sponsored learning and development continue to rise, with the average employer spending $1300 per employee annually. In sectors of the sustainability industry, continuing education units must be acquired annually to retain a certain level of certification. Managing this process can be cumbersome and if you are in human resources for an architecture firm or municipality, you may be pressured to stretch your learning and development budget. 

Enterprise programs can be the solution. Our own ID360 Academy Enterprise Learning Program is packaged for firms and municipalities to train employees at scale. On-demand, and entirely online, the ID360 Enterprise Learning Program includes all the benefits of quality, on-demand green education with the convenience and flexibility today’s workforce demands. Gone are the days of spending thousands of dollars on travel for employees to attend conferences for credits or to have them miss out on valuable billable hours. The courses offered through ID360 Academy all carry continuing education units (CEU) and are entirely on-demand. The ID360 team also manages the CEU process, relieving the stress and time management burden that often comes with company-wide programs.  

The industry changes so quickly, and with so much growth predicted, we must continue to invest in continuing education to stay a step ahead. To view a full list of courses available through ID360 Academy Enterprise Learning Program visit www.id360.green/Academy.