The importance of continued training and skills development in the workplace has been highlighted by a recent international workplace survey that shows approximately nine out of ten Indian respondents believe their current skills will be outdated within five years.

The survey, by global human resources leader Kelly Services, finds more than a third of the respondents believe the training currently provided by their employers will not meet their future career needs. 

The Kelly Global Workforce Index obtained the views of nearly 100,000 people in 34 countries, including almost 5,000 in India.

The survey highlights the significance that employees across age groups place on training and skills development to sustain them in a rapidly changing labour market.

Among Indian respondents, 69 per cent say that training should be a joint responsibility between an employer and employee. The preference among those surveyed is for on-the-job training (52 per cent), followed by professional development courses (33 per cent), and self-initiated learning (13 per cent). Formal university or college qualifications were cited by a mere three per cent of the respondents.

More women respondents preferred on-the-job training, while men preferred professional development courses as the best method to upgrade their skills. The Indian findings also reveal the depth of concern across the population about the possible incapacity of the current skills base to meet new workforce challenges.

The Kelly Global Workforce Index is a survey revealing opinions about work and the workplace from a generational viewpoint. Results of the current findings from across North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific will be published throughout 2009 in a series of six releases. The company's revenue in 2008 was $5.5 billion.

Dhiren Shantilal, senior vice-president (Asia Pacific), Kelly Services, said, ''It was just recently that we faced skills shortages across many industries and unless skills and training are enhanced, such situation may occur in future.'' His concern is reflected in the outcome of the study. 

Globally, while 'baby boomers' (aged 48-65) are most worried about the level of training they receive, with 43 per cent saying it is not sufficient to upgrade skills and advance their career, 90 per cent of both 'Gen X' (aged 30-47) and 'Gen Y' (aged 18-29) say that within the next five years, their skills will need to be upgraded to keep pace with changes in the workplace.