This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of training and whether or not it is the responsibility of companies or employees.

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Dave

IELTS Essay: Training Staff

Many jobs require ongoing training and research to stay competitive in a world with rapidly evolving information and technology. Some believe that it is the responsibility of businesses to pay for this training for their staff while others feel it is up to the individual.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

In an era of technological disruption, it is becoming increasingly important for businesses to consistently train their employees. In my opinion, though individuals in certain professions should undertake training for their own self-respect, this requirement is generally the responsibility of businesses.

There are particular sectors where the duty to continue training is a matter of self-respect. This applies to professions where employees are well-compensated and play a key role in society. For instance, doctors receive high salaries and impact public health greatly. A doctor who works with cancer patients has a responsibility to read the latest research in order to understand the best possible options for treatment. Failing to do so would amount to wasting their potential and not fulfilling their duty of care. However, these positions are the exception and, for most jobs, lack of current training will not have such dire ramifications.

I believe companies should be primarily responsible for training as they possess the means and motive. An illustrative example of this would be banks. At many banks, it is essential for employees to understand regulatory changes and learn about new developments in the field. Such training benefits the individual to an extent but the bank itself gains the most from having a qualified staff that can make sound financial decisions. However, the average bank worker may not have the time or finances to afford such courses. Therefore, it is common practice at well-run banks to provide free online or university courses for committed employees. This strategy holds true not simply for banking but for any job where new training will be beneficial for the overall business.

In conclusion, despite exceptions in certain professions, companies that are financially able and also stand to benefit the most should be responsible for training. This will only become more crucial in coming years as technology continues to outpace other industries.

Analysis

1. In an era of technological disruption, it is becoming increasingly important for businesses to consistently train their employees. 2. In my opinion, though individuals in certain professions should undertake training for their own self-respect, this requirement is generally the responsibility of businesses.

1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
2. Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. There are particular sectors where the duty to continue training is a matter of self-respect. 2. This applies to professions where employees are well-compensated and play a key role in society. 3. For instance, doctors receive high salaries and impact public health greatly. 4. A doctor who works with cancer patients has a responsibility to read the latest research in order to understand the best possible options for treatment. 5. Failing to do so would amount to wasting their potential and not fulfilling their duty of care. 6. However, these positions are the exception and, for most jobs, lack of current training will not have such dire ramifications.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
4. Keep developing it fully.
5. Vary long and short sentences.
6. Finish development.

1. I believe companies should be primarily responsible for training as they possess the means and motive. 2. An illustrative example of this would be banks. 3. At many banks, it is essential for employees to understand regulatory changes and learn about new developments in the field. 4. Such training benefits the individual to an extent but the bank itself gains the most from having a qualified staff that can make sound financial decisions. 5. However, the average bank worker may not have the time or finances to afford such courses. 6. Therefore, it is common practice at well-run banks to provide free online or university courses for committed employees. 7. This strategy holds true not simply for banking but for any job where new training will be beneficial for the overall business.

1. Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
2. Explain your new main idea.
3. Include specific details and examples.
4. Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
5. Develop the example fully.
6. State the results as well.
7. Generalize to other areas.

1. In conclusion, despite exceptions in certain professions, companies that are financially able and also stand to benefit the most should be responsible for training. 2. This will only become more crucial in coming years as technology continues to outpace other industries.

1. Summarise your main ideas.
2. Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

In an era of technological disruption, it is becoming increasingly important for businesses to consistently train their employees. In my opinion, though individuals in certain professions should undertake training for their own self-respect, this requirement is generally the responsibility of businesses.

There are particular sectors where the duty to continue training is a matter of self-respect. This applies to professions where employees are well-compensated and play a key role in society. For instance, doctors receive high salaries and impact public health greatly. A doctor who works with cancer patients has a responsibility to read the latest research in order to understand the best possible options for treatment. Failing to do so would amount to wasting their potential and not fulfilling their duty of care. However, these positions are the exception and, for most jobs, lack of current training will not have such dire ramifications.

I believe companies should be primarily responsible for training as they possess the means and motive. An illustrative example of this would be banks. At many banks, it is essential for employees to understand regulatory changes and learn about new developments in the field. Such training benefits the individual to an extent but the bank itself gains the most from having a qualified staff that can make sound financial decisions. However, the average bank worker may not have the time or finances to afford such courses. Therefore, it is common practice at well-run banks to provide free online or university courses for committed employees. This strategy holds true not simply for banking but for any job where new training will be beneficial for the overall business.

In conclusion, despite exceptions in certain professions, companies that are financially able and also stand to benefit the most should be responsible for training. This will only become more crucial in coming years as technology continues to outpace other industries.

Answers

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

in an era of technological disruption as tech becomes more advanced

increasingly important more and more crucial

consistently train constantly improve and learn more

certain particular

undertake do

self-respect dignity

requirement need

generally overall

responsibility duty

particular sectors individual jobs

duty responsibility

is a matter of self-respect pertains to how you view yourself

applies is true for

well-compensated make a lot of money

play a key role in society important to the public

high salaries making a lot of money

impact public health greatly help people get healthier

cancer patients people who have cancer

latest research in order to understand new studies to learn about

best possible options well-informed choices

treatment medicines

failing to do so would amount to wasting their potential not doing this would constitute a waste

fulfilling satisfying

duty of care responsibility to care about

exception outside the norm

lack not having

current right now

dire ramifications bad potential effects

primarily mostly

possess have

means money, ability

motive reason

illustrative example instance that shows this

understand regulatory changes now about new laws

new developments changes

field job

to an extent to some degree

gains the most gets a lot out of

qualified staff professional workers

make sound financial decisions make good choices

average normal

finances money

afford be able to buy

common practice the norm

well-run banks professional institutions

provide give

committed employees hard-working staff

strategy holds true this practice is the case

beneficial good for someone

overall business general finance

despite exceptions regardless of the odd case

financially able money to be able

stand to benefit the most get the most out of it

crucial key

outpace go faster than

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:

ɪn ən ˈɪərə ɒv ˌtɛknəˈlɒʤɪk(ə)l dɪsˈrʌpʃən
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ɪmˈpɔːtənt 
kənˈsɪstəntli treɪn 
ˈsɜːtn 
ˌʌndəˈteɪk 
sɛlf-rɪsˈpɛkt 
rɪˈkwaɪəmənt 
ˈʤɛnərəli 
rɪsˌpɒnsəˈbɪlɪti 
pəˈtɪkjʊlə ˈsɛktəz 
ˈdjuːti 
ɪz ə ˈmætər ɒv sɛlf-rɪsˈpɛkt 
əˈplaɪz 
wɛl-ˈkɒmpɛnseɪtɪd 
pleɪ ə kiː rəʊl ɪn səˈsaɪəti
haɪ ˈsæləriz 
ˈɪmpækt ˈpʌblɪk hɛlθ ˈgreɪtli
ˈkænsə ˈpeɪʃənts 
ˈleɪtɪst rɪˈsɜːʧ ɪn ˈɔːdə tuː ˌʌndəˈstænd 
bɛst ˈpɒsəbl ˈɒpʃənz 
ˈtriːtmənt
ˈfeɪlɪŋ tuː duː səʊ wʊd əˈmaʊnt tuː ˈweɪstɪŋ ðeə pəʊˈtɛnʃəl 
fʊlˈfɪlɪŋ 
ˈdjuːti ɒv keə 
ɪkˈsɛpʃən 
læk 
ˈkʌrənt 
ˈdaɪə ˌræmɪfɪˈkeɪʃənz
ˈpraɪmərɪli 
pəˈzɛs 
miːnz 
ˈməʊtɪv.
ˈɪləstreɪtɪv ɪgˈzɑːmpl 
ˌʌndəˈstænd ˈrɛgjʊleɪt(ə)ri ˈʧeɪnʤɪz 
njuː dɪˈvɛləpmənts 
fiːld
tuː ən ɪksˈtɛnt 
geɪnz ðə məʊst 
ˈkwɒlɪfaɪd stɑːf 
meɪk saʊnd faɪˈnænʃəl dɪˈsɪʒənz
ˈævərɪʤ 
faɪˈnænsɪz 
əˈfɔːd 
ˈkɒmən ˈpræktɪs 
wɛl-rʌn bæŋks 
prəˈvaɪd 
kəˈmɪtɪd ˌɛmplɔɪˈiːz 
ˈstrætɪʤi həʊldz truː 
ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃəl 
ˈəʊvərɔːl ˈbɪznɪs
dɪsˈpaɪt ɪkˈsɛpʃənz 
faɪˈnænʃəli ˈeɪbl 
stænd tuː ˈbɛnɪfɪt ðə məʊst 
ˈkruːʃəl 
aʊtˈpeɪs 

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

I______________________________________n, it is becoming i________________________t for businesses to c__________________n their employees. In my opinion, though individuals in c_________n professions should u___________e training for their own s____________t, this r______________t is g____________y the r________________y of businesses.

There are p_________________s where the d_____y to continue training i__________________________t. This a________s to professions where employees are w____________________d and p_______________________y. For instance, doctors receive h_____________s and i__________________________y. A doctor who works with c________________s has a responsibility to read the l_______________h i________________o u________________d the b____________________s for t_____________t. F_________________o w__________________o w_____________________l and not f__________g their d______________e. However, these positions are the e______________n and, for most jobs, l_____k of c__________t training will not have such d____________________s.

I believe companies should be p______________y responsible for training as they p__________s the m_________s and m_________e. An i____________________e of this would be banks. At many banks, it is essential for employees to u___________________________s and learn about n________________________s in the f_______d. Such training benefits the individual t______________t but the bank itself g_________________t from having a q________________f that can m_____________________________s. However, the a_____________e bank worker may not have the time or f___________s to a_________d such courses. Therefore, it is c______________e at w_____________________s to p__________e free online or university courses for c_______________________s. This s__________________e not simply for banking but for any job where new training will be b_______________l for the o____________________s.

In conclusion, d_____________________s in certain professions, companies that are f_______________e and also s_____________________________t should be responsible for training. This will only become more c__________l in coming years as technology continues to o__________e other industries.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic by watching videos from The New York Times YouTube channel below and practice with these activities:

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

https://www.opengrowth.com/article/how-google-trains-world-class-managers#:~:text=Every%20top%20company%20has%20a,and%20train%20their%20fellow%20employees.

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Training

1. Do you think employers are responsible for training their employees?
2. How important is training in different industries?
3. Should companies focus more on training for older or younger employees?
4. Is it common for people in your country to pursue higher education later in life?
5. Do companies often help fund this training?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:

Some countries have introduced laws to limit working hours for employees.

Why are these laws introduced?

Do you think they are a positive or negative development?

IELTS Essay: Laws to Limit Working Hours