The Upskilling Revolution: Empowering Job Seekers to Build Their Skills
Publié le 21 June 2023
People at all stages of their professional life are learning how they can empower themselves and take charge of their career through the upskilling revolution.
Upskilling – Importance & Practices For Job Seekers & Employers
Upskilling is more than a corporate buzzword. It’s an important strategy for current job seekers, working professionals, and employers alike. Why? In this article, we’ll break down why upskilling is so important and the best practices for both employers and job seekers to keep in mind if they want to be part of the upskilling revolution.
The Importance of “Upskilling” for Job Seekers
According to the World Economic Forum, 1.1 billion jobs are likely to be transformed by technology in a radical way over the next ten years. The estimated economic impact will be nearly $3 trillion, but more importantly, many people may find themselves at risk of losing their jobs given their current skill sets. Upskilling could be a solution to these labour shortages.
Simply put, more people than ever will need new professional skills to compete in the rapidly evolving, transforming workplace. Industries have always shifted with time, but the incoming economic upheaval may potentially be faster and more substantial than ever before. Many people are already struggling to keep a 30% cap on their housing costs, and this will become even more of a challenge for those who are not able to get ahead with a higher income in their careers.
By upskilling, new employees will make themselves enticing hiring prospects for their employers, plus gain additional confidence and hopefully, a higher salary as they hunt for their next great position.
What About Employers?
Employers, too, can benefit from focusing on upskilling in the workforce. Upskilling or reskilling one’s current employees is oftentimes a better way to adapt to changing market pressures and requirements, compared to the cost and time required to hire new employees.
Not only do new employees need additional training and time to integrate into your workplace, but they may not fit with your current workplace culture. Your current rockstar employees already fit both criteria – giving them the tools they need to reskill is an excellent way to cut down on costs, maximize the productivity of your employee base, and ensure your brand is agile and adaptive for the years to come.
7 Ways to Practice or Promote Upskilling
Good news – whether you’re a job hunter, current working professional, or employer, there are ways in which you can practice or promote upskilling. Let’s take a closer look at how you can be part of the upskilling revolution.
For Job Seekers
For job hunters, upskilling is one of the most important things to focus on in the years to come. Depending on the practices and philosophies of your employer, you may need to take your upskilling journey into your own hands, or you can take advantage of resources at your workplace.
Follow Thinkers and Industry Leaders in Your Niche
Firstly, take note of the thinkers, industry leaders, and big speakers in your industry or niche. They’re often active on platforms like Facebook and especially LinkedIn. Follow their accounts and take note of what they say.
By the same token, try to read articles and discussion posts about industry topics before reskilling. The more you keep abreast of professional developments and changing standards in your industry, the better equipped you’ll be to make yourself invaluable in your professional field.
Join Professional Associations
Next, it’s a good idea to join various professional associations that relate to your industry. Not only do professional associations offer you networking opportunities, but they often provide doors or gateways to learning experiences, like certificate programs.
Through professional associations, you can find out:
- Upcoming technical skills or professional qualifications you’ll need to know
- What you need to learn through upskilling to make yourself invaluable to employers
- How to learn those professional skills quickly and affordably
Pursue Certificates and Attend Professional Development Classes
Speaking of certificates and classes, you should pursue these frequently. The right certificates serve as more than badges on your resume. They’re a testament to the skills that you can demonstrate and serve as markers of value that may lead to a higher salary and greater job security.
In time, you could find that these additional certificates in classes increase your bargaining power when the time comes to negotiate your salary. Many employees have already adopted this philosophy to charge higher rates for their job skills. For example, the UK wages hit a record increase with a pay rate increase of 6.4% between September to November 2022. And in the USA, salary increases are expected to rise by about 4.6% for 2023. Could these kinds of pay raises be yours if you upskill successfully? There’s perhaps only one way to find out.
Take Advantage of Learning Resources at Work
Lastly, don’t forget to see if your current job offers learning resources, like workplace training modules or promotion training opportunities. If you are happy at your current job or industry, you don’t have to upskill just to leave later on. You can potentially stay with the same employer but make more money through sponsored or paid-for training programs at the same time.
For Employers
If you’re an employer and want to use the upskilling revolution for your organization’s benefit, there are several ways in which you can do just that.
Give Employees Time to Learn
Be sure to give your employees plenty of time to learn new skills. This can be difficult if your business struggles with workforce agility, but it’s important. Your employees won’t be motivated or able to re-skill in any capacity if you have them scheduled for specific tasks at every moment of the work day.
It’s a much better choice to carve out dedicated learning modules or chunks of time for each employee that you want to upskill. That way, your employees know that you are committed to their workplace development and have the space to learn and practice new skills effectively.
If you don’t give your employees enough time to learn the new skills they need to thrive, you could find them jumping ship sooner rather than later, using resources like Jobillico to find new positions in their areas.
Offer Access to Continued Learning Resources
Furthermore, you should offer your employees continued access to essential learning resources, like workplace training modules, certificate programs, and more. By giving your employees learning resources in the workplace, you’ll maximize the chances of them taking advantage of those resources and providing benefits to your business later on.
Incentivize Professional Development
On a large scale, be sure to incentivize workplace development among your current workforce. Offer bonuses, opportunities for promotions, and other incentives to convince your employees that you are committed to upskilling them and giving them modern tools for professional development and success.
Don’t worry so much about your employees leaving your organization after teaching them new skills. If you’ve cultivated a good workplace already, they’ll only be more grateful and likely to stick with your brand through thick and thin.
Conclusion
Ultimately, as technology changes and the market evolves, current in-demand skills will change, and some job skills will phase out of demand entirely.
That doesn’t have to be the end of your professional career. By being part of the upskilling revolution, you could market yourself as a valuable employee for years to come. Employers can also give their employees new skills to increase their value and boost the profitability of their businesses. Don’t run away from upskilling – lean into it.
