Today’s professional world is full of challenges. People are still recovering from the COVID-19 outbreak and seeking ways to reverse its consequences in the workplace. We also need to always be ready to adapt to new technologies and prepare that some roles might simply become obsolete due to digital transformation and automation in the workplace.
The only way to keep up with the changing environment is through continuous learning. This is the reason why everyone is so obsessed with upskilling. Keep reading to find out what upskilling is and why it is important.
What Is Upskilling?
Upskilling is a process of advancing one’s skills through training and development. You can do it yourself or rely on learning opportunities your employer provides. Upskilling may target both hard and soft skills that help you be more productive in performing your job duties.
Upskilling vs. Reskilling
People often confuse upskilling with reskilling. Although both terms refer to learning and skill development, these are different processes. A top writer from the DoMyEssay writing service explains: “While upskilling improves your skills within your current career path, reskilling involves learning new skills to take a different job.” Thus, by upskilling, you take a skill you already have to the next level. In contrast, reskilling allows you to learn a new skill and expand your professional capabilities.
Importance of Upskilling
Upskilling is a crucial process that allows people to target specific skills they are missing and make the most of their careers. Besides, it’s part of a growth mindset and an important element of the culture of continuous learning. It inspires people to adopt, adapt, and develop. Here are five more benefits that make upskilling important in the modern world.
1. Filling Skill Gaps
Changing market conditions cause the demand for new and new skills. So if you want to keep your skill set relevant and valuable, you have to be able to identify and address your skill gaps.
Let’s say you wish your writing skills were better. It may affect your communication, ability to convey your thoughts, or grades for writing assignments. Once you’ve identified you miss this skill, start learning by doing daily writing exercises. You can also seek expert advice and ask a professional writer to do my essay for me. This is another way to improve your skills by analyzing the delivered draft, its structure, and writing basics.
2. Adaptability
Due to rapid technological transformation in the workplace, the half-life of skills reduced from 10 to 5 years. Thus, upskilling became much more important.
Companies need people willing to learn and keep their skills up to date. It is the only way to be agile and adapt to changing practices.
3. Confidence
Upskilling gives you more than skills. PwC’s Global CEO Survey showed that upskilling improves confidence, as 38% of respondents pointed out. It builds your self-esteem and belief in yourself as a professional and your growth.
4. Productivity
Upskilling makes you more effective at performing your role. You learn to complete more in less time, adopt new tools, and keep your cognitive abilities sharp. Productivity is key to working smart by optimizing your resources instead of working hard.
5. Employability and Career Opportunities
Upskilling makes your skill set more relevant to employers. As a result, it becomes easier to land a job and increases your chances of getting promoted.
Upskilling also impacts one’s earning potential. According to The American Upskilling Study by Gallup, workers who participated in upskilling activities had an 8.6% salary increase. When you bring new benefits to your company, it’s only natural that your compensation will grow as well.
Best Upskilling Practices
There is a variety of resources you can use to perfect your skills:
1. Online Courses
Plenty of self-paced online courses are available for enrollment. There are both free and paid options. So you can learn almost any skill with minimal investment. In addition, most of them provide a certificate upon completion to add to your resume.
2. Reading
This is the most obvious way to acquire knowledge, but for some reason, people often overlook it. Read books written by industry experts to get new insights and develop your skills. Explore your interests in your local library or one of the extensive digital libraries that are available to everyone.
3. L&D Programs and On-the-Job Training
If you’re a working student, in addition to seeking upskilling opportunities on your own, use resources provided by your employer. After the COVID-19 outbreak, many organizations consolidated their upskilling efforts. 42% of companies created skill development initiatives for their employees. They teach soft and hard skills that will help you perform your job duties and grow within the company.
4. Mentorship
When you’re only starting your career path, it is important to have someone more experienced to provide you with guidance and advice. Mentorship is an invaluable opportunity to learn practical and industry-specific knowledge to advance your career.
5. Seminars
By attending a seminar, you learn directly from an expert. This is your opportunity to get in-depth exposure to a skill you’re interested in, ask questions, and learn various perspectives by participating in discussions.
To Sum Up
Upskilling is a step towards life-long learning. It enables your professional growth, gives you a competitive advantage, and prepares you for the ever-changing demands of the business world. Continuous upskilling is one of the key conditions for building a future-proof career with a rising earning potential and job security.
