As you progress through your career, you may encounter roadblocks. Perhaps the rapid growth in technology causes your company to change the tools and platforms it uses for work. Maybe you meet a young new recruit with impressive skills that you don’t possess. Recently, the Artificial Intelligence boom has triggered concerns that AI will take over people's jobs. All of this leads professionals to start upskilling.
Building upon your existing skill set provides numerous significant benefits. Over time, these skills may take you to a higher position at work. If you possess skills that others don’t have, you may be trusted to take on interesting projects. It also prevents you from being left behind or replaced, whether by a more skilled worker or by AI. If you want to pursue your professional goals, start your career journey with this article!
What is upskilling?
Upskilling is the process of learning new skills that improve your current role. The skills you learn are more advanced, so it elevates your knowledge and competence in your industry. Think of your skills as a set of building blocks. When you upgrade your skill, you add new blocks to your tower of skills. The higher your tower is, the closer you are to achieving your career goals.
Another jargon you may have heard is reskilling. What is the difference between the two? Upgrading your competencies improves your existing skill set to promote your current career. This is akin to building a tall tower. Meanwhile, reskilling means learning new skills for a different industry. Instead of stacking them upwards, you are laying your building blocks sideways. This way, you can expand your reach and move towards new career paths that differ from your current role.
Do you need upskilling, reskilling, or a mix of both? It all depends on your career goals. Upgrade your current skill set if your aim is to climb the corporate ladder in your field. For example, you want to get a pay raise or a promotion. On the other hand, learn brand new skills if you wish to jump into a new industry.
The importance of upskilling
Building on your skill set is vital for companies and workers alike. The Employer Skills Survey shows that 6% of employers have a skill-shortage vacancy. This means that the job opening is hard to fill because of the lack of skills, qualifications, or experience among the candidates. Companies have a hard time finding qualified workers, so as a job seeker, updating your skills makes you more in demand.
Aside from staying ahead in the job market, upskilling also presents you with invaluable benefits.
- Increase income: Investing in your skills helps you become a master in your field. You can receive a job promotion that matches the advanced skills you possess.
- Experience job satisfaction: When you focus on upskilling, you see more meaning and purpose in your work. As a result, you will be more engaged with your job. For companies, an engaged employee is less likely to quit.
- Increase job security: New jobs arise every year, and they demand new skills. Even now, a lot of jobs require their employees to have digital skills. Therefore, you need to upskill to meet the demand of these jobs, both now and in the future.
Steps to start upskilling
We know that investing in our skills are important, but a lot of people still encounter problems. For example, they don’t have a career goal, so they don’t know where to start. As a result, they blindly learn skills without any strategy or structure. Maybe some find difficulties in upgrading their skills without spending money. Meanwhile, other people might be unsure if it’s possible to learn new skills while balancing a full-time job.
These are all common concerns. Fortunately, if there’s a will, then there’s a way. You don’t need to quit your job if you want to learn new skills. Additionally, there are ways to build up your skill set for free. Upskilling is an opportunity for personal and professional growth, so it should not be a burden. This next section will break down the steps to start learning new skills!
Set a career goal
Don’t rush into updating your skills just because everyone agrees you should. You will end up wasting time, energy, and even money to learn things that will not aid you in achieving your career goal. Before you begin, take a step back and ask yourself: What are your goals? What career path do you want to take? Is it the same as what you’re currently doing, or a completely different career? If you desire to switch careers, what skills are needed?
Once you identify your goals, you can arrange your upskilling direction. For example, you’re currently in an entry-level position. and your goal is to someday become a manager. This means you should learn advanced skills and build on your work experience. You should also involve yourself in projects to expand your portfolio.
Identify your knowledge gap
You have a goal, but there are things that stop you from accomplishing it. These are your knowledge gaps. What skills does a manager possess that you don’t? You can do your research by looking at job openings for positions you want. Identify what skills recruiters want for the job and compare them to what you currently have.
You don’t have to figure out your knowledge gap all on your own. In your upskilling journey, you can talk to people who have achieved their career goals. Ask them what skills they think brought them to their position. Remember, sometimes hard skills are not enough. You also need years of experience to build up your soft skills, like communication, teamwork, presentation, and time management.
Create an upskilling strategy
Now that you understand your goal and knowledge gap, you can start organising a learning strategy. Look up information on education and training institutions that can help you fill your knowledge gap. You should also plan a learning calendar for yourself. What will you learn first, and where? Consider your budget and time, especially if you’re a student or worker. For example, you can spare two hours to learn a new programming language every weekend.
Find resources
There are many resources that will help your learning journey. Your local college or library may have training programmes and online courses. Physical and digital books can also help improve your skills. Your upskilling journey doesn’t have to be lonely. You can find a learning buddy or a mentor in the same field you are pursuing.
Practise your skills
Learning is never complete without applying what you’ve learnt. Do real-world projects to practise the new skills you have gained. For example, if you’re learning a new language, try talking to native speakers or writing a short blog post. These personal projects help you showcase your abilities. They also make a great addition to your portfolio. Over time, you can see how far you’ve improved!
Final thoughts: Is it possible to start upskilling from home?
Yes, upskilling from home is very much possible with the help of online resources. Online courses can help you invest in your skills from the comfort of your home, office, or any coffee shop. You can choose to attend online classes, watch video lectures, read course materials, or a combination of all of them.
The College of Contract Management provides great opportunities to upgrade your skills from home. Our classes are one hundred percent online, so you can learn from anywhere in the world. Industry professionals are ready to help you grow your career and reach your career goals. Begin your upskilling journey with us and enrol today!
