Upskilling: What Is It and How It Can Help You

upskilling

Upskilling is the process of adding new competencies to an existing skill set. Employers may upskill staff through corporate training programs in order to gain a more proficient workforce. Workers may upskill themselves via continuing education, certification, and private training.

How To Upskill

Upskilling builds on your current proficiencies through training, education, or on-the-job learning. Unlike reskilling, which involves learning an entirely new skill set, upskilling adds to the knowledge you already possess.

Major employers including Walmart, Verizon, and Marriott make heavy investments in upskilling and reskilling programs. Many employer-sponsored programs focus on hard skills like coding, cloud computing, and digital marketing. But soft skills are also in demand—Verizon’s Skill Forward program focuses on communication and teamwork, as well as technical skills. In a ZipRecruiter survey, 93% of employers said that soft skills play a critical role in their hiring decisions.

You can also upskill yourself on your own, taking continuing education classes, participating in internships, or completing a certification. Upskilling can help you become better at your job, earn a promotion, or adapt to new challenges in your industry. It can also help you future-proof your career!

Rapidly evolving industries mean that even workers who stay in their current jobs will need to add to their skill sets in order to stay current.

Upskilling Example

Let’s say that you’re a software developer. You have a bachelor’s degree in computer and information technology and several years of experience designing and developing software to suit users’ needs.

You like your job, which allows you to use your creativity and problem-solving skills to help design new solutions to challenging issues. But your ultimate career goal is to become a chief technology officer, which may require you to earn an MBA and gain experience as a computer and information systems manager.

Read More: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/upskilling-6752070