How Upskilling And Reskilling Can Be Secret Weapons In Your Job Search
In the famous words of entrepreneur and author Marie Forleo, “Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally. It comes from what you do consistently.”
Upskilling and reskilling are two things power women do consistently. They are consistently lifelong learners. In order to stay competitive, women are adapting to global shifts by constantly learning and adapting to new technologies and trends.
The concepts of ‘reskilling’ and ‘upskilling’ are vital for women professionals looking to enhance their job prospects. Both strategies help to develop new skills or refine existing ones. Even corporate leaders know the value of upskilling and reskilling, and the proof is in the major dollars they’ve put up to back efforts to combat skills gaps.
In 2023, Verizon launched a $44 million upskilling training program for jobs like junior cloud practitioner, IT help desk technician and digital marketing analyst. In the same year, Bank of America invested $1 billion to upskill and reskill thousands of high school students for in-demand jobs. Accenture also made an annual commitment to upskill and reskill all its employees to the tune of $1 billion.
What Are Upskilling And Reskilling?
Reskilling involves learning new skills to transition into a different role or industry, while upskilling focuses on improving and expanding the skills you already have to stay relevant in your current field. Both are necessary to adapt to new market demands, and businesses are increasingly emphasizing them to maintain a competitive workforce.
Professionals are embracing both by getting advanced educational training either within their fields or a totally new one via an accredited university that offers master’s and doctoral degrees, pursuing certificates in niche areas of service, technology, or other expertise within their current field, or investing in online learning via platforms like Coursera, edX, Skillshare, MasterClass, or LinkedIn Learning. Volunteering is also a great way to upskill or reskill, especially when it presents a chance to actually work alongside an industry leader and learn by doing.
For those in industries that have very specific requirements for certain roles, upskilling is important, particularly in healthcare, engineering, finance, and retail because these are ever-evolving and rely heavily on technical, compliance, and other specialized skills.
The Role Of Upskilling And Reskilling In Job Searches
Increased Employability
A key advantage of reskilling and upskilling is that both allow professionals to pivot to new fields or roles where demand is growing. Experts say that reskilling “shows that leaders are thinking about the future,” according to Forbes. This means that you have vision as a leader and you’re able to apply new knowledge to solve new problems as an employee.
Human resource leaders expect many employees to need reskilling within the next few years as automation and AI continue to change job requirements.
“Closing the widening skills gap will require better alignment on the importance of tech literacy,” said Simon Wright, Global Head of Talent Advisory Consulting of PeopleScout in a recent study about reskilling trends.
As a professional who pursues up-to-date certificates, tech proficiency skills, and AI training, you’d be ahead of the curve for any role you apply for. Be sure to look into higher standards of knowledge that will offer an edge for the specific dream job you have in mind, master it, and present yourself as a forerunner.
Making this a practice will also increase your fulfillment once you land a job so that there’s less of a chance that your role or skills become obsolete or less valuable.
“Reskilling is not just about adapting to change; it is about empowering people and communities to thrive in an intelligent age,” Claudia Azevedo, CEO of Sonae, a multinational company with diverse holdings, told the World Economic Forum.
Greater Career Flexibility
Reskilling can also help employees who find their industries or job roles on the decline or when it’s time to transition into a different era of success that taps more into fulfillment. Take the examples of Kelis, a singer-turned-chef-turned-farmer, Tyra Banks, a model-turned-TV-producer, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a waitress-turned-politician.
When you’re able to tap into new passions, learn new skills, and totally pivot into a new career, this opens up the job search for you in ways that can be empowering.
Quality Networking And Professional Growth
Training programs and professional development courses also provide opportunities for networking. Experts have found that reskilling and upskilling are not only about learning new skills but also about connecting with others in your industry. Networking with peers and professionals in training environments can open doors in your job search as well as opportunities for collaborations, further enhancing your career prospects.
By staying in the know about the latest trends, technology, and practices of your industry – even while unemployed— tapping in with mentors and leading industry peers, doing your research specific to the role you’re applying for, and being strategic about the free or low-cost upskilling and reskilling resources available to you, you can ensure that your job search — and future career fulfillment — will be a success.
