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. 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. In a McKinsey survey, 87% of companies said that they had skills gaps or expected to have them in the next three to five years. 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.
Example of Upskilling
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. Your current employer offers a continuing education benefit that includes tuition reimbursement for programs related to your job. After researching programs and getting your manager’s approval, you’re able to start on your MBA. Your company benefits because you’re more likely to stay in your job while completing your education—plus, you might choose to gain management experience with the organization after graduation. You benefit by earning a free or lower-cost MBA and securing a path to your dream job.
Types of Upskilling
Corporate Training Programs
Many companies offer free training to their employees either through a proprietary program or a third-party vendor, like LinkedIn Learning. Corporate training has several advantages—it’s free for employees, may sometimes be completed on company time, and is already familiar to your employer. Completing the company’s training program can help you get a promotion, a better performance review, or find new opportunities within the organization.
Degree Programs
Not every job requires a four-year degree and not every four-year degree leads to a job. However, there are times when going back to school is the best way to advance your career. To find out whether additional education makes sense, consider scheduling some informational interviews with people who have your desired job. How did they prepare for their role? Some colleges and universities offer bridge programs for professionals who have training and experience but lack a given degree. For example, licensed practical nurses (LPNs) can become registered nurses (RNs) through LPN-to-RN bridge programs. You may also be able to find programs that are partially or entirely online.
Continuing Education and Professional Development
Continuing education doesn’t need to lead to a degree in order to be valuable. For example, securities and commodities sales agents typically attend training seminars regularly to keep up with emerging products and trends in their industry. In health care, many practitioners are required to complete continuing education courses to keep their license current. You may also be able to take advantage of free or low-cost online classes through Coursera, edX, Udacity, or other online training and education companies.
Certifications
Many career paths require certifications at various points. A computer support specialist may need to acquire vendor-specific certifications to support a new product. A dental assistant might earn certifications in infection control or radiography to advance in their career.
