The marketplace for jobs is fierce, and one of the best ways to future-proof your career is by setting yourself apart from the competition by ensuring that your skills are better than other candidates in your field.
Aside from that, you also need to take into account innovation and the natural evolution of your workplace. With the constant growth of technology, workplaces are constantly moving forward and are adopting new technologies to make everyone’s lives a little easier.
Automation for example is becoming more popular, which opens up the market for new jobs that require an entirely new set of skills. Unfortunately to say, as a result of automation, the need for some jobs is either reduced or entirely no longer in demand.
This natural evolution of the workplace makes upskilling a top priority for workers. That’s one of the best ways to future-proof your career and that is what we’re going to cover in this blog post.
What is Upskilling?
In its most basic form, upskilling means learning new skills and acquiring new abilities in order to adapt and keep up with the changing demands of the workplace. It has become a very popular term in the workplace, especially in recent times where automation has taken over many jobs and replaced them with different ones. When you don’t upskill yourself, you will add to the skill gap, which can have significant effects on your career.
Why is Upskilling Important?
There are many different reasons why upskilling is important in the modern work environment. Here are some of the most significant reasons why it is important in the modern work environment:
Upskilling Drives Careers Forward
Upskilling yourself significantly improves your employability. Modern workplaces experience changes every single day, and workers are expected to keep up with the demand or risk getting left behind.
Working towards improving or increasing your skillset allows you to stay attractive to existing and future employers and can increase your chances of moving forward in your career. Skilled professionals are in very high demand in today’s job market and possessing a range of valuable skills in your field can be the differentiator when it comes to an upward career trajectory.
You Can Open New Doors & Opportunities by Upskilling
When you upskill, there’s a high chance that you’ll end up finding new possible career paths for yourself. One of the joys of upskilling yourself is that you are constantly learning new skills and abilities, and sometimes, you might find something else within your field that you enjoy even more than what you’re currently doing.
Future-proof Your Career
While technology has become a blessing for workers in some industries, it has also had its negative impact on others – particularly thanks to automation. When you upskill in the right direction, you are protecting yourself from losing your job. Having a wide and varied set of skills is very attractive to employers, which will solidify your place in the job market.
How to Get Started: A Guide to Upskilling Yourself
Whether you’re a new or seasoned professional in your field, it’s always a great idea to upskill. To help get you started, we’ve compiled a quick list of the three top tips:
1. Never Stop Learning
This first tip is one that you might end up using your entire career. The workplace is experiencing radical changes now and will continue to evolve in the years to come. So, when you’re a professional looking to upskill, never stop learning.
You can learn and obtain new skills in a variety of ways, and we highly recommend using all the tools at your disposal. Some great ways to upskill yourself is by attending as many online events and conferences as you can, going to workshops and training classes, connecting with your network of individuals within your industry, and many more.
If you aren’t particularly interested in those, there are plenty of resources on the internet that can help you do just that without leaving your home.
2. Build Up Your Experience & Accreditations
Many people believe that experience is the best teacher, and this is true, for the most part. A great way for you to learn new skills is to immerse yourself in different job opportunities and build experience in the field. Along the way, you will gather new skills that you can use to push forward.
You can also get new professional accreditations as these are very attractive to employers. There are many seminars and courses nowadays that can help you attain certain accreditations, which would be a great currency in the modern job marketplace.
3. Grow Your Network & Gain Exposure
Even before upskilling became a buzzword, professionals knew that it was important to build a good network. When you grow your network, you expose yourself to other professionals in the field who will take note of your skills. And in the future, these connections might prove to be very valuable for you.
When starting your career, we highly recommend growing your network as you upskill. Doing both things simultaneously could greatly impact your career path in the future.
Conclusion
The future of the workplace is uncertain, and one of the best ways to ensure you remain employable is by upskilling yourself. When you learn new skills, gain more accreditations, and build a wider professional network, you greatly increase the chances of attracting employers for the long term. You might even find new career paths that are better suited for your goals.
Are You Trying to Take the Next Step?
Some workplaces aren’t fit for an upskilling professional. Or sometimes, it would be in your best interest to look for a change. If you’re looking for a change of environment or want employers to see all the skills you have to offer, you can search jobs on Morgan Law. Morgan Law connects employers to skilled individuals ready to take the next step in their careers.