Upskilling and re-skilling for work: Future-proofing your career

Claire Chettiar
A businessman smiling outside

In today's rapidly evolving work landscape, the importance of both upskilling and re-skilling has never been more evident. The skills required in the workplace are continuously shifting due to technological advancements, changing job roles, and increasing global competition. Learning new skills is the key to remaining relevant, competitive, and future proofing your career.?

A recent?ÃÛÌÒapp skills outlook report?shows how Indian workers are keen to improve their skills for career growth (with a focus on certain skills in technology and business English) to keep up with progression, and to stay relevant to employers. Following this, in today's post, we explore the significance of upskilling and re-skilling and how they can empower you to thrive in the dynamic world of work.?

Staying relevant in a changing job market

The job market is in a constant state of flux, with traditional roles being disrupted and new ones emerging. Upskilling allows you to stay ahead of these changes in your current career, and reskilling allows you to adapt and remain relevant in the face of evolving skill requirements. By continuously updating and expanding your skill set, you enhance your employability and increase your chances of securing meaningful employment opportunities, even in the face of automation and job market fluctuations.

Enhancing professional growth and advancement

Upskilling is not just about maintaining your current job; it is also a catalyst for professional growth and advancement. By acquiring new skills, you broaden your horizons, open doors to new career possibilities, and position yourself for promotions and higher-level positions.

Employers value employees who demonstrate a commitment to self-improvement and possess a diverse range of skills, making upskilling a powerful tool for career progression.

Navigating technological advancements

Technology continues to reshape the workplace, and upskilling is essential for effectively navigating these advancements. Automation, artificial intelligence, and digitalization are transforming industries, and workers must adapt to remain relevant. Re-skilling in areas such as data analysis, coding, cybersecurity, or digital marketing equips you with the expertise needed to leverage technology and work alongside it, rather than being displaced by it.

Increasing job satisfaction and motivation

Learning and growth are fundamental drivers of job satisfaction and motivation: research has shown that it is as significant a factor as low pay in peoples' decision to stay with a particular company or job role1. Upskilling not only expands your knowledge but also stimulates your intellectual curiosity and passion for your work. When you invest in your professional development, you can align your skills with your passions and find greater fulfilment in your chosen career path.

Nurturing adaptability and resilience

Upskilling fosters adaptability and resilience, two essential qualities in today's dynamic work environment. The estimates that a quarter of all jobs will be disrupted in the next five years alone; meaning that everyone needs to be prepared for change and uncertainty.

By continuously learning and developing new skills, you become more adaptable to changing circumstances and can readily embrace new challenges. Upskilling enhances your problem-solving abilities, critical thinking skills, and ability to learn quickly, making you better equipped to handle unexpected situations and thrive in an ever-evolving workplace.

Remaining competitive in a global economy

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, global competition for jobs is intensifying. By staying abreast of industry trends, acquiring in-demand skills, and demonstrating a commitment to self-improvement, you differentiate yourself from other candidates and increase your chances of securing coveted job opportunities, both domestically and internationally.

The importance of upskilling and re-skilling for work cannot be overstated. In a rapidly changing world, they are the keys to remaining relevant, adaptable, and competitive. By continuously learning and developing new skills, you future-proof your career, enhance your employability, and open doors to new opportunities.

Embrace skills development as a lifelong journey: by doing so, you empower yourself to thrive in the dynamic world of work and build a fulfilling, successful career.

References

[1]?https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/03/09/majority-of-workers-who-quit-a-job-in-2021-cite-low-pay-no-opportunities-for-advancement-feeling-disrespected/

More blogs from ÃÛÌÒapp

  • A couple sat on a sofa one with a laptop the other with a book; they are both laughing

    How English conversation works

    By Richard Cleeve

    English language teachers everywhere spend time and energy helping students practice their conversation skills. Some may ask whether conversation in English can actually be taught. And ¨C if it can ¨C what the rules might be.

    To explore these questions, we spoke to world-renowned . He is an Honorary Professor of Linguistics at the University of Bangor and has written more than 120 books on the subject.

    What makes a good conversation?

    ¡°It¡¯s very important that we put this everyday use of language under the microscope,¡± he says. He highlights three critical facets of conservation that we should bring into focus:

    • Fluency
    • Intelligibility
    • Appropriateness

    But all in all, he says that people should walk away from a conversation feeling like they¡¯ve had a good chat.

    ¡°For the most part, people want that kind of mutual respect, mutual opportunity, and have some sort of shared topic about which they feel comfortable ¨C and these are the basics I think.¡±

    The rules of conversation

    There are plenty of ways you can teach learners to engage in a successful conversation ¨C including how to speak informally, use intonation, and provide feedback. So let¡¯s take a look at some of the key areas to focus on:

    1) Appropriateness

    Fluency and intelligibility are commonly covered in English language classes. But appropriateness can be more complicated to teach. When preparing to teach conversational appropriateness, we can look at it through two different lenses: subject matter and style:

    2) Subject matter

    ¡°What subject matter is appropriate to use to get a conversation off the ground? There are cultural differences here,¡± he says. The weather is often a good icebreaker, since everyone is affected by it. The key is to find a common topic that all participants can understand and engage with.

    3) Style

    Teachers can also teach students about conversational style, focusing on how to make conversations more relaxed in English.

    There are ¡°several areas of vocabulary and grammar ¨C and pronunciation too, intonation for example ¨C as well as body language, in which the informality of a conversation is expressed through quite traditional means,¡± says David. One example he offers is teaching students how to use contracted verb forms.

    4) Simultaneous feedback

    This is what makes a conversation tick. When we talk with someone, we let them know we¡¯re listening by giving them feedback. We say things like ¡°really¡± or ¡°huh¡± and use body language like facial expressions and gestures.

    Of course, these feedback noises and expressions can be taught. But they won¡¯t necessarily be new to students. English learners do the same when speaking their own language, anyway.

    Keep in mind though, that when it comes to speaking online on video conferencing platforms, it¡¯s not easy to give this type of simultaneous feedback. People¡¯s microphones might be on mute or there might be a delay, which makes reacting in conversations awkward. So, says David, this means online conversations become much more like monologues.

    5) Uptalk and accents

    Uptalk is when a person declares something in a sentence, but raises their intonation at the end. For English learners, it might sound like someone is asking a question.

    Here¡¯s an example:

    • ¡°I live in Holyhead¡± said in a flat tone ¨C this is a statement.
    • ¡°I live in Holyhead¡± said using uptalk ¨C you are stating you live here, but recognize that someone else might not know where it is.

    Now, should teachers teach uptalk? David says yes. For one, it¡¯s fashionable to speak this way ¨C and it can be confusing for English learners if they don¡¯t understand why it¡¯s being used in a conversation.

    ¡°The other thing is that we are dealing here with a genuine change in the language. One of the biggest problems for all language teachers is to keep up to date with language changes. And language change can be very fast and is at the moment,¡± he says.

    When it comes to accents, David is a fan. ¡°It¡¯s like being in a garden of flowers. Enjoy all the linguistic flowers,¡± he says, ¡°That¡¯s the beauty of language, its diversity¡±.