The pandemic has further accelerated a global skill shift that was already well under way. A recent key OECD report suggests that COVID-19 has sped up the adoption of automation and that 36% of jobs are at high or significant risk of becoming automated. This means that Australia's job market is rapidly changing, almost beyond recognition.
This change isn't necessarily bad news though. It depends how you look at it. If you're willing to embrace innovation and grow your expertise through reskilling and upskilling, the future of work and personal career growth really does look quite exciting.
What is reskilling and upskilling?
Being open to both reskilling and upskilling is vital if you want your career to keep up with progress and make the most of opportunity. Whilst both involve learning new skills, the upskilling and reskilling definitions are subtly different.
Upskilling will require you to learn additional skills that enhance your abilities in the same or a similar job role.
Reskilling will require you to learn new skills that allow you to find success in a completely new job role.
Both are great if you're thinking about changing organisations but you don't need to work for a different company to do either. Upskilling and reskilling are just as beneficial to businesses as they are to employees. More and more organisations are recognising the need for upskilling and reskilling, so this is a perfect time to be looking for high quality training programs and certifications.
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Why you might want to reskill
- The requirement for your traditional skills has declined
- The pandemic has completely changed your job role
- You've seen an exciting new job opportunity
- You're thirsty for new skills and knowledge
- You want a complete change of career
- You want to start your own business
Why you might want to upskill
- You love your job and want to progress in it
- Feeling under skilled is increasing your workplace stress
- The way your team works has changed since the pandemic
- You feel a strong need to keep up with your peers
- Digital transformation has altered your job role
- Your organisation is implementing a program of upskilling strategy
What are the benefits of reskilling and upskilling?
Reskilling benefits
If you feel ready to make a
career change, you'll definitely need to think about reskilling in preparation. We live in exciting times and there are plenty of opportunities out there, especially if you have a thirst for new knowledge. Reskilling has plenty of benefits but we've listed the main ones below.
- Reskilling allows you to consider new and exhilarating career opportunities
- Reskilling will enable you to move into one of Australia's in-demand tech skills
- Reskilling will fulfil your desire for lifestyle change
Upskilling benefits
The main advantage of upskilling is it allows you to build on skills you already have. You might be surprised by how many of these there are. As well as formal certifications, your existing job experience will have led to expertise in a wide range of skills. Additional benefits of upskilling include.
- Upskilling allows you to grow with your job rather than away from it
- Upskilling can often lead to pay increases and promotion
- Upskilling will increase your value to your current employer
How to reskill and upskill yourself to improve your career growth
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If the last few years have shown us anything,
it's that job flexibility and a willingness to embrace change are vital for any successful livelihood. Both reskilling and upskilling allow you to
future-proof your career as well as enhance your employability, so it's important to get the decision-making right.
- Decide on your next career goal: Whether you want to stay in your industry or move on to a new one, it's important to be specific. Decide where you want your career to go and break this down into manageable segments.
- Understand your current skill set: It's really important to understand yourself before you try to make improvements. Write down your formal qualifications, and then ask managers and friends to help you understand your personal and transferable skills, as well as your role-specific ones.
- Work out what you need to learn: This is where a bit of research can really help. Job adverts, online career guides, attending industry events and talking to employers will all help you gather the information you need. Once you have more ideas, you can start looking at study options.
- Choose a learning method to suit you: One of the best options for reskilling and upskilling is online training. Online courses are super-flexible, suit lots of learning styles and fit in easily with even the busiest of schedules. Perfect if you want to keep up high work standards at the same time as preparing yourself for that all-important next step.
Start your reskilling or upskilling journey here
At Upskilled, we offer a wide range of
online courses in many of Australia's most sought-after fields. Whether you want to take your first step towards skills improvement or consolidate previous learning, our advisors can help you find the right qualification for you.
Get in touch today and reskill or upskill to future-proof your career.
Fi Darby
Fi is a professional copywriter based in Devon, England. She specialises in education, careers, travel and outdoor writing and is the co-author of the popular daily outdoor blog 'Two Blondes Walking'. Fi has written three children's books and, when she isn't writing, Fi loves to gather inspiration from long walks, early morning sea swims and winter wild camps.