The Importance of Upskilling During COVID-19

We may finally be starting to get a glimpse of the new normal, but the coronavirus pandemic is far from over and the future of work remains uncertain.  In the current Covid-19 world, job security is in decline and the pressure is on for both employers and employees to adapt skill sets.

More than ever before, now is the time to prioritise upskilling.

Upskilling means undertaking training programs that enable you to become better at your job. Reskilling is the process of learning new skills in order to be able to do a different job. 

With so much uncertainty in our midst, being open and proactive about both will help put you in a stronger position when it comes to employability.

Both now and in the post-Covid-19 work climate, there will be a breadth of short term and long term change. As businesses adapt to economic shifts, social distancing requirements, remote working and a transforming labour market, business leaders and employees must be ready to upskill and embrace new learning opportunities.

With the Bank of England warning that UK unemployment will hit 2.5 million following Covid-19, it’s important to do everything you can to keep ahead of the game and minimise the threat of unemployment. 

Part of this is keeping up to date with changes in the way businesses are having to evolve to stay productive during the pandemic and beyond. Taking steps to upskill will help you better understand new business models and the challenges of this unprecedented climate, ensuring you have the skills to tackle them. 

Before the pandemic, the move towards automation, artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and digitization was well underway, but for many industries, Covid-19 has accelerated the onset of a digital transformation.  For example, the NHS has seen years of digital evolution unfold in a matter of months. 

The need to respond quickly to Covid-19, sustain the economy and accommodate remote working has meant industries across the board have had to embrace digital technologies and adapt fast.

Having digital learning capability is no longer optional. Workers must communicate, collaborate and remain productive from afar.  Business leaders must manage distributed teams and find new ways to motivate and monitor employees.

All this requires up to date technical skills and a commitment to upskilling and lifelong learning.

Whether your upskilling process is self-led or part of your professional development at work, the first step is to conduct a skills analysis. Identify strengths, areas for development and gaps in your experience or training.

Consider how relevant each skill is in the present and how relevant it will be in the new normal of the future. Examine gaps in your skillset in the context of the digitized world of the post-Covid-19 crisis.

Once you have identified key skills for development, explore potential accessible pathways and consider logistics.

You may be working from home and have found you have gained time now that you don’t have to commute. Equally, you may still feel overwhelmed by the increased pressures of childcare and other disruptions brought about by the pandemic. It’s important to set realistic goals and find ways to upskill that don’t negatively impact your work or home life.

If you’ve lost your job due to the pandemic, taking time to polish existing skills is essential, but you may also be looking at opportunities and routes to reskill. Reskilling can open the door to new roles or new jobs. 

With higher numbers of job seekers in the job market, fresh, current training will put you at an advantage. Within the constraints of measures to control the spread of coronavirus, online courses can be an ideal investment.