In the workplace, upskilling is simply upgrading your skills. It’s taking the initiative to expand your knowledge and learn new things on your own, rather than waiting for your organization to offer formal training. Many companies are facing skills gaps, with research from Gartner showing that more than half (58%) of the workforce needs new skills to get their jobs done.

Worth noting, according to a post on the Pathstream blog, is that upskilling is different from reskilling. The latter is when employees learn to adapt to new roles within their same organization. Upskilling, on the other hand, involves continuous education, which can benefit you in your current role or in a new one elsewhere.

In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we highlight a post from the Pathstream blog that outlines some of the advantages of upskilling along with tips on how to do it.

Some Benefits Of Upskilling Include:

• Making yourself more appealing for promotions or better roles
• Giving yourself leverage for higher pay or better benefits
• Making yourself more aware of market trends
• Giving yourself valuable exposure to essential connections
• Strengthening your job security
• Improving your engagement at work

Tips For Upskilling Yourself:

Set goals. The post recommends doing this first because you need to understand what you want to achieve. When you know what job you want to apply for or project you want to take on, you can begin to gain the necessary skills.

Determine improvement areas. The next step in upskilling is figuring out where you might need to fill in knowledge gaps. The post suggests consulting with those who have taken the same path and learn about their training.

Focus on soft skills. You might choose to work on your persuasive skills or time-management skills. The post points out that soft skills make you more marketable and can give a competitive advantage. Depending on which soft skills you choose to focus on, you might see an increase in productivity or job satisfaction, among other benefits.

Establish a learning strategy. Would you prefer to take physical classes or online courses? Could you learn in small, manageable bits? Or maybe working with a mentor is better for you.

Enroll in continuing education. Many companies understand the value of investing in their employees, the post says, which is why many now offer learning opportunities. See what your organization offers and take advantage of these opportunities.

Upskilling can keep you competitive in the workplace and help you grow your career. Whether you want to advance in your current organization, change companies or start your own, make it a priority to upskill yourself.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: The Pathstream blog. Pathstream is a web-based platform for teaching in-demand tech skills for work.