COVID-19 has forced businesses and organisations worldwide to transition to remote or hybrid working arrangements for the past two years. Traditional jobs are changing into something else or being phased out entirely. According to recent research, about 30% of all labour might be automated by 2030, partly also due to the digital transformation accelerated by the pandemic.
Jobs that used to exist may no longer exist, and new ones are created near-daily. How long would your skillset remain relevant to your organisation if you are currently employed? And if you are now unemployed, or have been for a while, are your skills still relevant in the current job market?
Read on to learn how upskilling and reskilling could be the key to future-proof your career beyond 2022.
Difference between upskilling and reskilling
Upskilling and reskilling are similar in the sense that they both refer to the process of learning or teaching workers new skills. However, the distinction between these two concepts lies in the purpose of the training: while upskilling wants employees to learn new skills to optimise their performance, reskilling aims to train employees to do a different job or hold a different position within the company.
In a company with a culture of upskilling, employees are constantly being taught new, advanced skills to bridge talent gaps. It involves providing team members with continuous training and education to help them progress in their current career path. These workers may have worked for the company for a long time and possess a thorough understanding of its culture and clientele.
On the other hand, reskilling means finding people with “adjacent skills,” which are close to the new skills an organisation needs. It essentially delivers a lateral learning experience. According to the World Economic Forum, more than half of the workforce (54%) will need significant reskilling this 2022.
Addressing skills gap with career pathing
Business owners or managers can introduce upskilling and reskilling into their organisation by creating a career pathing program. Career pathing refers to charting a course used by an employee to oversee their personal career growth. It aligns the worker’s career development opportunities with the organisation’s talent priorities.
Successful career pathing strategies are usually taken from a competency-based approach. This enables a company to evaluate and analyse the specific competencies needed for each role and understand the skills development required for the workers who are advancing into new positions.
A career path is unique and personal to every individual employee. It helps them sort out and assess the steps needed to attain their long-term career goals and advance their careers laterally or through promotion. To have a successful career path, you need to understand the necessary knowledge, skills, and personal traits. This helps you determine the specialised skills and additional training you need to fulfil your career objectives.
Benefits of career pathing
Both the employers and the employees can benefit from career pathing. On the side of the employees, particularly, career pathing can help them ensure the continuity of their career growth amid threats of job automation. Here are the significant benefits of contemplating what you want from your career now and in the future:
- Provides a sense of security
With job automation on the rise, many employees now feel uncertain about their job security. They fear that artificial intelligence might take over many traditional jobs, including theirs. With an effective career pathing program, HR teams and managers can help workers build a bridge to career development, so they can be confident in the importance of their role and evolve.
Moreover, workers with a career path can feel more secure working for an employer who wants to keep them challenged, curious, and improving. Career pathing assures employees that their employer wants to establish a long-term, reciprocal partnership.
- Increases trust and transparency
Career pathing recognises that workers may form various interests and seek new challenges from time to time. So, a career path essentially allows the employees to develop and pursue changing interests in an encouraging environment. It supports the employees as they take on new roles within the organisation that will challenge them and expand their skillset.
- Creates a plan for progress
A career path does not require an employee to remain with an employer indefinitely. Still, it provides them with access to the tools necessary to stay as a valuable asset in their chosen profession. This is important considering that workers usually want to know they will gain the required experience to advance their career, no matter how many years they may work for an employer.
Conclusion
Overall, as digital transformation continues to sweep over industries, the importance of career pathing increases exponentially. A practical career pathing benefits both the employers and the employees, so it needs to be a talent imperative for every organisation today. If you want to secure your career against the various threats of digital transformation, upskilling, reskilling, and career pathing are the way.
One of the best ways to enhance and expand your skillset is to sign up for our classes here at BridgingMinds. We offer a wide range of courses, spanning from project management training to IT security courses in Singapore, that will help you ensure your continued growth as a worker. To keep up with the increasingly digitalised world, you can also try our upcoming cybersecurity courses like EC-Council’s C|CSE or CompTia Data+, which will improve your understanding of digital technology and allow you to pick up in-demand IT skills.
