How to upskill yourself

If you are a motivated and ambitious individual, you have likely already made moves to upskill yourself in one way or another. Put simply, upskilling is the process of acquiring knowledge, experience or skills that will enable you to step up the career ladder to secure a new job or position. 

Employees frequently look for career progression either within their current company or within a new firm, only to find they lack the skills needed to successfully get to the next level in their career. This is where upskilling comes in.

In this article, we will go into what upskilling is in more detail. We will also cover the benefits of upskilling and the ways you can upskill yourself to advance your career. 

What is upskilling?

As we have already explained, upskilling refers to the steps you take to gain new skills and experience in the workplace. Often, upskilling makes you better equipped for a new, more challenging role or a role that requires a different skillset to your current position. 

Upskilling can take on many forms, including formal training, certifications, on the job experience, mentoring programmes, secondments and more. In the broadest sense of the word, upskilling means anything that will enable you to add to your current experience and skillset. 

While employers are often keen to upskill their employees, you also have the option of finding ways to upskill yourself. Potential employers are likely to be impressed by self-motivated employees who have the drive to upskill themselves, so it is worth investing in your career potential via upskilling. 

Are you looking for a career change? Our helpful guide to changing career will give you all you need to know.

Benefits of upskilling yourself  

Progress to the next level - If you have management aspirations or simply want to move to a new job role in a similar area, upskilling yourself could be helpful in convincing hiring managers to consider you for a role with more responsibility. If you are looking to progress to the next stage of your career, you should look for ways of upskilling yourself.  

Open doors to new career paths - Furthermore, if you wish to enter an entirely new field via a career change, upskilling yourself may be required to gain the necessary knowledge and experience to work in this new area. Adding to your existing repertoire is a good idea, especially when your dream role requires a different set of skills to your current position. 

Futureproof your career - If you have been in your job for years, you might assume that you are safe from the threat of redundancy. However, it is important to stay ahead of the curve and keep abreast of industry changes that might put your job at risk. You can help to futureproof your career by acquiring sought-after skills, for example, digital skills or project management qualifications. 

Are you considering a new role and want to stand out from other candidates? Learn how by reading our guide to differentiating yourself from other applicants.

How can you upskill yourself? 

Courses - Perhaps one of the most obvious ways you can upskill yourself is by taking a course to equip yourself with new skills. Examples of courses you could take to upskill include IT, project management, finance, and digital marketing. 

At e-Careers, we offer a wide range of courses to help you to excel in your chosen career path. Visit our course catalogue for the full range of accredited courses we currently offer. 

Work experience - Not just for students and interns, work experience is an excellent way to acquire new skills and knowledge of your ideal role. It might be worth asking your manager if you could shadow colleagues in a different department. In some cases, it may be possible to be seconded to a different organisation to pick up expertise that could help you progress your career.

Other opportunities - There are many ways to upskill that don’t involve gaining formal qualifications or a work experience placement. While it may be worthwhile to invest in your career, there are some free courses available online. It is also helpful to look out for conferences and industry events that could help you gain more knowledge and help you grow your career. 

Summary

In conclusion, there is a lot you can do to upskill yourself. From taking courses to gaining on-the-job experience, it is highly possible to upskill yourself and gain the skills you need to reach the next level of your career trajectory.

Depending on your employer, you may find it difficult to access opportunities for upskilling yourself in your current role, particularly if you have an already busy work schedule. Therefore, you must be proactive and self-motivated when looking for opportunities. With time, your hard work will pay off when you take the next exciting step in your career! 

Have you successfully upskilled yourself and are ready to start looking for your next role? Visit our guide on how to start looking for new jobs. 

Call us on +44 (0) 20 3198 7700 to speak to one of our Career Consultants today, to discuss your career goals or get started.