Reskilling, as a concept, has become increasingly important in this fast-paced world we find ourselves. Innovations and technological advancements spring up daily, leaving civilians like you and me to scramble to catch up.
Hello Street Squad. Unlike January, February is moving at the speed of light and while that might seem like good news, It also means we are fast approaching the end of Q1. How far have we gone with those goals? What is our catch-up plan? These questions have brought the need for this topic: RESKILLING.
Reskilling is the process of learning new skills or enhancing existing ones to meet changing demands. The rapid pace of technological innovation calls for proactive reskilling. Refusal to reskill puts most individuals at risk of being left behind.
Two friends started software development at the same time. They earned roughly the same amount in the first year. Surprisingly, in the second year, Friend A started earning x4 more than Friend B. Friend B is confused. How is Friend A doing it? How does he get better and more clientele? It must be “Juju” or “Jazz”. Friend B might be right but the simpler answer is RESKILLING. Most times, your big break is on the other side of reskilling. Be hungry to know more. Be curious to learn new things.
How many courses have you taken to gain new insights and skills?
Are you updated on the latest trends within and outside your industry?
What new skills are you learning?
Reskilling involves organizations training employees on an entirely new set of skills to prepare them to take on a different role within the company. This typically occurs when workers’ previous tasks or responsibilities become irrelevant, often due to advances in technology.
Upskilling and Reskilling do not mean the same thing, though they are often used interchangeably. Upskilling means improving upon existing skills to enhance your abilities and position yourself to take on expanded responsibilities while reskilling requires a pivot to develop a new skillset. Reskilling is about versatility, while upskilling is about specialization. However, Taking the right reskilling and upskilling strategy makes you more agile professionally and sets you up for more opportunities because your skills are up-to-date and relevant to take on new job scopes and responsibilities.
Several Methods of Reskilling include:
- Online platforms: In this age of the internet, you can access free and affordable learning resources online. There are numerous online resources that you can use for workplace training without having to spend a lot of money. Many of these resources are specifically designed to help you acquire new skills or upgrade your existing ones without breaking the bank.
- Mentoring & Coaching: Mentoring and coaching are effective ways to reskill employees in an organization. These programs offer personalized support and guidance to help employees develop specific skills, improve performance, and advance their careers.
- Mentorship involves pairing an experienced employee with a less experienced employee to provide guidance, support, and feedback to help the mentee achieve their goals. Coaching, on the other hand, involves working with a coach to develop specific skills or improve performance in a particular area. Coaches provide personalized feedback, support, and guidance to help employees overcome challenges and achieve their goals. Coaching can be used to improve communication skills, leadership skills, time management, and other competencies that are critical for success in the workplace.
- Job Shadowing: Job shadowing is a method where a less experienced employee follows a more experienced employee to learn from them first-hand. It’s an excellent way to gain a deeper understanding of a particular role or to learn about a new field within the organization.
These methods are just a few of many that can be used in reskilling. Remember this year’s mantra- No gree for anybody. No gree for failure. Let’s charge towards Q1 with full force.
Best Of Luck!
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