Why Upskilling Can Help Save Your Job – And Your Motivation

Are you feeling stuck and unfulfilled at work? Have you been reevaluating your career choices? Before you think about resigning, why not consider a skill upgrade? Enhancing your training broadens your knowledge in matters necessary to your field and opens opportunities in your professional path.

Have you ever asked yourself what upskilling is and why it's important? Learn how to make yourself relevant and feel fulfilled amid digital disruption.

Here Are Some Reasons You Should Upskill:

Technology has changed the way you work.

Technology is advancing at incredible rates, affecting how you live and work. Jobs are changing, new ones are emerging, and even highly trained and educated individuals are finding themselves underskilled for the ever-changing demands of the work environment. Digitisation and automation have raised questions about the future of work. Specifically, which roles will remain and which will be obsolete.

You feel a lack of fulfilment and burnout.

Besides worrying about job security, people feel burned out and unfulfilled at work. Mercer’s 2021 Total Remuneration Survey (TRS) revealed that Singapore has a high turnover rate, with 32% of survey respondents citing burnout as their reason. Meanwhile, 60% blamed a lack of career advancement in the organisation.

Research by the Human Resources Director Asia magazine reveals employees in Singapore want to break free from repetitive, mundane tasks. Thus, they seek more meaningful work that aligns with their values and is creative and collaborative. Upskilling can help you find happiness in your job again by giving you more direction and a bigger challenge.

Better job satisfaction leads to a better life.

For many employees, work isn't just a means to an end – which is to earn a living. It takes up most of your adulthood, thus covering most of your life. It can affect your physical and mental health, so you must#SEEKBetterif you feel dissatisfied.

However, quitting doesn't have to be the only way to solve this issue. Resigning requires a lot of thought and consideration. Perhaps, you can find ways to find satisfaction in your current job.

In theHuman Resources Director Asiastudy, 85% of Singaporean professionals disclosed that they invested time learning new skills while working from home. Three in four workers who invested in personal development found peace of mind over job security. Learning new skills also made 76% of professionals feel more confident in their ability to do their jobs.

Upskilling boosts morale and stimulates creativity because it opens you up to more varied work. And when you are more satisfied at your job, you have a more positive outlook on life.

The Solution? Upskilling

Upskilling can keep you agile and relevant in a rapidly evolving business landscape. It can also help you find renewed fulfilment at work. Not only are you equipping yourself with skills that the new work environment demands, but you are also taking charge of your personal growth.

People have an innate desire to exercise control and self-direction over their lives, according to author Daniel H. Pink. When people have control and self-direction in their work, they find work more rewarding.

What is upskilling?

Upskilling means keeping up with industry trends and learning new skills to increase your value as an employee. It shows your commitment to lifelong learning for your personal and professional progress.

Upskilling can take place in formal classes or through watching online videos. It can also occur when you receive guidance from a mentor. What matters is that you can acquire new and advanced skills that will enable you to perform better at your job.

Upskilling versus reskilling

Upskilling and reskilling are not synonymous. Upskilling means learning new things to be more effective at your job. Reskilling means adopting skills to take on a new assignment or role.

The goal of upskilling is to help you improve your current position or prepare you for promotion in your current path. Reskilling enables an incumbent employee to fill another job or role in the organisation by teaching the employee new tasks.

Upskilling allows you to exercise agency because you can choose to upskill at any time, even without your company's involvement.

3 Reasons You Should Upskill

It helps you stay relevant.

Changing with the times allows you to progress in your career as your job shifts and evolves. Upskilling increases your value to the company and makes you more employable.

According to the recent NTUC LearningHub Survey, employers prefer upskilling employees rather than reskilling or hiring someone new. Thus, upskilling ensures your job security.

Over the years, companies have turned to automation to handle the small-ticket items in the office. While the reasons for such an investment may vary — to mitigate costs or to increase productivity — it’s a clear signal that employees or career seekers like yourself must keep up with the times to stay in demand.

Automation may indeed optimise processes, but companies are still looking for inherently ‘human’ skills or transferable skills for more crucial tasks. Examples of transferable skills include leadership, problem-solving, people and communication skills, and organisational skills.

If your expertise falls in these areas, make sure to expound on them on your resume to land that in-demand job.

(Also read: Improve Your Resume: 5 Tips to Highlight Your Transferable Skills )

It boosts productivity.

When you upskill, you contribute to the success of your company. You equip yourself with knowledge and skills that positively contribute to your organisation's overall business performance.

The world of business is rapidly evolving, requiring agility and adaptability. Companies need employees who can quickly excel in emerging roles. As Ho Meng Kit, Singapore Business Federation chief executive states, “workers should stay nimble and be willing to adapt, and take up roles in sectors to remain relevant and competitive.”

It can guarantee your future.

The 2021 Mercer survey mentions fierce competition for talent in Singapore. According to a PwC Singapore report, a mix of optimism and uncertainty hovers over the population. Among those surveyed, 58% were worried about redundancy while 36% were concerned about not having the right skills for the company.

On the other side of the spectrum, 53% of respondents felt that technology would bring about more opportunities than risks in the workplace and 85% felt that technology will change their work for the better.

With upskilling, you will be able to work with technology and the demands of the changing workplace instead of being left behind. This way, you can always remain an asset to the organisation and be ready for the future.

What Skills Are in Demand?

Certain skills are desired by employers today. According to the Emerging Jobs and Skills 2022 Report by NTUC LearningHub, the top Critical Core Skills are:

• Adaptability (52%)
• Developing People (48%) and
• Collaboration (44%)

While the top technology skills are:

• Data Analysis (49%)
• Cybersecurity (45%), and
• Digital Marketing (44%)

Critical core skills are transferable and apply to all industries. Aside from those mentioned, other soft skills you can work on include communication, creative thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, learning agility, digital fluency, and global perspective.

Also read: The Top Must-Have Skills of the Future You Need to Learn Today

Are you convinced yet? Here’s how you can upskill.

To begin looking at the future, you must first review the present: how is your industry changing, and what skills are in demand? Research industry trends and follow thought leaders on social media. Get advice from your senior colleagues on the qualities and techniques you should enhance or acquire. Ask your HR department about any learning opportunities offered by the company.

Once you know what skills you want to focus on, start looking for upskilling opportunities. Here are some options you can consider:

• Mentorship programs
• Joining professional associations
• Workshops
• Conferences
• Short-term training
• Volunteer work
• Subscriptions to industry journals and publications
• Online classes

Upskilling doesn’t need to be costly. Sign up for ZilLearn and check out free courses. You can also access the government site SkillsFuture for more training opportunities.

Whatever your purpose for upskilling, doing so has many advantages. It keeps you relevant in the workplace, opens doors to new opportunities, and boosts your professional brand.

Get started in upskilling and#SEEKBetter. Then update your JobStreet profile to highlight your newly acquired knowledge and know-how. Download the JobStreet app on the App Store or Google Play to find your dream job anytime and anywhere.