Upskilling Helps Everyone Get Ahead

When I think back to the start of my working life, I wish upskilling had been a bigger part of the experience.

Learning used to be what we could pick up by doing the job or by studying after hours on our own. More often than not, training was updating us on new products or company practices.

Things are different now!

The value of learning is huge

Now, no matter what industry you’re in, you probably know the value of continuing your education. And if you’re in the tech sector, you know it’s more important than ever. You either keep up with an ever-evolving industry or you risk falling behind.

In fact, professionals of all kinds agree that continuous self-improvement is a cornerstone of career success — and happiness. Just listen to what respondents to a recent survey told Lorman Education Services:

• 87% of millennials believe learning and development in the workplace is important.
• 86% of millennials would remain in their current position if training and development were offered by their employer.

Professionals who do not receive training may find themselves in a difficult job search, and managers who do not provide training may end up watching their people take their skills, motivation for improvement, and hunger for excellence elsewhere.

Learning is the way to stay ahead

Fortunately, many organizations now recognize the need to offer training to their workforce. Upskilling — or expanding and improving the knowledge and capabilities of their staff —improves employee retention, helps with recruitment, and yields positive outcomes for the organization that range from gains in productivity to widening its business reach.

In my experience at the IBM Center for Cloud Training, I know firsthand how business partners and clients have sought out our training programs to help stay ahead.

When businesses upskill their staff in IBM Cloud, they can more effectively use cloud computing to tap into a much larger market for their products and services. Now they can prove their workers have the skills and knowledge to help their own business and their customers succeed. And employees are more satisfied and motivated — not in the least because they often earn salary bumps as they learn!

Remember these points about upskilling

As a life-long educator, I have three main points about the value of upskilling:

• Never stop learning. Because in a world that never stops changing, learning is something professionals cannot do without.
• Invest in yourself. Because learning empowers you to take control of your career and achieve your goals.
• Pay it forward. If you can help your peers or your staff to learn, everyone’s work will likely run more smoothly, with better results all around.