Upskilling: why is it so important nowadays?

Does your daily working life match what you imagined ten years ago? Certainly not, and by 2035, it will undoubtedly have changed even further. In the age of digitalisation and artificial intelligence, a career full of challenges, changes and even 180-degree turns is normal. To stay up to date, it is necessary to develop new skills and update your knowledge.

What exactly is upskilling?

Unlike tedious, theoretical initial training, upskilling involves deepening your knowledge in order to remain competitive in your profession or open up new career opportunities. It refers to both concrete knowledge, such as AI tools, and social and motivational skills that enable you to work better. Communication, change management, organisational skills, expertise and social skills always influence each other.

By taking these two aspects into account, you remain open to new opportunities or original career changes. A nurse can reinvent themselves in the field of workplace health promotion. A language teacher can become a highly effective web editor thanks to their ability to convey content. Some employers like to recruit atypical profiles in order to diversify their teams. Nothing is set in stone!

Changing career paths and expectations of work

Nowadays, the model of employees celebrating 40 years of service with a company is increasingly rare. Life paths are less linear. Relocations, family restructuring, career changes: the younger generations, in particular, have become more mobile and open to new experiences. For them, meaning and identification with the organisation's values are essential. If there is a discrepancy on these points, they often look for another job that is more suited to them.

Digitalisation and crises

Ten years ago, paper files gave way to digitalisation. Today, artificial intelligence is giving new impetus to technological change. Its possibilities are as fascinating as they are worrying. Some professions need to be rethought, while others will disappear in favour of new roles. If we add political crises to the equation, it becomes clear that an agile mind and a great capacity for adaptation are our most valuable assets.

Rethinking continuing education

Fifty years ago, it was important to choose the right continuing education programme to acquire skills that would be useful for the next ten years. Today, the situation has changed. Short, modular courses focused on specific needs or tools are now in demand. Long courses should offer à la carte modules so that learners can focus on their wishes and learning preferences. Practical workshops, coaching or mentoring sessions: learning does not just mean sitting at a desk and taking notes.

Another important aspect is promoting access to courses by optimising time and travel. Companies sometimes have up to four generations of employees. These employees have different learning preferences. The ideal solution is to vary the offering between online and face-to-face courses. In this sense, courses aimed at a specific target group can be very relevant.

A profitable investment

The years of training before entering the workforce are important, but continuing education has the advantage of leveraging our experience and establishing direct links between theory and practice. It also allows us to question our work processes, rethink our habits and be innovative. It therefore benefits employees, teams and employers alike.

This is why it is more profitable for companies to invest in the continuing education of their existing staff than to hire external resources. The AI revolution could exacerbate inequalities if employees do not have the same opportunities for continuing education to use these tools. This is why Angestellte Schweiz encourages the systematic implementation of continuing education opportunities for employees. This is done by organising courses directly in the workplace or by supporting participation in continuing education courses. This support can be financial or in the form of leave.