Five emerging trends in professional skill enhancement and reskilling

Career cushioning is simply about keeping an added cushion of security to your professional life and preparing for the unexpected. It is the plan B in the face of a job loss or circumstances that force you to rethink your career choices.

With the recent wave of mass layoffs, a looming recession and geo-political instability, the notion of having a fallback has become all too appealing.

As a result, professional enhancement and reskilling are becoming increasingly important in today’s VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) era. In order to stay competitive, and meet the demands of the modern workforce, professionals need to continuously improve and enhance their skills whether it is to excel in their current role or to make a switch when the time is right.

Here are some of the key emerging trends in career upskilling and continuous learning that will empower professionals:

1. Executive Education

One of the biggest drivers of professional skill enhancement and reskilling is the plethora of learning solutions available at varying price points, across geographies, domains and languages. These platforms offer a wide range of courses, workshops, open and custom programs that cater to senior leaders looking to transform their professional journeys.

2. Microlearning

Microlearning is a type of learning that involves delivering small chunks of information in a highly targeted and focused way. This approach is gaining popularity because it allows professionals to quickly and efficiently learn new skills and knowledge without having to commit to long, drawn-out courses.

3. AR and VR

Augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR) are increasingly being used to help professionals learn new skills or advance their knowledge of existing skills across industries and domains. These emerging technologies offer an effective and remote-friendly way to train employees not only in technical skills but also soft skills like leadership and creative thinking. The PwC 2022 US Metaverse Survey found that 51* of companies are either in the process of integrating VR into strategy or have already built VR/AR into a line of business.

4. Customised learning

When it comes to professional learning and development, the one size fit all approach may not always suffice. Learning and development professionals and executive learning platforms are using personalization to drive learner engagement which organic skill-building demands. Personalized content tailors the learning experience to the individual needs and goals of each learner. There are many layers of personalized content and the most effective strategy is to meet the learner where they are and help to reach where they want to go.

5. Lifelong learning

The concept of lifelong learning is building steam with the rapid shifts in technology, workplace dynamics and the addition of skills required to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. Lifelong learning is broadly defined as education that is continuous and self-motivated. The benefits of lifelong learning go beyond professional competitiveness and employability to improve brain health, active citizenship, and social inclusion.

In addition, there is renewed focus on acquiring soft skills such as communication, negotiation, strategic thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork. As a result, professional upskilling and reskilling programs are increasingly focusing on developing these skills.

Conclusion

Overall, the trends in professional upskilling and reskilling are driven by the changing needs of the economy and job market, as well as advances in technology and learning methods. By staying up to date with these trends and investing in their own learning and development, professionals can stay competitive and achieve their career goals.