Beat the Rush: Why You Should Upskill Before the New Year
As 2023 comes to a close, it may be worth adding an important resolution to your list: upgrading your current set of professional skills. With all industry needs changing at an unpredictably rapid pace, keeping your expertise sharp, competitive, and in-demand is vital to continue climbing the career ladder.
Though while many may choose to reserve their training for the start of the new year, you may just benefit from gaining a head start. Below, we explore how upskilling before January 1st could be a smart move – keeping you ahead in your business, field, and the general job market.
Start off the new year with valuable skills.
Upskilling before the new year allows you to make an early move on your professional goals, helping you gain the tools necessary to guide your career trajectory for 2024. Take the time to reflect on work-related wants and aspirations, then plan for and seek out the learning opportunities to help you achieve them. This could be a desire to climb the corporate ladder, switch careers, or to simply advance in your current role; whatever the case may be, acquiring new, relevant skills is a proactive way to ensure you’re confidently prepared for what the new year has to offer.
The realm of IT, in particular, has seen notable benefits with upskilling. According to Pluralsight’s 2023 State of Upskilling report, 83% of tech managers believe that the more one builds on their tech skills, the more likely they are to be motivated and engaged in the work they do. More than half of technologists also state the importance of brushing up on one’s IT abilities – as this can help in navigating through future job opportunities and their increasingly digital demands. Building a fresh skillset that focuses on your technological abilities may thus prove beneficial not just for 2024, but for the following years ahead.
Stay ahead of the curve.
Arming yourself with new skills could not only help you “future-proof” your career, but also ensures that you remain a valuable asset to your company and potential employers on the job market. With automation and AI continuing to advance (and at a rapid pace), slowly overtaking various “lower-skilled” jobs – the importance of keeping your skills sharp, relevant, and competitive is now greater than ever before.
Statistics from LinkedIn’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report show that 25% of job skill sets have changed by 25% since 2015 – a figure only expected to double by 2027. As such, continuous learning is a must in order to keep pace with the changes of the now highly technological job market. Consider using this time to stay informed on the in-demand skillsets of your field (such as through job postings or industry reports) and investigate any online courses or certifications to help you advance your skills. You may also wish to engage with other professionals in your sector to gain other valuable insights and opportunities to learn from their experience. This ensures a boost in your employability as well as it helps you stay ahead of competitors who may be slower to adapt to these evolving professional needs.
Take advantage of end-of-year discounts
Pursuing new skills before the new year also offers the unique benefit of end-of-year discounts surrounding online courses and certifications. As the year draws to a close, plenty of online learning platforms (such as Upskilled) may roll out special promotions, making it the ideal time to invest in your professional development. These discounts can range from reduced course fees to bundled packages, offering a cost-effective and more accessible way of acquiring new skills and knowledge. You’ll not only be able to brandish new skillsets come 2024, but you’ll also be able to save a significant amount of money while doing so.
This also provides you with an enhanced return on investment; for a smaller cost, you’ll gain new capabilities and the opportunity for career advancement, new job roles, and higher earning potential. As we head further into December, it would be worth keeping an eye out for any new end-of-year deals offered among Upskilled’s collection of in-demand certifications.
Prepare for all the New Year job ads.
Finally, getting a head start on upskilling can help keep you well-prepared for the influx of job ads that typically come at the start of a fresh year. In fact, recent findings show how January reports the biggest growth in listings, followed by February and October.
With new skills for the new year, you’ll stand out as a much more desirable and capable candidate amongst your peers, increasing your likelihood of scoring interviews while also helping you land roles that align with your specific career goals and aspirations. While this may be more suited to job-seekers or career changers – having an upgraded, competitive set of skills could also open new doors of opportunity you may not have otherwise considered on the job market.
Furthermore, being prepared for 2024 can help you act more decisively, reducing the stress and uncertainty that can accompany a job search. Rather than scrambling to acquire necessary skills in response to specific job requirements, those who have proactively upskilled will be ready to seize the new year opportunities as they arise.
Looking to upskill before 2024?
If you’re ready to boost your skills well before the new year, Upskilled offers a wide variety of nationally-recognised courses and certifications to get you started. Advance your business acumen through our collection of management and marketing courses; make an impact on your community through our courses in aged and disability support; or keep your skillsets “future-proofed” and in-demand through our growing list of IT qualifications.
Best of all, each course is delivered online, helping you train at a time, place, and pace that suits you best.
Hit the ground running this 2024 and enquire with us on a course today.
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