With the rapidly changing and evolving industrial trends, the need for a refreshed and re-equipped workforce that comprehends challenges of the fastidious market cannot be overruled.  As India witnesses a booming entrepreneurial culture right now, with education taking a hike, ed-tech companies reaching new breakthroughs, upskilling has become a necessary prerequisite notion for the employees. Factually, employability has increased from 34% to 45% over the past five years. But this new age market demands a fresh wave of technical as well as managerial capabilities for them to reach beyond their designated roles.

So, while India is booming on the market front, the next important step is to re-prepare and rejuvenate the employees with new lessons and techniques for them to learn and grow further. Reports suggest that in the coming decade as many as 50% jobs for which people are currently employed will be automated. As a result, some job skills will either get obsolete or require innovative re-skilling. Hence, it is imperative and indispensable that in an ever-growing economy like India, leaping towards increased digitisation and changing business opportunities, enhancing capability is of the utmost priority.

Upskilling is that positive reinforcement that helps to preserve as well as promise a long-term mutually beneficial association between the employee and the employer. Companies and professionals across the country are resorting to various online platforms which offer many high-in-demand certificate and executive courses in including Digital Marketing, Finance, Analytics, Big Data, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, etc. all of which facilitate immense growth.

Company benefits of upskilling

Showing interest in fine-tuning the skills of existing employees reaps long- term benefits to the company, preparing employees to lead on new roles without having to hire new people.

It boosts morale of the employees, they feel more responsible hence responsive, more capable hence more confidant and more prepared hence productive. The personal development helps them contribute more towards the company. It’s a no-loss strategy.

Companies favoring and fostering to enhance the capabilities of the current employees are prepared to face global business challenges. They are ready to up-scale and remain relevant along with the changes around.

Employee benefits of upskilling

As participants of the race of employment and professional sustainability, one cannot sit with just the qualification you gained a while ago, even if it is an A level university. Enhancing your capabilities and adding the feather of versatility to your cap is the way to survive in this ever growing and changing employee universe.

In order to meet the expansion of employee expectation, one needs to stay ahead of trends and should know the opportunity and results.

Embrace the new learning opportunities that favor experience-based learning and hence, save you from being under-employed or facing tough competition.

Universities are catching up with the trend and have worked on multitude of course types. Course includes some very interesting modules ranging widely from short term certificate courses to work integrated courses. Curriculum is customised for organisations and structured around the lifestyle of working professionals of today. The government has proactively rolled out many forums and curriculums to provide these vocational training courses, after analysing the need to equip its working citizens with opportunities at global level.

Government of India initiated a program called Swayam, to accomplish the three fundamental principles of Education Policy viz., access, equity and quality. In this program, they take the best teaching learning resources to all, including the most disadvantaged which in turn seeks to bridge the digital divide for students who have hitherto remained untouched by the digital revolution and have not been able to join the mainstream of the knowledge economy.

Having said all that while there is no exact equation to success, upskilling sure is the catalyst to enhance your performance and presence and will help an individual to achieve their end goals.

(Aditya Malik, CEO & MD, Talentedge)