The importance of upskilling and reskilling

has never been greater, but how do you do it in practice? And what exactly is the difference. The importance of upskilling and reskilling.

The importance of upskilling and reskilling
The importance of upskilling and reskilling

It can hardly have escaped anyone that a lack of skills is a massive problem for many businesses. The need for what is called upskilling and reskilling has never been greater, but how do you do it in practice? And what exactly is the difference. The importance of upskilling and reskilling.

The definitions below from the Cambridge Dictionary I think are correct;

Upskilling - the process of learning new skills or of teaching workers new skills.

Reskilling - the process of learning new skills so you can do a different job, or of training people to do a different job.

Research shows that we will need to devote ourselves to both abilities related to learning new things, but also to further education, constantly improving and finding other ways to solve previous tasks. It can also be said as they did in the World Economic Forum 2018: "The illiterates of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, learn from the old and learn the new". So true but oh so hard to read because it means that a large part of the responsibility will land on me as an individual. We employees need to actively relate to the issue and constantly try to learn and learn new things. But, of course, efforts are needed at all instances and levels to meet the competence requirements of the future. The question then is what can you as an organization do?

Set up a competence strategy

First of all, you need to be clear about what skills we will need in the future. Something that by definition is about equipping employees and giving them new knowledge so that they can perform their jobs in a new way (up-skilling) or is it about the need for completely new skills (re-skilling).

And how in the name of peace should one know what the future requires in the form of new roles and functions? The answer is simply that we cannot fully know, other than that AI and robotics in the form of streamlining simpler functions will make us need to work differently. Start doing the analysis now.

How you can start the journey towards the future in a pragmatic and structured way:

  • Analysis of existing competencies and strategy for future needs.
  • Design a competence plan.
  • Evaluate and include employees in the gap between present and future.
  • Work actively with internal competence transfer, innovation and learning.
  • Identify a number of sources for learning.
  • Follow up and measure the stakes.

The important dialogue

There is no absolute truth about truth and competence, but the fact is that dialogue and closeness to both the individual and the organization is a success factor. One part of the work is to already now start to arouse thoughts about the individual's own development. It also means that at the same time you need to strengthen the managers around being able to have good and qualified career conversations / development dialogues. We often notice that you like to avoid this as you are afraid of cracking down on ambitions or expectations that you cannot live up to. But not having dialogue is not an option. Meet and measure instead!

Must Read: What does the brain do when it is free?

Broaden the concept of competence

Another part of future learning is also about departing from our previous way of seeing competence only as a form of education or certification. The learning of the future will be much more about so-called soft skills and the ability to collaborate, cognitive flexibility, linking information and creating value by interpreting

A separation / reskilling case from everyday life

This is what to support on and forward-leaning organization that is facing the fact that in 2023 they will be data-driven and automated:

Versatile competence

Preliminary study, external analysis competence framework

  • Workshop for employees on future skills
  • Own world reconnaissance
  • Inspiration seminar for employees
  • Workshop managers on career dialogue
  • Self-assessment competencies, manager and employee
  • Career dialogue manager and employee
  • Curriculum development
  • Workshops on competence and soft skills
  • Continuous dialogue, manager and employee

These ten steps include efforts on many levels and a number of activities in addition to this, all of which aim to create inclusion, action and progress through a larger approach. It is not an easy journey but one of many examples of how to proceed.

The customer's learning in the project has been about:

  • Ensure clear mandates, what applies and for whom?
  • Work with coaching as a tool
  • Talk about lessons learned in everyday life
  • Stenkoll on budget, follow-up costs
  • Ensure that guiding principles are observed

Be brave!

What do as employees need to do and relate to when it comes to competence?

Let's start, each one to actually also make a plan for active learning, in everyday life, together with our colleagues and for our own sake. How can you ensure that you are up to date in your business, that you are constantly evolving and that you are actually employable? Below are some examples of what this could be:

What can we all start doing now?

The Sky is the limit if we only dare to see it that way¦ Make a plan for continuous learning - for example 5-15 minutes / day:

  • Ted talk
  • Magazines
  • E-learning / online courses
  • Seminars
  • New projects
  • Theory and Practice
  • Internal & external training
  • Commissioned training
  • Block time for reflection
  • Madder / Sponsor system internally
  • Free university education
  • Meta-knowledge - learning about learning!