5 Ways Millennials Can Upskill To Stay In Demand

The job-for-life model is dead.

Much has been written recently about technology, digitisation, and robots replacing jobs.

This means only those quick to adapt can survive and thrive.

Being well-established within your industry today does not guarantee a secure future.

To stay relevant, you need to stay ahead. And there is only one way of doing that: constant upskilling.

What is upskilling?

In simple words, upskilling means learning something new. You could be adding to your pre-existing knowledge, or acquiring skills in completely unexplored territory.

 Upskilling is the best thing you can do for yourself. It is a tool that will not only add value to you now but also prepare you for a better future.  

5 ways you can upskill

1. Develop your soft skills

Personality traits, communications skills, and adaptability make up soft skills. Developing soft skills is important because they affect your relationships with other people. A person with soft skills will listen, communicate, and deliver better than someone who lacks them.

With increased competition, it is not the product (sometimes your own self) you are selling that matters, it is how you sell it. And this is where soft skills come in. 

Here’s how you can develop soft skills for a secure future. 

Some soft skills you want to consider working on include:

• Emotional intelligence 
• Accountability
• Leadership
• Listening
• Persuasion
• Adaptability

2. Get creative without any pressure

One of the best ways to upskill is to get creative. Don’t be afraid to try new things, which is the only way you can get those creative juices flowing.

It is well-known that almost every industry has become saturated. Whatever you decide to do, someone has already done it before. This is why you need to learn to be creative. 

You could start copywriting or creative writing, drawing/illustrating, presenting/public speaking etc. All these creative endeavors will set you above others.

Creativity may save you from redundancy in the future.

Creative people come up with innovative and smart solutions.

3. Get new qualifications/certifications

Once you’ve dabbled with something new, and realised you really liked it, you may consider getting qualified or certified in that area.

You could become a coach, yoga teacher, massage therapist or anything else you live. Australian educational company TSA provides hands-on councelling courses that provide you with CHC51015 Diploma of Counselling. This is a great introductory course that provides practical skills needed to become a qualified counsellor.

4. Get comfortable being uncomfortable 

The comfort zone is a great, safe place. You know the ins and outs of it and there is nothing that can spring up on you and take you by surprise.

But at the same time, nothing new ever happens in your comfort zone. You won’t learn anything, you won’t grow, and you certainly won’t evolve into a better version of yourself.

Upskilling requires doing things you may not be comfortable in.

Why is it important? 

Because the fast-paced environment today requires you to change, and change begins where your comfort zone ends. To get better, you need to challenge yourself to do what you haven’t done before. 

Let’s say meeting new people is something you are not fond of, and you would rather stay at home than be at a socialising event. For you to climb the industrial ladder and find better future prospects, it is important to get uncomfortable — to go out there, meet new people, and form new connections. 

Getting out of your comfort zone will not only be a good way to upskill but will be a helpful tool in your personal development.

It will give you rewarding experiences, and make you confident in your abilities.

Knowing you are a strong, capable person who can overcome your fears will do wonders for your self-esteem! 

Wondering how you can step out of your comfort zone? Here’s something that can help. 

5. Keep practicing your newly acquired skills/knowledge

There is no better way of learning and retaining a new skill than regularly working on them.

Get familiar with all aspects of your job. For instance, if you are learning graphic design, acquaint yourself well with all the processes involved, from creative work to dealing with clients directly.

An interesting thing about practicing your skills regularly is its by-product. Not only does it make you better at that particular skill set, but you also end up learning a lot more, for example how to effectively communicate with people or describe your vision.