Words by Hania Syed | Her Economy Girl @islaerobertson
Many of us are finding that with the increased need to stay at home during COVID-19, we now have more time than ever to tick off items our to-do list. For some, this means getting productive and achieving professional development skills by learning online.
With more people also having to work from home to contain the spread of COVID-19, there is also a greater focus on the importance of digital skills, and how these skills may be lacking in the Australian workforce. If you’ve been looking for a way to use this downtime as a chance to invest in yourself, keep reading for our upskilling ideas.
Once the novelty of staying home and working in your PJs wears off, you may start thinking of ways to upskill so that you can hit the ground running once you return to the office. Perhaps you’ve noticed that there are certain skills that would be beneficial to have in your current role.
Or maybe you’re thinking of ways to future-proof your skillset given the ever-changing nature of the world around us. Whatever your motivation, now could be a good time to learn new skills from home.
Thankfully, the prevalence of online learning means there’s no shortage of courses, classes and workshops that can be taken from the comfort of your own home. These online courses can be in the form of succinct Skillshare, LinkedIn Learning or Learn with Google videos, or even entire degrees that can be completed online.
Some of the most in-demand skills to consider picking up include:
- UX Design
- Cloud Computing
- Digital Marketing
- Adobe Suite
- Video Production
Unfortunately, the coronavirus outbreak has put many people’s livelihood into question, with tourism, events and hospitality professionals being particularly affected. This has prompted many to want to take control of their future by taking their careers in a new direction altogether.
Perhaps you’ve always wanted to pivot into a coding or digital marketing career, or want to work from home on a permanent basis. Whatever your objective, developing the right skillset is essential for success. When upskilling to change careers, it’s smart to look at transferrable or universal skills.
Some of the most valuable skills to consider picking up for a career change include:
- Xero
- MYOB
- Project management
- IT
- Business analysis
Australia’s online learning future:
Aside from the job insecurity we are seeing from the COVID-19 pandemic, upskilling will prove a worthwhile endeavour for all Australians. In fact, one in three future jobs are expected to require problem-solving as a core skill, while one in five jobs will require process skills, meaning upskilling needs to be front of mind for those just staring their careers to those already established in their fields.
This points to the need for a digitally skilled workforce during a time where more people are working remotely, and people’s existing career paths are threatened.
* This post was originally featured in training.com.au and training.co.nz