Today content is not a problem as accessing world-class courses and content is just a click away. Rather, knowing what would accelerate one’s growth is the key to achieving new heights of success and growth in the professional world.
It is imperative to know where one currently is in his/her growth journey and where one wishes to be in a few years to sharply look at skills and knowledge gaps. Organisations today want to leverage talent in ways that can help sustain, build, and grow across their business dimensions. The context today has changed and will continue to change as we move forward, and in this continuously changing context, it would be key for the learner to adopt learning strategies that can accelerate learning to stay relevant.
There are many ways in which one can skill himself/ herself. However, it would be imperative to define the objective one wishes to achieve whilst one looks at the courses - is it to help re-skill or upskill? While upskilling is to build a higher level of competence to perform better in the current role, reskilling is to build a different skill set to perform better in an aspiring role.
As one moves forward, the following aspects may help in the learning journey & growth:
1. Identify aspirations and the skill & knowledge gap
Before committing to any learning strategy/plan, the learner must consider one’s aspirations, skill & knowledge gap, learning style and best content/ course to fill the gap. I have seen working professionals progressing both laterally and upwards by investing strategically in themselves. They build an ecosystem that helps them with constructive feedback - ensuring inputs that are pointed and relevant, thereby delivering the right results for the learner. As I mentioned above, it is important to know where we are and what it will take to achieve our aspirations. Focusing on one skill/ competence and learning it well will help with better proficiency in applying it.
2. Choose a responsive learning platform
Working professionals today are juggling between work, home, and social commitments. Hence, it is important to choose the right learning system; that is responsive & suits best to one’s life rhythm. When choosing a program, convenience should be a key consideration. It is good to check whether the live sessions are being held at lean hours and whether there is a way to access recorded material after the live session has ended. Additionally, it is also beneficial to know the way to have questions answered post the session. The learner should confirm that the program conducts regular evaluations, which will periodically allow the learner to evaluate their performance. This will enable them to determine whether they are moving ahead in the right way.
3. Analyse the future skills
In the decision-making process, an analysis of the market needs for the skill for future growth is critical. It is better to define the return on your investment in the course. The picture of the success of your course will also help you visualise how you can better implement the learning along the way. Additionally, the online/ hybrid course must take an industry-focused approach. Besides, learners should look for modules with future-focused programmes that have extensive training hours and take into account the changing needs of the industry.
4. Enrol a course for both short and long-term career goals
The skill-building program should help learners achieve their long-term goals as well as their short-term objectives by taking an all-encompassing, holistic approach. The ultimate goal of every professional is to have a successful career trajectory and to achieve that, they require skill-building that will add to their career graph. Many organisations today are helping working professionals define their small & long-term career goals and mapping those to the IDPs. This further enables the L&D function to help these individuals achieve their goals.
5. Know your learning style
Do look for courses offering personalised learning. One should look for a skilling course that aims to tailor the programme to each professional's unique strengths, needs, abilities, and interests. This helps in creating a learning plan for the learner that is most suited for them. The fundamental idea behind personalised learning is that every professional learns in a unique way and at a unique speed. Each individual in personalised learning receives a "learning plan" based on their learning style, prior knowledge, abilities, and interests. It goes against the "one size fits all" philosophy. Also, simply covering the course material is not enough. Even after the programme is over, having strong career counselling will greatly benefit one's professional development.
6. Look for a Practitioners’ perspective
Individuals should look for online learning platforms that allow learners to try out/ objectively evaluate different courses before committing to one in particular. One valued benefit of online learning is the ability to explore different interests, which inspires learners to finish the course they ultimately choose.
Every professional wants to have a successful career trajectory and to do so, they need to take skill-building courses that will enhance their career. But, selecting the best skill-building course is difficult. However, there are edtech platforms that assist professionals in finding the best skill-building courses for rapid career progress and provide them with the necessary guidance and mentorship.
