Learners are well aware that lacking key skills could be an obstacle as they are less likely to get new jobs or be assigned vital projects without those skills. Simplilearn's latest report 'State of Upskilling in 2021' highlights learner's positive outlook regarding the future of the economy and their growth. Majority of the respondents (85%) look forward to post-pandemic recovery and growth. More than half, (57%) of them agreed that upskilling themselves is the next step in their career development plan. 

Speaking on the state of upskilling, Krishna Kumar, Founder and CEO, Simplilearn, said, "The pandemic has created a new world of work, and while the nature of jobs may change given automation and technological intervention, one thing is certain: everyone, irrespective of their age, will have to spend time on either upskilling or reskilling."

There is no hiding from the truth: every conceivable job will have new technologies to learn going forward as these roles fit and refit into a changing economic landscape. To embrace this change and grow successfully, one must stay motivated and put in efforts towards making learning a lifetime priority.

"Given the rapid changes in the professional landscape, employees across industries must understand how they can adapt to rapidly changing conditions. At the same time, companies have to learn how to match those workers to new roles and activities. This dynamic is about more than remote working or the role of automation and AI. It's about how leaders can reskill and upskill the workforce to deliver new business models," shared Krishna. 

As learners realise the need to learn, 65% of respondents share they enrolled in upskilling in the past year to strengthen their career. Among the most popular courses, most respondents learned or planned to learn the following new skills - Data & AI (48%), Project Management and Scrum (34%), Cloud Computing/DevOps (32%), and Digital Marketing (21%)

Large enterprises focus on continuous learning & employees experiement with their career paths

The findings of the report shows that large enterprises emphasize continuous learning. Nearly one-third of people in small companies (50 or fewer employees) took a chance on changing their career paths. 40% of people in midsize (501 to 2,000 employees) and very large companies (over 10,000) reported feeling stuck, higher than in other sized companies. 47% of people in companies with 2,001 to 10,000 employees were more likely to upskill in their current work area, the highest percentage of any company size group. 

If we look at the industry trends, of the various industry sectors, people in manufacturing (45%), BFSI (39%), and Information Technology (38%) were more likely to upskill for their current work. Furthermore, 33% of people in BFSI chose to opt for more opportunities, while 39% of people in BFSI and 30% in manufacturing took on more responsibilities in their current roles. At 47%, people working in Pharma and Healthcare were most likely to report feeling stuck, the other would rather wait and watch.

In addition to learners' individual efforts, companies should craft a talent strategy that develops employees' critical digital and cognitive capabilities, social and emotional skills, and adaptability and resilience. That will help the workforce cater to the needs of new-age business models. Ultimately, upskilling and reskilling are the keys to a better career in 2021 and in the years to come.