Simplilearn, the online earning company has recently published the findings of its annual survey report titled ‘IT Skills Training Trends: 2020 and 2021’. The survey was conducted to understand how 2020 has affected work environments and what are aspirants doing to prepare for the various eventualities that they foresee in 2021. 

The year 2020 saw the evolution of a changing business landscape. This in turn resulted in changes to job requirements which prompted both working professionals and job seekers to invest in new skills and to ensure that they prepare not only for today but for an ever-changing future. The Simplilearn annual report focuses on the impact of the past year, expectations in the year 2021, and how job aspirants are adapting to the new ecosystem.

Here are some of the highlights from the report:

How 2020 impacted career plans

• 14% of respondents lost their jobs
• 41% of mid-career professionals felt stagnant in their careers
• In large organizations, 25% of professionals felt stuck
• Professionals in Consulting, Finance, and Healthcare/Pharma were more likely than others to feel stuck
• Professionals in Manufacturing and Finance were more likely to report job losses

Outlook 2021: Upskilling brings hope to many professionals

• Professionals are taking a proactive approach to career success in 2021
• 35% of respondents saw the pandemic as an opportunity to learn new skills; this number rose to 49.5% of employees in small and medium enterprises
• 67.5% of professionals see learning as the key to landing better opportunities and plan to start learning programs in 2021
• 4% of respondents feel keeping their jobs depends on learning new skills
• 66% of professionals are either enrolled in training programs or plan to start in 2021

 What professionals expect from upskilling towards their careers in 2021

• Technology professionals will be in demand in 2021, as much because of the pandemic as in spite of it.
• 54.3% of professionals expect upskilling to provide better opportunities in 2021 or lead to pay raises and promotions in their current jobs
• 20% expect upskilling to future-proof their careers
• 25.8% expect upskilling to unlock a new career path that lets them follow their passion

 More than 5,000 Simplilearn learners, comprising both individual and corporate learners, participated in the survey. 19.4 percent of survey respondents were freshers, 51.3 percent mid-level, and 29.2 percent senior-level professionals. The majority of the respondents were from the IT sector, followed by manufacturing, consulting, and finance.

Speaking on the growing number of enrollments on the platform, Krishna Kumar, Founder, and CEO, Simplilearn said, “The work-from-home scenario which is a by-product of the effects of the pandemic and the new normal, has driven a clear trend to online learning. With individuals getting a little extra time for self-development, we saw a 60% jump in enrollments in the early days of lockdown itself. In fact, usage on the platform has doubled compared to pre-pandemic times. Another factor which contributed to this was career uncertainty and job losses which made it clear to many professionals that digital skills are key to career stability and growth.”