Upskilling: Definition, Benefits, How to Create a Program, and Examples of Programs

Upskilling is one way to meet company targets and needs. This effort takes the form of new skills and experience that can help them complete their work.

Upskilling can also be a program created by a company to help its employees. Find out more about upskilling, how to create a program, and program recommendations below.

Understanding Upskilling

Upskilling is a professional skills development strategy to increase employee productivity and work quality. According to Oracle, in this program the company will target several things, such as adding new skills according to the job, developing skills that employees already have, and changing the way employees work to increase effectiveness.

By adding new capabilities, employees can expand their portfolio and companies can ensure their new targets are achieved. Companies usually consider upskilling as an investment, because the results will help the company progress further.

Benefits of Upskilling

The benefits of upskilling are not only felt by employees, but also companies. Here are some of the benefits, according to FDM Group:

Adapting to market needs

Upskilling is the right strategy when a company wants to face changes and business needs. Employees also get the opportunity to enrich their portfolio.

Opportunity to master new technology

Changes in market needs are not only caused by consumers and the economy, but also technological developments. Starting from Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, to various tools for business needs.

Employees can increase their abilities to master this new technology. Companies can also adopt the use of these tools to achieve targets.

Form a solid and effective team

Developing employees will make the team understand each other's roles better. The team will be more solid and effective in completing a project or problem. They also have the potential to learn from each other and monitor each other's performance.

Maximize time and resources

By improving and increasing employee capabilities, companies don't need to bother looking for new talents. By having employees who have worked in the company for a long time, you no longer need to bother retraining regarding the company's internal values.

Increase productivity and job satisfaction

In a company, employees certainly have hopes and targets to achieve. Not only do they increase their work experience, they also want to have new skills so that their "selling value" increases. With upskilling provided by the company, productivity will increase and their job satisfaction will also increase.

Support company success

Of course, with developing employees, they will be able to solve more complex problems or projects. The company also has new targets to achieve with greater profits.

The company's selling value in the eyes of job seekers

Lastly, when a company opens new job vacancies, of course an upskilling program can be one of the benefits offered. Many job seekers today are looking for opportunities to gain experience and develop skills while working for one company.

How to Build an Upskilling Program

Make sure you have a plan and program that is mature and meets the needs of employees and the business. Summarizing Betterworks, here are several ways to build the right upskilling program:

Identify the skills that employees already have

To find out what kind of upskilling program to run, first make sure you know what abilities your employees already have. Also identify their aspirations and what skills they want to learn.

Analyze the types of capabilities the market requires

Identify what skills are currently popular among competitors or the market in general. That way, you can map what capabilities the company needs. After that, match these needs with the employee profile.

Create targets that are in line with the business

Business targets can be determined through:

• market research
• competitor analysis
• changes in the industry

Keep an eye on new needs as they arise

This means that companies must be able to anticipate new problems and needs that arise during the upskilling program. Ensure programs are continuously updated and business targets are flexible. You also have to set a flexible timeline or program duration.

Know the type of upskilling required

In general, there are two types of upskilling that you can do, including:

Internal upskilling program

This type of upskilling usually utilizes senior and experienced employees in the company. So companies don't need to use external services that require extra expenses.

External upskilling program

This type of program usually requires a budget or additional costs because it has to use external services. You can also do a mutually beneficial inter-business collaboration.

Analyze opportunities for employees to change roles

As has been explained, upskilling helps employees to add and develop new abilities. That way, this program can give rise to potential new roles or changes in employee roles.

You can determine whether the employee deserves a promotion after the upskilling program is completed.

Check-in and make sure the program is running as intended

Check-ins can occur once per week or once per fortnight. Make sure that every check-in, a target is achieved. Also make sure you ask for input and opinions from employees regarding the program.

Example of an Upskilling Program

There are many upskilling programs that employees can take part in. Depending on your needs, you can choose a long or short term program.

If you need a specific and short skills development program, then Short Training Programs from prasmul-eli could be the best solution!

In this short program, employees can develop abilities that influence the company's business strategy.

This program presents experts directly from their fields. If interested, you can click here to learn more and enroll in the program.

That is an explanation of upskilling which can help employees increase their productivity and work results.

Companies can provide upskilling programs according to business and employee needs. One of the programs that can be chosen is short programs from Prasmul-Eli.

Click here to learn and follow the program.