According to some measures, more than 40 percent of all workers are thinking about leaving their jobs this year. The pandemic has caused a lot of disruption in peoples’ lives and led many to evaluate their current situation and what is important to them.
Some are thinking about changing their goals entirely and looking at new careers. But they’re not sure if they have the knowledge, experience, or skills needed to be successful in a different kind of job. That is why many are looking into the possibility of reskilling.
Reskilling or retraining is not a big stretch for many. That’s because many people are constantly improving their skills to keep up with the changes in the economy and in their jobs. If you are one of the many people considering a new career, but you’re not sure how much retraining or reskilling you need, here are a few tips to help.
How Can Reskilling Help Shape and Direct Your Career?
1. Look at the prospects for your new career
Because of the advances in technology, with such things as robotics, big data, machine learning, and AI, many current jobs will become obsolete in the future. So if you are looking at a new career, you need to make sure that it has good prospects in the future economy. You have to make sure it will be viable.
What kinds of jobs are expected to remain strong in the face of automation? They include jobs in technology, jobs for analysts, engineers, scientists, accountants, teachers, executives and managers, building trades and related professions, creative professions, health care providers, gardeners and home health aides.
On the other side of the ledger, however, are jobs that may not be around in the future. These include food preparation workers, drivers, assembly line workers, and agricultural and equipment operators. Other jobs that may disappear include back-office and office support personnel, record clerks, hotel and travel workers, food service workers and cashiers.
2. Determine what skills you need
To figure out the skills you need for your new career, you’re going to have to do a skills audit. That means taking a look at and listing the skills that you have now and then doing the same for the skills that will be needed in your future career. This will help you to identify the skills gap between the two and what kinds of skills you will need to learn.
3. Check on sources of funding
Various government agencies at the state and federal level have put together funding programs for people to help them gain skills for jobs because of the pandemic.
The Cares Act, for example, is giving eight states that have been most impacted by COVID a total of $126 million to help Americans to return to the workforce. In Arkansas, for example, Global Campus is receiving $10 million to work with employers to look at skills gaps and train people who can meet the needs of employers.
So it would be well worth your while to see if you are eligible for any of these funding sources that might be provided by the state or the federal government.
Looking for a new job?
If you are looking for work in the Northwest, Opti Staffing can help you. We have staffing agencies in Vancouver, Washington, temp jobs in Portland, a temp agency in Tacoma, and a temp agency in Seattle, among other cities. Give us a call today.
