Upskilling through learning, training and volunteering

No matter what stage you’re at in your career or education journey, learning new skills will always be beneficial to you in the long term. Whether it’s just for fun or a skill you want to gain to progress onto your next line of work it is important to identify your options. This allows you to make decisions about your next steps, set goals and kick start your plan of action.

Time spent upskilling is never wasted, especially when there are so many ways of learning new skills.

What are my options?

Not everyone will have the same course of action when looking for opportunities to help them on their career path. It is perfectly normal to choose your own path during your career and education journey. However, it is important to consider your options and the benefits of upskilling yourself, whether you’re happy in your line of work, looking for a new career, struggling to find the free time or discovering your passions. Below we look at each of these scenarios and how upskilling yourself can help.

I want to progress in the same line of work

For many people staying in the same line of work is the easiest and most realistic way forward when looking for opportunities to progress within your career. When looking for a promotion or a change within your workplace, it is important to find out what skills you need to gain in order to progress within your career.

Your starting point should be to consider your current skills and experience, setting yourself goals on what you want to achieve. Think about what you need to do to meet your goals. There may be opportunity to enrol in a further education or training course to develop your skills and widen your options. We can help you find an online course. You could gain qualifications and certifications that could help you get a promotion. These courses can be completed alongside your day-to-day work, developing knowledge that can be applied to your career. They are also free so you can learn something new and advance your career prospects without breaking the bank.

You may be happy with your CV and academic history but lack confidence and experience. Volunteering is a great way to help you and other people. There is always enormous demand for volunteers and many organisations provide valuable training that can help you in your work life. You can broaden your network by meeting different kinds of people and make new friends. You never know, you might find some hidden talents along the way. Similar to the My World of Work online course search, we can help you find a volunteering opportunity near you.

I want to find a new career

Finding a new career through choice or necessity, can lead to a positive and fulfilling outcome. Sometimes it can be difficult to decide what type of role you would like to go into. Consider your options, what field of work would you like to go into? Will you need to gain experience? Will you need to retrain? These are questions you can ask yourself to help you create an action plan.

Taking some time to consider what you’re interested in can be the first step in finding a course or volunteering position to help you achieve the skills required to move into a new career. You can use the My World of Work course and volunteering searches to look for your specific interests. This can help you to narrow down your options and find a key area you’re interested in learning more about.

I do not have a lot of free time but want to expand my skillset

Taking online learning courses is a great way to expand your knowledge. It can help develop a skill you always wanted to learn – creative or academic – or just something you would like to brush up on. Participating in online courses can be a flexible option for you. Check out our Learn and Train page, where you can find out more details about training opportunities such as FutureLearn.

I am unsure what I want to do

Many people are unsure what they want to do in life, either in education or work. This is where taking an online course or signing up for a volunteering position can help. When you are placed in a situation where you open yourself up to new skills and knowledge, you might find something that you love. Opening yourself up to new challenges and opportunities may just be the thing that ignites a new passion inside that you would not otherwise know existed. In these circumstances, upskilling is professionally beneficial, but it can also help to improve your personal wellbeing too.

Being open to expanding your knowledge and skills is always a fantastic way to make yourself more employable, secure in your job and connected with like-minded people. There are so many options out there and My World of Work is here for you.