If you’ve never tried to upskill yourself before, look no further: We’ve created this easy-to-follow guide to get you started.

Adding new workplace skills to your existing repertoire is a no-brainer – whether you’re taking customer service training, learning how to analyse data, or mastering good communication.

What is upskilling?

So what exactly is “upskilling”? The concept of learning new skills for work is certainly nothing new – but along with Cher, bell-bottoms, and personal computers, the term “upskilling” didn’t really gain widespread prominence until the 1970’s.

To break down the etymology of this term:

Up = In this context, “upgrading” or “improving”
Skill = Your ability or expertise in a specific area.

So “upskilling” is simply the process of adding new knowledge or skills to your existing skill set, thereby “upgrading” it. (And if you’d like to read further, check out our full definition in our LMS glossary.)

Even though upskilling is all about improving your individual skill set, it isn’t just an individual issue. The wider Learning and Development community considers it important, with 29% of L&D teams identifying it as a top priority as recently as 2023.

There are so many reasons to upskill yourself, so let’s discuss these benefits.
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What are the benefits of upskilling?

So we’ve established what exactly upskilling is, and the fact that L&D teams view it as a top priority – but beyond that, what are the benefits?

We probably don’t need to tell you twice that continually gaining new skills and knowledge makes you a well-rounded - and therefore more desirable - candidate; both when it comes to your job search, and within your current role.

Even beyond this, there is the simple fact that learning something new, whatever that thing might be, is so enriching. Of course as a Learning Management System for business, we have a little bit of pre-existing bias when it comes to the gratification of learning – but don’t just take our word for it. This study found that the practice of “life-long learning” has a positive impact on your overall wellbeing, which is just another tick in Upskilling’s “Pro” column.

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In what areas should I be upskilling?

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So by now you might be asking yourself: “What skills should I develop?”

This is obviously not one-size-fits-all. It goes without saying that the skills you need are dictated by the demands of your industry – but to give you a general idea, People1st International recently identified the areas in which the UK workforce have the biggest skills gaps according to employers:

Customer service:‍

• Persuasive speaking skills
• Dealing with difficult customers
• Willingness to improve
• Time management
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Digital:

• Marketing online
• Artificial intelligence/robotics
• Data analysis
• Cyber security
• Data visualisation
• Social media
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Environmental:‍

• Use of environmentally friendly practices
• Promotion of environmentally friendly activities
• Ability to minimise the use of energy
• Knowledge of climate change
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Management:‍

• Leadership skills

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This is of course not an exhaustive list; nowhere near. This selection of skills merely gives you an idea of what is currently in demand, and what employers view as common gaps.

Do any of them resonate with you? If so, keep that in your mind as we head into the next section: Our six top tips to upskill yourself.

How to upskill yourself

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Now onto the reason why you’re here. Here are six steps you can take to upskill yourself.  
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1. Take stock of what you’re already good at, and any areas for improvement

In order to fill the gaps, you first need to figure out where they are. The process of upskilling starts with identifying not only the gaps, but also the areas in which you already shine. It’s by comparing these two things that you get a complete and well-rounded picture of your needs.

For example, maybe you’re a sales rep whose product knowledge is absolutely faultless,  but you struggle with the art of negotiation. Just like any aspect of a job role, that’s a skill that can be learned, honed and perfected over time.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell exactly what your weaknesses are. As L&D’s favourite saying goes: “You don’t know what you don’t know.”

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other routes you can take to identify skill gaps.

Automated skills analysis: If the company you work for is using a Learning Management System with Skills and Goals functionality (like, oh I don’t know, Thrive for example …) this step might be easier than you think. Our intuitive Skills and Goals feature can easily identify where your skills gaps lie, and even suggest specific ways to fill them.

Phone a friend: If you don’t have access to automated skills analysis, ask your colleagues or manager where your skills gaps lie. They will have a good idea of which areas would be helpful for you to develop further, so schedule some time to consult them on what skills they’d like to see you hone.

Look outwards: What skills do the other people in your team or profession seem to have in spades that you lack? Beyond this, what are the shifts and trends taking place in your industry not currently reflected in your current skill set?

For example, say you’re a well-established finance professional. You’ve been in the industry for years; you know it backwards, forwards, and upside down.

But then along comes a new kid on the block – or the blockchain, to be more precise. Cryptocurrency is a divisive subject - and for good reason - but like it or not, it’s here to stay. So what do you, as a hypothetical finance professional, hypothetically do about that? You can either stick your head in the old money sand, or you can learn more about the new trends shaping your industry to stay at the cutting-edge.

That’s just one example, but you get the idea: What’s your industry’s cryptocurrency? What’s the newest development that you don’t know much about? The world is seemingly moving faster than it ever has. In an ever-changing skills landscape, the phrase “keep up or get left behind” comes to mind – and that’s truly what’s at the heart of upskilling.
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2. Set goals

Once you’ve established the skill (or skills) you want to develop, the next phase of your upskilling project can begin: setting goals.

If you’ve already read our goal-setting guide, you’ll have an idea of how best to go about it. In that guide we broke down the importance of goal-setting, the questions you should be asking yourself, and how to set effective goals. We recommend reading it for a deep-dive, but to summarise the “how”:
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• Your goals should always be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound.)
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• Goals should be accompanied by Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) so you can effectively measure your progress.
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Here’s an example:
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Your goal:

• ‍‍Improve social media skills by contributing to the company’s social profiles

Your KPI’s: ‍

• Create two social media campaigns this quarter
• Grow the company’s social media following by 10%
  

3. Seek out Subject Matter Experts who are knowledgeable in your chosen area

One of the best ways to learn or develop a skill is by seeking out those who have expertise in that area. It’s been shown that social learning - learning through face-to-face, social interactions as opposed to traditional classroom-based methods - can be one of the most effective ways to retain important information.

So with this in mind, put the power of social learning to the test by connecting with SMEs within your organisation who can help you. Sticking with our social media example as an illustration: If you want to get better at it, taking a digital marketing course and reading up on best practices is obviously an important piece of the puzzle – but it’s not the whole puzzle. Politely asking your company’s social media manager for some guidance will help you colour in that black-and-white, textbook learning, and bring it to life in front of you.

4. Upskill!

Now onto the main part of the plan: the upskilling itself. But before you take the next step in your skills adventure, you should figure out how you personally prefer to learn. What do you respond to best?

Everyone is unique and receives learning materials in different ways, so honing in on your specific preferences will make this process so much easier – and crucially, more fun.

Next, take part in the learning that will get you to where you need to be. It isn’t merely your own preferences that you should take into account, but also what you need to get out of the learning.

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There are a variety of ways you can do this:

• Elearning: Best for flexible, self-paced skills training that can take place in the flow of work. Elearning tends to be more accessible and time-efficient, making it the perfect format for learning that can be broken up into digestible, bitesize micro-modules.
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• In-person workshops: Best for hands-on experience, active participation, and networking. If you’re looking to connect with like minded peers who are also trying to develop the same skill, this can be a great opportunity to do so.
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• Blended learning: This is the best of both worlds. You just need to read about Thrive and Ann Summers’ impact experiment for evidence that a blended learning approach is the most effective. Together with the Thrive Impact team, Ann Summers created a culture of experimentation that, through a blended learning programme, resulted in a 10% overall increase in sales.

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5. Seek out a mentor

Seeking out a coach or a mentor within your organisation is the perfect way to keep up the momentum of your upskilling efforts. This is separate to the Subject Matter Expert from our third point, but they could be the same person if that’s the best option.

If you don't have a specific person in mind, your organisation may be able to connect you with someone internally who can help. By meeting with this coach or mentor on a regular basis, setting goals and continually revising them, you not only have someone to hold you accountable; you also receive guidance from someone with real expertise.

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6. Practise makes perfect

It’s a cliché for a reason – and this cliché just happens to be based in science. Multiple studies have proven a positive link between repetition and long-term retention, which probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise. The more that you practise your new skill, the more you improve. Find opportunities to flex your newly established muscle, and take on new projects that allow you to explore what you’ve learned.
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Thanks for reading! Did we help you on your upskilling journey? Join the conversation over on LinkedIn.

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