- Introduction
- The Skills-Gap Crisis
- Upskilling is the Answer
- Embracing Shorter Courses with a Focus on Skill Training
- A Mindset of Constantly Learning
- Conclusion
Introduction
Since 2000, August 12th has been observed as the global International Youth Day. The United Nations created this day with the purpose of drawing attention to the educational, cultural, and professional issues faced by the youth of a country.
For countries with a large majority of the population under the age of 30, the International Youth Day is a great opportunity to draw attention to how they can improve the overall economy by giving the youth the skills and resources needed to succeed.
And despite having such a large youth population, many countries still face an employment crisis. Despite having a college degree, many college graduates across the world are unable to find employment.
Why is it that their degree is still inadequate in the global economy? And what can be done to make these graduates ready for the job market?
Continue reading this article to find out why this phenomenon is happening, and how this International Youth Day, upskilling is the bridge that the global youth needs to find stable employment!
The Skills-Gap Crisis
Estimates suggest that millions across the world do not have jobs, despite being graduates. It is because employers find that these graduates still lack the necessary skills required for these jobs.
The skill gap is due to a difference between the traditional education system, which is slightly different from the current economic needs.
The World Economic Forum estimates that by 2030, there will be more than 1 billion people who would need reskilling or upskilling given this skills gap.
Since traditional educational institutions focus heavily on textbook learning and theoretical knowledge, graduates still lack industry-relevant skills. Employers are looking for young professionals who know how to market their businesses, which is something academic institutions fail to train these students in.
The youth needs more understanding of the real-world applications of the concepts that they are studying in college.
The answer for this upskilling with online courses from accredited institutions providing hands-on learning experiences, industry guidance, and a rigorous curriculum, ensuring they are prepared for the needs of the job market.
Upskilling is the Answer
For fresh graduates, upskilling allows transitioning from just knowing theoretical knowledge to applying it to industry-relevant case studies.
Furthermore, they should upskill in courses that are not typically offered in many educational institutions but are what employers are looking for.
Upskilling in programs such as data science, cybersecurity, digital marketing, cloud computing, among others, ensures that these graduates become adept in the most high-demand skills for the job market. Such courses make sure that graduates are not only job market-ready but will also have very sustainable careers.
And upskilling online offers two-pronged benefits for college graduates:
- They can simultaneously look for full-time employment while balancing their online courses,
- They will also become proficient in online systems and transactions, which is a prerequisite for staying employed in an increasingly digital economy.
Hence, upskilling with an accredited institution in an industry-relevant program can make a difference in the career trajectory of fresh graduates looking for stable jobs!
Embracing Shorter Courses with a Focus on Skill Training
The essence of upskilling is that it allows individuals to excel in one particular skill set over a relatively short period of time. The most ideal programs for upskilling are typically between 6 months to 18 months in duration.
However, even though graduates are armed with specific skills, a lot of hiring managers also want candidates with soft skills that will make them more successful employees for an enterprise.
Hence, upskilling in multiple areas is a potential solution for such scenarios. In addition to high-tech skills, specialized interpersonal skills will be in high demand, including skills related to sales, human resources, communication, and education.
As overwhelming as that may sound, an easier way to do this would be to combine a technical course, such as a PG Program in Cloud Computing from an accredited institution with a less rigorous but enriching course in soft skills, such as a free course in Essential Leadership Skills from a different platform.
By combining numerous short courses, graduates will have built a strong foundation for themselves to have an all-rounder work ethic and performance capacity.
A Mindset of Constantly Learning
“Lifelong learning is key to success in the new era of work”, writes Peter Brown, Global Leader of People & Organisation at PwC.
Skills that were considered “industry-relevant” five years ago are no longer considered so. Instead, other new skills are what employers are looking for to compete in a global, digital economy. By 2022, 42 percent of core skills required to perform existing jobs are expected to change, World Economic Forum states.
Hence, to stay employable, youth all over the world should develop a mindset of consistent and life-long learning. And, this is true for all domains.
For instance, there is a leadership vacuum in many tech companies. As a result, many IT professionals with numerous years of experience are upskilling with online MBA and Management programs, even at this stage in their careers.
Similarly, many younger professionals with degrees in software engineering are upskilling with Data Science programs to meet the needs of the job market.
Hence, no matter the years of work experience, upskilling and consistent learning is necessary for professionals to stay relevant in today’s economy.
Conclusion
Given the state of the global job market for fresh graduates, it is clear that there is a strong need for upskilling. While a degree may provide the youth with theoretical knowledge, upskilling with an accredited institution is necessary to gain important industry knowledge.
This International Youth Day, this awareness for the increasing proportion of the global youth is what we would like to share. According to the aforementioned World Economic Forum report, investment in upskilling can boost the global economy by 6.5 trillion USD by 2030! The numbers do not lie, and they are certainly not kidding.
So if you want to get a jumpstart to establishing a lifelong, stable career in this globalized digital economy, upskilling is the way to go.
And for upskilling, you should settle for nothing but the most enriching platform with the most industry-relevant programs available for you. Look into Great Learning today, which offers you programs in the most in-demand fields such as Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, Digital Marketing, Management, and AI for Leadership, among numerous others!
