INTHEBLACK December 2023/January 2024 Special Edition - Flipbook - Page 30
TWO-SPEED
UPSKILLING
Fulfilling an immediate business need may require
workers to take an intensive short course to upskill.
In the long run, however, a more measured approach
typically results in retaining information for longer.
WORDS JESSICA MUDDITT
C
ontinuing professional development and
learning are vital for professionals who
want to future-proof their careers. Sometimes,
however, the competing needs to advance
a professional skill set and balance professional and
personal lives may prompt people to prioritise speed
over quality.
It is vital for professionals to recognise upskilling
as a continuous endeavour, rather than a knee-jerk
reaction to a knowledge gap.
Jon Lang, CEO of corporate training provider
Lumify Group, says there is no single course people
can do to future-proof their careers.
“The idea of being future-proof means you are
continually learning,” he explains.
Upskilling is one of the best ways to advance an
accounting career.
Upskilling also signals to colleagues and superiors
when someone is curious and eager to learn more.
When a new opportunity arises, those who have shown a
commitment to learning emerge as the best candidates.
30 INTHEBLACK Dec 2023/Jan 2024 SPECIAL EDITION
According to Peter Benei, founder of Anywhere
Consulting and host of the Leadership Anywhere
podcast, “Even if someone learned the necessary
skills at university to get a job, it doesn’t guarantee
they can keep it”.
“As jobs diminish because of technology, new
ones will also be created. Learning is the best way
to adapt to change,” says Benei.
CRASH COURSE CAUTION
A “crash course” may meet an urgent business need
or fill a minor gap in a skill, but there is a risk of
retaining little of what was taught, says Lang.
“A crash course happens so quickly that often
the person leaves without having absorbed the
information. The next day when they turn up to
their office and they’re asked to implement it,
almost everything they learned has been
forgotten,” Lang says.
The caveat is that individual learning styles
differ. Some people lack the patience to sit
