Upskilling: Your Path to a New Career
by Abdul Aziz Mondal Job & Career Published on: 15 November 2018 Last Updated on: 25 November 2020
Do you watch the clock at work, counting down the hours until home time? Are you looking for your next promotion? Perhaps you’re seeking a new career altogether? Whatever your situation, the tight job market often keeps people in employment that they’re not passionate about. If this is you and you’re wanting to make a change, why not consider upskilling? Read below for our tips if you’re looking to move up, across, or in a completely new direction on your career path.
Upskilling, while you’re working, is often a substantial undertaking. Many hours on top of a full-time load can be draining and not to mention expensive! However, it can be done! First, you should decide what course you’re looking to complete. If you’re completely new to an industry you may need to start with a certificate III or IV so you learn all the basics relevant to your new career. If you’re gaining a qualification to formalize your skills in an area you’re already working, you might be able to head straight into a diploma level course, or gain recognition of prior learning so you complete fewer course units based on your experience.
When searching for a provider, aside from the quality of education, you should investigate their mode of delivery. If you’re already working, chances are you’ll want after-hours classes and preferable a lot of online study you can complete at your own leisure. A good option for courses that require face-to-face contact hours is to inquire about intensive units. An intensive unit will have you attend class full time for a week or two which covers an entire unit. Although it’s not a good use of annual leave for some, many enjoy this option as opposed to fitting in the study at nights or weekends.
Most people fail to realize that upskilling can provide a major financial boost to your career. According to Austin Belcak’s guide, this is also something, which will raise your value as an asset in the eyes of your employer. In other words, with better remuneration and more credibility, you will be able to rock your performances in the commercial space. Personal branding, something, which a very few among us pay attention to is an important result of upskilling. If you are someone who is looking to give your professional life a much-needed boost, you should consider upskilling!
To fund your studies, there is a range of options. In Australia, there are federal funding options that will see you take out a student loan called a HELP-debt. This means the Government will pay your fees and once you start earning a certain amount, you pay back this loan via a small payment that’s automatically deducted from your salary each payday.
If you’re living in Australia, you might be able to score a qualification completely free as the Victorian Government is offering to fully subsidize a range of TAFE and pre-apprenticeships for in-demand industries. This scheme saves you serious cash and is designed to give you skills in industries that are tipped to boom in the near future.
If you’re not eligible for either of these, some TAFEs allow installment options so you can pay your fees over several payments. However, if you have the funds to pay upfront, you can normally score a bit of a discount on the total price, so if you can, this is ideal. Whether it’s to save money for a myotherapy course, design certification, or personal training, get your finances in order to save you from living off instant noodles throughout your studies!
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