The job market gets more competitive every year. Even if you’re not currently looking for a job, you need to constantly keep working on your credentials to stay relevant. After all, if you snooze, you lose. If you go stagnant, you may be wiped out by the competition.
This does not refer only to job hunters. Even if you are already employed, you must undergo continuous professional development to deliver good results.
In this article, we will explain why upskilling is important for career growth and show you the best ways to upskill in 2025.
Overview
Upskilling is developing soft and hard skills. It is important for career growth because it allows you to stay relevant in a competitive job market and be attractive to employers. There are many resources for upskilling, both online and offline. They include webinars, conferences, online courses, newsletters, blogs and podcasts, and books and audiobooks.
What is upskilling?
Upskilling means expanding your soft and hard skills, especially in a professional context. But that is not all - another important element of upskilling is staying up-to-date with current news and the latest trends in your industry. Being informed is the key to remaining relevant and can show you in which direction you should develop.
Why upskilling is important for career growth
1. Boom in higher education
University is not a path chosen by everyone, but it is more common now than, say, 20 years ago. In the past, only a selected few could afford a higher education, and having a university degree was unique.
Now, higher education has become more accessible. Every generation boasts a higher percentage of university graduates than the previous one. Right now, Gen Z is on its way to becoming the most educated generation so far. However, as soon as Generation Alpha is old enough to go to university, they will probably take over that title.
This means that while a university degree is still useful, it no longer helps stand out from the crowd. It is a given, not an extra. Candidates who want to stay competitive in 2025 will need to upskill and obtain additional certifications outside of their degrees.
2. Dynamic changes
Some industries are more dynamic, some a bit less - but they are all changing. If you remain stuck in the old ways, you will be left behind.
New tools are introduced every day, increasing productivity and altering employers’ expectations. First of all, you need to learn how to use those tools to stay relevant. And secondly, you have to develop skills that are in demand right now to keep up with the rapid pace of your industry.
Additionally, while some things are universal, others shift with time. Some of what you have learnt at university might not be relevant anymore, and it might be a good time to upskill and update your knowledge.
3. Show your interest
Employers look for motivated employees. Someone genuinely interested in their job is more likely to stay in it for years to come - which is the ultimate goal when hiring a new employee.
Upskilling by completing relevant courses and obtaining extra certifications is the best way to show your motivation and interest in the industry. Companies prefer to hire someone with a list of accreditations on their LinkedIn profile than a candidate who hasn’t upskilled since graduating from university.
4. Stay up-to-date with trends
Industry courses and events never exist in a vacuum. They are created based on the most recent trends and current employer needs. Therefore, upskilling is the best way to stay informed about the latest news from your industry.
What is the best way to upskill?
Upskilling can be done in many ways. Select the ones which work for you from the following options:
1. Webinars
Webinars are a great way to upskill. There are thousands of them happening every day, organised by experts from your industry. And very often, they are free, which means that upskilling doesn’t have to be expensive.
Find trustworthy people and companies. Visit their websites, subscribe to their newsletters, and follow them on social media. Whenever they organise an interesting webinar, you will be notified and can secure a spot before everyone else.
Since upskilling is a form of professional development, you will likely be able to watch a webinar during working hours. Pitch to your boss dedicating one hour per week, for example on Friday afternoons, to watching industry-related webinars.
2. Conferences
Conferences are not just a great setting for networking. They often come with fascinating presentations, panel discussions, and lectures delivered by top specialists in your domain.
It is true that the best conferences are often costly and require travel to the venue. However, your upskilling is in your boss’s best interest. Create a solid pitch that will show your employer exactly why sending you to a specific conference is a good investment, and they may cover the costs for you.
The Internet is full of high-quality online course platforms. Some are industry-related, while others are more general—perfect for developing transferable skills.
Select one or more and purchase a subscription. Some of them cost only as much as a streaming platform - goodbye Netflix and chill, hello upskill and chill.
You can also pitch a team subscription to your employer - this way, other employees will be able to benefit from the courses and upskill in various domains.
Keep an eye on Santander Open Academy. The bank collaborates with top universities from all over the world and offers courses and scholarships which are perfect for upskilling in all kinds of areas: digital skills, personal development, leadership, foreign languages, and more.
4. Newsletters
When you think about newsletters, your mind probably skips to the annoying emails from shops piled in your promotions folder that you had signed up for just for that 10% discount.
Well, it’s time to unsubscribe from those to make space for some valuable ones.
Many businesses and organisations send out weekly newsletters with some really great content. They are a well of free information and fresh data coming straight from the source.
Newsletters are short, concise, and, we will repeat it, free. They are an insightful resource delivered straight to your inbox - all you need to do is open it, read it, and extract the most important bits. It would be a shame not to take advantage of newsletters in your upskilling journey.
5. Blogs
Despite what many pseudo-experts are saying, blogs are not, in fact, dead. They have evolved and changed forms, but they continue to be some of the best resources for upskilling on the Internet.
Companies use blogs to establish their position as expert in their area. Therefore, they take care to provide only curated and valuable information in their articles.
Blogs are also where a business publishes all interesting insights they have gathered on a specific topic. Studies and surveys are great sources of information to stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends.
Find blogs in niches that interest you and use their content to upskill. Before you dive in, verify the blog owner’s authority to make sure that what you read is supported by actual expertise.
6. Podcasts
Podcasts are all the rage right now. And not without a reason!
They are a great way to upskill by subconsciously soaking in information. You can listen to a podcast on your daily commute, while walking your dog, cooking dinner, or even doing repetitive tasks which don’t require your full focus at work.
A podcast allows you to use your time to the max - why would you perform only one activity, when you can gain new skills or learn about the latest industry trends at the same time?
The monthly costs of a subscription to an audio platform such as Spotify or Apple Music are relatively low, given how much you can learn. Additionally, many podcasters publish their content on multiple platforms, including YouTube - which is free for users who don’t mind an occasional ad.
7. Books and audiobooks
Of course, we can’t forget the old-school resources for upskilling. Books are risky in a way that the information in them can quickly become outdated. Once published, they can’t be edited as easily as a blog post, so always check the publication date and verify whether it is the latest edition.
But you shouldn’t disregard books due to that one limitation. Some information is evergreen, and new titles are published all the time. If books were obsolete, they wouldn’t continue to be published on such a big scale.
What’s more, auditory learners can take advantage of audiobooks and switch them up with podcasts whenever they crave long-form content.
8. Social media
Now, tread carefully with this one. We probably don’t have to explain how crucial fact-checking is when it comes to information found on social media - especially given the recent policy changes announced by Meta.
But if you can successfully navigate between the truth and misinformation, social media can be a useful resource for upskilling.
First of all, industry experts use social media to share insightful statistics, facts, and updates. If you follow someone trustworthy, they can provide you with valuable daily content.
Secondly, social media is a powerful promotional tool. You can find multiple webinars and other events advertised there. Of course, always verify their credibility. But in times when most upskilling opportunities are found online, failing to use social media would put you at a disadvantage.
Just make sure to never blindly follow any advice without thoroughly inspecting its source and take everything with a pinch of salt!
Key takeaways
Upskilling is important for career development because it gives you a competitive edge
You should constantly upskill if you want to stand out from the competition
Upskilling is crucial not only for people looking for a job, but for everyone who wants to be considered a valuable employee
There are multiple resources for upskilling available, so everyone will find something for themselves
Don’t limit yourself just to one resource, but upskill in diverse ways
No time is better than right now to upskill. And once you start, make sure to continue. Upskilling is not just a question of watching one webinar or reading a book and saying “I’m done”. It is a never-ending process, which you should make a habit of if you want to stay competitive in the job market in 2025.
Feeling inspired? Visit our blog for more career advice! How can you be sure the information we provide is top-notch? We are a group of professionals working with recruiters, career coaches, and HR specialists from all over the world!
Trust our experience and let us help you find a new job in Europe!
CHRISA KAZAKI1w ago
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