With the recession happening and multiple layoffs in tech, you wouldn’t be alone when worrying about job security.

But that’s where upskilling comes in.

When you upskill, you’re ensuring your job security.

Even if you’re laid off, if you have the necessary skills, you can easily land a new job.

Why upskilling is important

When you work in tech, you work in a rapidly-changing industry.

That’s why upskilling is so important - you’re learning new skills so you can adapt to all the changes.

To keep up with changing technology and trends, it’s important to keep learning and upskilling. By learning the most up-to-date skills and trends in your field, you’ll make yourself more marketable to employers.

In fact, many employers in tech companies look for candidates who are proactive about upskilling.

Upskilling will also help you open up new opportunities that may not have been available before - opportunities that make your life easier.

For example, if you learn a no-code tool, you can use it to automate boring parts of your personal life, saving you time.

So upskilling can have benefits for your personal life and advance your career - a win-win situation.

How to start upskilling

There are a few different ways you can upskill, depending on your age and what stage of your career you’re in.

If you’re still in school or university, exploring what you love and what you’re good at is essential to creating your future career. Taking the time to go on an exchange program or entrepreneurial course to build your muscle in networking, communication, and networking will go a long way.

These soft skills are the basis for being an ideal candidate and team member for tech companies anywhere.

If you’re searching for entry-level roles or are changing careers in to tech, it’s likely you need to brush up on your hard skills and learn technical tools (alongside your soft skills).

Here are some ways you can start learning:

1. Courses - especially those with a portfolio project component like EntryLevel’s
2. Projects - either a personal project or volunteering/freelancing for a company
3. Mentorship - seeking advice from a professional on ADPList
4. Following thought leaders - subscribe to newsletters, follow on social media, etc.
5. YouTube/Google - free resources may be overwhelming, though

How to make the most of upskilling

When you’re learning a new skill, the biggest mistake you can make is not practicing what you’ve learned. After all, the whole purpose of learning something new is to be able to use it.

To do this, apply your learnings by:

• Creating a portfolio project (EntryLevel’s programs integrate this automatically in our programs)
• Seeking feedback from experts by networking
• Sharing your learning online

So many opportunities will come your way if you do these 3 things.

Here are 3 examples.

Portfolio project

Kene shared his UI design work online. He made sure his portfolio had the best projects - ones he was most proud of.

Because he shared his work, he was able to get a job from a company that saw his portfolio.

Seeking feedback and networking

Christiana got a Product Management internship from networking on LinkedIn. She had no prior experience in the field, but she made her own opportunities and reached out to experts in her industry.

After fostering connections and learning from them, she landed a role that was offered to her on LinkedIn. Even after landing her role, she had recruiters reach out to her to ask her to work for their companies.

Another perfect place to start is to join a supportive community of like-minded people who are also going through the same journey as you while getting access to mentorship.

At HEX, we also provide a community where you can connect with other career starters who can champion you and help you with any feedback you need.

Sharing your learning

Alexa took our Data Analyst programs (all levels) and shared what she was learning. She also shared her resources and notes.

Now, she’s built up a large following in the Data community on Twitter. She’s been invited to speak at multiple events, and many students look up to her for mentorship.

Alexa is now a valued employee in her industry (Data Analytics).

Summary

Upskilling doesn’t have to be difficult or overwhelming. There are a lot of resources out there, but if you’re looking for more guidance, here are the steps you can take:

1. Take a project-based course (like EntryLevel’s)
2. Create a portfolio project to get experience (like HEX International Programs)
3. Seek mentorship and network
4. Follow thought leaders in your industry
5. Find more resources on YouTube or Google

About EntryLevel

We help you learn and get experience so you can get hired.

To make learning more affordable, we offer a full refund for our programs once you complete them. You’ll also end the program with a portfolio of work that you can show off to recruiters.

Learn more about our programs here.

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