Who is responsible for reskilling and upskilling?

Who is responsible for reskilling and upskilling: A video presentation

Reskilling and upskilling are two important aspects of talent development and skill development. It is even more important in the face of challenges every organization is facing because of technology disruptions. A pertinent question comes up when we look into the initiatives and ownership of reskilling and upskilling. Whose responsibility is it? It is the employer who has to initiate the process or is it the employee who has to proactively engage in training programs?

Reskilling to prepare for new job roles

Reskilling is about skilling the existing workforce and preparing them for the new job roles. This could be because of technology advancements, process level changes and other reasons. This amounts to teaching new skills that can equip the employees to fit into the new job roles. For example banking and finance industry continuously reskills their employees due to technology adoption such as use of mobile apps and process automation.

Upskilling to upgrade knowledge and skills in same or similar job roles

Upskilling means upgrading skills and knowledge in the existing job role; it may means learning new tools, keeping track of the development in a particular domain. For instance, the role of a Graphic Designer demands regular upgrading of knowledge and skills as a result of new tools and apps.

In the backdrop of automation and other technological influences on the job roles, we need to revisit these two important interventions for talent development and employee engagement. In the video talk shared above, I wish to  share five points that can be considered when we are looking into various aspects of reskilling and upskilling.

I request you to let us know the initiatives you have been taking in reskilling and upskilling in your organizations. It would help many to learn from your programs and outcomes in the following ways:

• Understanding the importance of on-the-job skilling in various job roles; it need not be confined to lower or entry level jobs in any industry
• How reskilling and upskilling can engage employees and help control attrition and motivate the to perform better
• Why we need to explore continuous learning options to cope with the challenges posed by every stage of technology disruption irrespective of the industry sector.

Please write to us at contact@nationalskillsnetwork.com at the earliest!