Upskilling in Education
Written by: Kamia F. Slaughter
Before pivoting into new roles, consider your considerations when weighing your potential success. Perhaps you initially think about fit and whether the new role aligns with the goals and values you set. Maybe you proceed to consider logistics about pay, workload, and expectation changes and their implications on you and your family. Undergirding both of these considerations may be uncertain about your readiness or qualification to take on new responsibilities. To address some of these concerns, consider upskilling.
Upskilling is the process of engaging in training and professional development (PD) opportunities while in your current role. K-12 educators may be very familiar with this concept, as many recertification processes require minimum numbers of PD hours to continue teaching. However, for educators outside of K-12 contexts, the idea may take shape differently. For example, upskilling for a higher education administrator might mean attending workshops that help you stay current on leading practices in the field, presenting at conferences, and incorporating new technologies into your practices.
Though the concept of upskilling is not new, there are ways to upskill strategically. When thinking about the trajectory of your brand as an employee, think about what skills you currently have compared to the ones you need to advance. Some of us may think that the only way to tell our professional story is through job titles, which is a misconception that frequently hinders student employees and early career professionals. Instead, think about your day-to-day work experiences. What do you actually do? How have you learned to do it more effectively and efficiently? What do you attribute to your success? You will likely be able to pinpoint specific upskilling strategies you leaned on to do work.
While keeping your current skills in mind, use them to map out which skills you need to grow in the field and the places to receive the new knowledge. Your reflectivity might point you to new coursework, professional circles, or even degrees/credentials. Don’t consider yourself bound by job titles. You are more than qualified for the promotions and accolades that await you.
