Canada’s skills gap has been in the news a lot lately. There are many unanswered questions about how this is going to unfold and how it will impact the future labour market; however, what remains very clear is that, as Canadians, we need to take charge and manage our own careers. This includes watching trends in your field and occupation, keeping up-to-date, sourcing key training opportunities and making proactive career decisions.
Managing your own career and keeping your skills current are some key points made in the post “Six Ways Continuing Education Can Close Canada’s Skills Gap” by Dr. Marie Bountrogianni.
The recommendations of Dr. Bountrogianni:
- Become both a specialist AND a generalist.
- Access online training to keep your skills current.
- Become an intrapreneur; this involves bringing an entrepreneurial spirit to your job.
- Stay current and ensure you have the right skills for your field; this is important whether you are just starting out or you have been in your field a while.
- Keep up-to-date with technology; the demand for STEM careers continues to grow (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).
- It is never too late to change careers or learn a new skill; older adults are staying in the workforce, returning to school, changing careers and starting businesses.
Always make room in your schedule for any training opportunities presented by your employer. If you don’t have these opportunities offered to you, consider ways of seeking out training on your own. As mentioned in this article, the flexibility of online training is an ideal way for busy people to develop new skills.
The old expression “Learning a Living” has never been more relevant.