How new skills could lead to a new career

Do you need to upskill or add new skills to get to the next level in your career? Short courses can help get you started. You may not even need to get out of bed to do a short course as many are online these days.

Work-related short courses are often perfect for complete beginners. Graduating from one or more may be enough to get you over the first hurdle into a new career. That might be getting a competitive edge in your CV, showing a willingness to learn, or gaining the basics of the skills you’ll need in your new job.

Work-related short courses are often perfect for complete beginners. Graduating from one or more may be enough to get you over the first hurdle into a new career.

Some technicians may lack softer skills, such as negotiation, business writing and team leadership skills. These are often the skills needed to move beyond their functional roll says Mark Howard of SEEK Learning. Professionals who invest in the types of business courses offered by Skillsoft acquire a valuable point of difference to help them make that leap. “We often find people who have strong IT skills but lack the softer people skills to take that next step in their career.”

Your completed short courses are building blocks and will show recruiters and potential employers that you:

• A: have gained skills
• B: are motivated
• C: are flexible and open to change.

Most importantly they can give you a foot in the door to a new career. Here’s how:

1. The course combined with your transferrable skills could be the ticket into the new industry even if it’s not the job you want. If you’re an administrator, for example, and want to become an HTML programmer, your HTML course could get you an administration job in a web design company. From there you can make contacts and develop your skills further. 
2. They give you practical skills and often basic qualifications.  
3. Short courses also formalise skills you may have gained at work. “I completed XYZ course” sounds better than saying simply that you’ve been exposed to certain skills.
4. Your existing employer will take notice of you once you do the course and you might be able to move across into another department more relevant to your new career.
5. Your tutor may have contacts in the industry that can offer you a job or at least give you more advice.
6. Once you have the basics you can put them to use. That might be by helping friends and family or working as a volunteer to develop the skills further. It will add experience.

Short courses come in all sizes and shapes. Some are online, others are in person. You may be able to do an hour a week or take the entire week off to do a course. Whatever you choose there is a course awaiting you and it could be just the answer to your itchy feet.