Dr Pankaj Sharma has over 23 years of experience in Sales and Marketing in Media, Education, FMCG/ IT sectors. He has experience in new business and market development, product launching, supply chain management and has handled distribution network across SRM University Sonepat, Hero Group (BML Munjal University), NIIT University, Tribune, Indian Express, Dainik Bhaskar, Hindustan Times & Apsom Infotex Ltd.
2020 has been one of the toughest years for each and every sector of the industry. Some unprecedented changes and challenges have been experienced by the large companies and small and mid-sized enterprises. We were all forced to accept the new normal of restricted outdoor movements and cyber security threats because of the coronavirus pandemic. All these challenges and shifting to digital medium for meeting all our needs have paved the way for innovations.
Survival of the fittest
We have witnessed that those companies which were resilient towards the changes and became the first ones to introduce new technology based innovations are the ones who were less affected by the economic slowdown caused by the pandemic. It motivated others as well to innovate and adjust quickly to the new world. Therefore, these new business circumstances across the globe and have created a new range of jobs that demands the new-age digital skills. And these skills have become imperative for all the employees to sustain in the new age. But, these skills are just not only for survival but also to further progress. If we stay in the past, looking for excuses in the new circumstances, and do not strive towards innovation, there will be no progress at all.
Role of upskilling
If you are thinking that upskilling is all about teaching people how to use a new device, then you are highly mistaken. Mostly we see that device gets obsolete by next year. So, the experience of upskilling should be such that it involves learning how to think, act and thrive in a digital world that is sustainable over time. Companies need to support and encourage an employee-led approach to innovation, because it is more effective to let people choose what they want to learn. They should encourage their people to use their new skills to improve their jobs and their work with clients.
Digital skills is need of hour
Companies should create and launch various initiatives for educating people additionally in the area of digital skills. This will enable master new skills by the end of the year, which will help them and the economies of the countries where they live and work. The companies should combine the existing and new resources from LinkedIn, GitHub, and Microsoft.
- The use of data to identify in-demand jobs and the skills needed to fill them,
- Free access to learning paths and content to help people develop the skills these positions require,
- Low-cost certifications and free job-seeking tools to help people who develop these skills pursue new jobs.
The best part of digitalization is it’s not just a time-limited trend. It’s a continuous evolving process and is the need of the future too. Moreover, acquiring digital skills do not get restricted either in the ever-changing technology dominated world. We just need to upgrade the skills that we have acquired today. It helps global economic recovery and facilitate further growth. And there is no growth without innovation.