In order to keep pace with a rapidly changing business environment, professionals are increasingly using upskilling programme to learn new skills, fill in knowledge gaps, grow in their current jobs and future-proof their career opportunities.
In a recent survey with learners in India – Emeritus, the global leader in world-class professional education, has gathered insights to determine the exact nature of how professional programmes help learners.
An overwhelming majority (81%) of the respondents from the survey believe that the programme they took had a positive impact on their career and professional development. Knowledge enhancement and gaining better understanding of a new field that is relevant to their practise area were cited as the key drivers for taking up an upskilling programme.
The professionals surveyed revealed they have seen a positive impact within 12 months of completing a programme, while many of the respondents believe that the programme, they underwent helped them validate and fill knowledge gaps in their job. More than half (58%) of respondents stated that the programme provided them with the necessary skills and training needed to advance their careers and helped them future-proof their careers. The Emeritus India Impact Survey also points to how learners have more options for career progression after completing an upskilling programme.
According to a McKinsey Global Survey on reskilling in 2021, the urgency of addressing skill gaps is clear and, across industries, more important than ever. Most respondents say that skill building is the best way to close those gaps and that they have doubled down on their efforts to reskill or upskill employees since the pandemic began. The survey suggests that the need to address skill gaps is more urgent than ever. Majority respondents said that closing skill gaps in their companies’ workforces has become a higher priority since the pandemic began.
The positive impact of upskilling programme is not limited to one’s direct work, as 2 out of 3 learners stated that the programme helped them find new meaning and inspiration in their lives, and more than 90% reported the programme helped them build their self-confidence, leadership skills & expand their network. Professionals also stated that they felt more engaged at work if they are learning new things. The top driver for learners in India to take up upskilling programmes is the need to improve their skill set at their current roles and improve their effectiveness at work to overall advance their careers.
Speaking about the India Impact Survey, Mr. Mohan Kannegal, CEO, India and APAC, Emeritus, said, “At Emeritus, we are committed to our mission of making high quality, impactful education accessible to everyone in India. Upskilling oneself today has become an essential element in one’s professional journey. It is heartening to see the rising numbers of learners who are choosing quality upskilling programmes in order to enhance their knowledge, grow within their current organisation or looking to move to another role outside.”
The India Impact Survey was conducted in September 2022, with learners who have completed Emeritus professional education programmes through its partner schools before June 2022.
Emeritus connects learners through global virtual classrooms, partnering with over 60 top universities to offer online and app-based learning in formats including courses, certificates, online degrees, boot camps, etc. The company has a truly global reach – serving more than 250,000 learners across 160 countries, with programmes offered in a variety of languages.
