Within the last few years, two concepts have become popular in the professional development
space: reskilling and upskilling. Reskilling is the act of learning new skillsets, particularly
if someone is considering a career change. Alternatively, upskilling is when a professional
learns a new skill to help them progress in their current role or career track. Both are becoming
popular activities for professionals who seek to further their careers.
According to a
survey by online education company, TalentLMS
,
42% of employees pursued training on their own after the coronavirus outbreak. The survey
also revealed that 68% of companies invested in reskilling and upskilling initiatives to
manage organizational changes, and another 65% did it to train employees on new technologies.
However, while upskilling and reskilling may be critical to you — particularly if you want
to stay competitive in your industry — the cost of training may feel out-of-reach for you
and your team members.
Nevertheless, there are some cost-effective ways to reskill or upskill as a project manager:
Check Out YouTube
Yes, it may seem unreal, but there are quite a few courses available for free on YouTube.
From hours-long digital marketing courses to coding help, some content creators have a
freemium model, where they may offer some content at no cost to encourage viewers to purchase
other courses.
While the information on YouTube may not be as detailed as classes that you would purchase,
it can help you develop some basic skills in a new area. YouTube is also a great way to find
content creators that you may want to purchase more in-depth online courses from, potentially
at an affordable price.
Keep an Eye on Your Alumni Emails
Depending on where you went to school, you may have access to workshops or events that
can help you develop skills. If you haven’t already, sign up to receive email alerts from
higher education institutions you’ve attended.
From time to time, your college or university may send invitations to events like
lunch-and-learns, networking dinners, training, and even workshops. Many times, these
events may be discounted for alumni or could even be offered at no cost.
Additionally, this is an excellent way to network — particularly if you look to change
jobs or get trained in another field.
See if Your Company Covers and Offers Training
As indicated by the stat above, many companies invest in training and development for
their staff. Your employer may have a partnership with an online training provider
where they offer some training at a discount, or they may even give you an educational
allowance for the calendar year.
Now, the training may have to be related to your current role, so this may not be
the best avenue if you are looking to reskill, but before you dig into your pocket,
check with your company to see if they are covering training costs.
Look Into Udemy, Coursera, and General Assembly
Yes, training and development sites like Udemy, Coursera, and General Assembly can be
a great place to skill up affordably. While courses on these platforms can break the bank,
they may also have courses priced below $100.
Udemy often allows you to take courses at your own pace, while General Assembly offers
a more “real-time” and “in-class” feel. Additionally, whether you want a course that you
can complete in one day, a week, or during a month-long boot camp, these platforms offer
a variety of ways to find training that fits your topic area and time constraints.
Ask if You Can Shadow a Colleague
Is there a co-worker in a position you want to learn more about? Speak with your manager
to see if you can job shadow this person. Doing this will allow you to get some on-the-job
training, ask detailed questions about their role, and see if their position is one you
would be interested in.
Job shadowing can have additional benefits beyond just training. A study published in the
International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering revealed that job shadowing
could minimize manager doubts about promotions and even lead to identifying where employees
can further develop their skills.
Find a Mentor
A
study
by Olivet Nazarene University found that 76% of their respondents believed that mentorship
was important, but only 37% had a mentor.
It can be hard to find the time to find a mentor and invest in the experience. You may not
even know where to look. However, mentors can help you further your career goals by
providing insightful advice and offering tangible insights to help you build your skills.
To get started, see if your company has a mentorship program. If finding a mentor at your
job isn’t an option, consider joining an association or organization related to your current
career or the one you want to go into.
Join a Professional Association
Whether related to the project management profession or representing a niche industry,
consider joining a professional association to locate affordable training. Some professional
associations and organizations may offer discounted training and development.
Additionally, members may also gain access to mentorship and professional networking
opportunities. Even if they do not offer training themselves, they may be able to point
you to an organization that does within your field.
Don’t Forget About the Written Word
Yes, courses and workshops are interactive ways to learn new skills. Nevertheless,
don’t forget about books. An excellent book on a topic you want to learn more about
can sometimes teach you just as much — or more — about a topic.
You may be able to get the knowledge for free as your local library may have the book
you need in stock. Additionally, if you want to get the workshop or course
experience — without the course itself — check out textbooks that address the topic
you want to learn. Many come with exercises and tests, allowing you to engage more with
the information.
Volunteer With Your New Skills
Hands-on learning is an excellent way to learn and develop new skills. Therefore,
try offering your new or emerging expertise for free before you walk into a higher-stakes
situation like a new profession or project. For example, let’s say you want to manage
digital marketing projects.
You could volunteer as a digital marketer for a local charity or offer to teach what
you’ve learned so far at a community college or to a group of after-school program students.
Not only does this allow you to get some real-world training — for free — but it also lets
you add experience with your new skills to your resume.
Skilling Up Doesn’t Have to Break the Bank
You don’t have to enroll as a full-time student at a local college or university (and
pay a hefty tuition bill) to reskill or upskill. There are a variety of ways that you
can increase your knowledge and train for your project management career.
It may take a little while to find a training opportunity that suits you, but that’s
where creativity and the ideas above can help you find what you need. Whether you decide
to volunteer at a local charity or check out that YouTube video, there are ways to skill
up without breaking your budget.
Sources:
76% Of People Think Mentors Are Important, But Only 37% Have One,
https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinecomaford/2019/07/03/new-study-76-of-people-think-mentors-are-important-but-only-37-have-one/?sh=5cf9a7524329
Employee Upskilling & Reskilling Statistics: Casting Light on the Trend,
https://www.talentlms.com/blog/reskilling-upskilling-training-statistics/
Job Shadowing as One of the Effective Activities in the Promotion Process Creates Quality Managers,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335909483_Job_Shadowing_as_One_of_the_Effective_Activities_in_the_Promotion_Process_Creates_Quality_Managers