Did you ignore to upskill yourself until now? If it was vital to your career before, the economic situations post-COVID might ensure that upskilling is a non-negotiable necessity. Organisations will be under squeeze to function ever more efficiently. Making yourself valuable whether you are in a job or running your own business is the need of the hour.

Upskilling simply means upgrading yourself through courses and training programs. It allows you to not only be better at your job but also increases your potential capabilities.

This global pandemic has given you something quite precious – time, and you can use it effectively to upgrade your skills. Think of upskilling as investing in yourself and thanks to the internet; you can pursue online learning courses right from the comfort of your home.

1.Skills that will be vital now and the near future

Whether you are in the tech industry or an industry that relies on technology heavily (think fintech, edutech, health tech, etc.), tech skills will continue to be in demand. Organisations will continue to move towards automation and be driven by data. NASSCOM predicted that about 40 per cent of India’s tech workforce would require to be upgraded with these skills to be relevant. The top few include

• AI and Machine Learning

• Data Analytics

• Digital Marketing

• Cybersecurity

• Software Programming (Python, React, Docker)

2. Some places you can upskill

Massive Open Online Courses or MOOCs are web-based platforms which provide people worldwide with a chance of distance education with the best institutes in the world. They have been around for over a decade and have a wide range of subjects. Top universities worldwide and their faculty members are associated with many MOOCs. An additional advantage of the current crisis is that many of these courses are now either completely free or discounted.

Courses do include fees, especially if you want to be certified. You can choose a course that is most relevant to your current job or business so that its certification would help you further your career. Also, evaluate the weightage of the accreditation before you invest in it. Here are some of the places you can upskill;

• Udemy

• Coursera

• Edx

• Udacity

• FutureLearn

• EduBull - This platform allows you different courses both in English and Hindi.

• Swayam -Promoted by the Government, Swayam is co-ordinated by leading Indian educational institutions like AICTE, NCERT, UGC, IIMB, etc.

Besides these specialised platforms, many management universities are also offering online distance learning programs which you can apply. Amity University, IITs, IIMs, etc. have online programs for executives which help you enhance your qualification.

3. Soft skills are evergreen

Whether work from home becomes the norm post lockdowns and social distancing or not, companies will always require to manage teams. Interpersonal skills, creativity, emotional intelligence that help companies collaborate and function better are ones that continue to have high demand.

Upskilling through relevant courses is essential. As companies define the new normal, discuss how best to build your personal brand through skillsets and capabilities.

Circles are subject-focused groups within the Basis community where you can interact with like-minded women for queries and advice. 'Career', 'Opportunities, 'Entrepreneurs', are some of the Circles that you can discuss upskilling.

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