How to Keep Up With Industry Trends and Skill Requirements

Staying stagnant in a career is rarely the position one wants to take. If you want to move forward or build off what you’re learning in your workplace, you can bolster your resume with continuous learning. Continuing education and professional development can build upon what is already established so that you can remain a strong candidate regardless of your present career position.

Who can benefit from continuous learning

Unless you are nearing the end of your career, it is often a good choice to grow your knowledge and skillset within your industry. The following types of employees certainly would benefit from career learning-

• The Career Climber – You are ready to move upward and have a strong foundation in education, combined with a solid work history. Now you find yourself in a position where you want to stand out for the next role in your career, whether internally at your current company or with a new company that is hiring. Adding professional development learning to your resume not only shows hiring managers that you are invested in your career growth, but it can also help keep you relevant in a pool of other strong candidates.
• The Career Pauser – Childcare needs, mental health sabbaticals, eldercare help, and other life events are all reasons that might lead people to pause in their career track. If you find yourself in this stage, then taking steps to remain relevant in the workforce can make the eventual transition back much easier. While some may not have the time or resources to make a big commitment, taking time for a few webinars, free learning courses, or networking lunches are all great ways to build content for your next resume update. 
• The Career Assessor – You can tell from the company culture that your job is unstable. You might be seeing the signs of forthcoming layoffs and are looking for ways to ensure that you remain employed as long as possible. Even if layoffs are inevitable, having more talking points for any potential interviews is an excellent way to add to your strong skillset.

Funding your career growth

Money can often be a roadblock to career education advancement. Continuing education courses are often expensive, depending on your financial budget. While some careers, such as nursing and law, require continuing education, others are left on their own to foot the bill. Here are some options that can make the expense easier to handle:

Employer-funded – Many companies that are invested in their employees offer continuing education reimbursement as a non-salary employee benefit. Some companies even provide college course credits to their employees, which is a valuable resource that can help you toward your goal. For employees who do not outwardly have this benefit, it is still ok to reach out to your employer for financial help. Make the case for how the program/seminar/etc. will directly impact your role and, in turn, the institution’s goals, and hopefully your employer will consider supporting you in this route.

Tax benefits – As previously mentioned, some careers require continuous education. Others may be independently building their career through continuing education. For those who are paying for their educational pursuits, there are some tax adjustments and deductions available to ease the cost. Be sure to study your own tax rules and how they apply to your situation before relying on this benefit.

Free alternatives – Not everyone can afford to add another cost to their current budget. If you find yourself unable to find room in your financial situation for the cost of professional development, consider free alternatives. It may take some research, but free courses can be found online. For example, if you are a market researcher looking to learn how to develop surveys, but the cost of survey design platforms is too high, start with SurveyMonkey. Colleges often host alumni events with learning opportunities that are free to alumni. And finally, networking with a colleague can also be a great way to learn about industry trends, thought leaders, and other resources.

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About the Author: Connie Castellucci is a higher ed data analyst consultant. Previously she has worked within higher ed departments and nonprofit organizations addressing recruitment, new school development, and member recruitment needs.