Upskilling and reskilling, part 1: An innovative approach

Today’s organizations must contend with an ever-changing technological, economic, environmental, and societal landscape. The workforce is particularly vulnerable to recent disruptions that have been heightened by the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and other automation technologies such as robotic process automation. New technologies will transform an estimated 1.1 billion jobs over the next decade alone.¹ Given this ever-evolving environment, organizations will need to design and implement a robust, innovative upskilling and reskilling workforce strategy—one that is both adaptable enough to capitalize on present opportunities around automation and flexible enough to adjust to future advancements. 

To remain competitive, organizations will need to be agile and future state-oriented. One key way to achieve that is by embracing AI as a tool to leapfrog traditional workforce learning challenges. This can involve focusing on creating a culture of learning and identifying opportunities for employees to learn new skills through microlearnings, externship programs, project opportunities, and assignments. As organizations begin to reimagine the future of workforce upskilling and reskilling, pulling some or all of these levers can help them create a resilient workforce that propels their mission forward.

Figure 1. Guidehouse's Upskilling and Reskilling Approach

The accelerator: AI-powered workforce development

AI and automation technologies represent innovative opportunities for organizations across all sectors to identify skills gaps and enable learning opportunities. AI skills inference and natural language processing can improve understanding of the skills needed by organizations and how to address them. This can take the form of an assessment that extrapolates skills gaps from existing data.² Using AI to analyze employee career history, performance feedback, and skillsets presents another way to yield learning recommendations tailored to each worker to upskill or address skills gaps.³

The foundation: Creating and sustaining a learning culture

To capitalize on and stay ahead of technological advancements, organizations must create a purposeful culture of learning. Changing norms offer the potential for growth—both to organizations and employees themselves—but only if organizations invest in necessary training as technology and business requirements change. While initial investments in reskilling may be viewed as costly, organizations that strategically reskill at least a quarter of their workforce in tandem with implementing a learning culture are more likely to profit financially in the long term.⁶ They also benefit by improving the quality of their workforce through employee and institutional knowledge retention.

The enabler: Creating experiential learning

Enabling experiential learning opportunities such as internships and apprenticeships gives employees the chance to grow while providing organizations with potential tax advantages and better employee retention.⁷ Organizations can help employees learn skills that are applicable to their daily job performance by facilitating learning opportunities such as externship programs, internal apprenticeships, and peer mentorships. Bite-sized microlearning modules can also be integrated throughout an employee’s workday.

While organizations can strategically outsource learning to stay on top of recent advancements, they will need to carefully evaluate and curate their options to ensure that any investments are cost effective and aligned with their business culture and priorities. 

Read more in this multi-part series at Upskilling and reskilling, part 2: AI as an accelerator and Upskilling and reskilling, part 3: Cultivating a learning culture.