Upskilling as Career Booster

You want to grow professionally, but changing jobs does not feel right (yet)? Then upskilling might be the perfect next step.

In fast-evolving industries like IT, Engineering, and Life Sciences, demands are rising steadily. How well you respond often depends on your mindset. Those with a “growth mindset” see change as an opportunity and are eager to learn. In contrast, a “fixed mindset” tends to hold on to the status quo – which can quickly become a disadvantage. New technologies, tools, and standards are constantly emerging. To remain successful in the long-run, you should regularly update your professional skills.

In two LinkedIn surveys we conducted, an average of 39% said they do not want to change jobs due to fear of making a bad move. Another 28.5% are unsure whether a switch is the right step at all. At the same time, 38% say there are currently “few options” on the job market.

There are many aspects of your job where you can upskill. We asked on LinkedIn which areas people want to focus on most in the next 12 months. Here are the results:

• Technical & digital skills: 37%
• Professional knowledge in the current role: 28%
• Leadership skills: 26%
• Soft skills: 9%

The take-away: many professionals want to grow within their current roles – and that is exactly what upskilling enables. If you are not ready to change jobs, targeted upskilling still allows you to take action and stay ahead in your field.

Upskilling means building on your existing skill set to meet current demands. Especially for specialists in dynamic sectors like IT, Engineering and Life Sciences, continuous learning is key to staying relevant without necessarily switching jobs.

Highly sought-after upskilling areas currently include:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) & big data, among the top fields of the future according to the World Economic Forum.
• Cybersecurity & network security, where demand continues to grow.
• Technological competence, which is expected in all professional roles.
• Analytical thinking & problem-solving, essential for mastering complexity in innovative ways.
• Agile methods & project management, especially in dynamic, interdisciplinary teams.
• Sustainability standards & green engineering, increasingly important due to new regulations.
• Compliance & regulatory affairs, particularly relevant in highly regulated sectors like Life Sciences, including clinical trials, approval processes, or GMP-compliant production.

Many contracting positions in Switzerland are covered by the collective labor agreement, which comes with many benefits: it regulates working conditions, offers protection in case of illness or accident, ensures solid pension coverage – and supports continuing education!

Thanks to temptraining, contractors, i.e. temporary workers, can receive up to CHF 5,000 for training courses. The only requirement: you must have worked at least 88 hours within the past 12 months.

You can find more information about the program and how to benefit from it in our detailed blog post Training Allowance for Temporary Work and on temptraining.ch.

Companies also benefit when their employees upskill:

• lower costs than a new hire
• shorter training periods
• stronger employee loyalty
• better responsiveness to new requirements

Train & retain instead of hire & fire is the more sustainable way forward for companies.

Upskilling is more than a trend, it is your chance to grow, even without switching jobs. You stay relevant, visible, and prepared for what is ahead.

Do you feel that your current job no longer challenges or fulfills you? Then it might be time to take things a step further and explore reskilling to move into a completely new field and unlock new career opportunities.

Need some inspiration? Have a look at our current job openings.

Stay tuned, soon we will explain when reskilling is a good move. Follow us on LinkedIn for regular insights and exciting jobs.

Photo: ChatGPT