Upskilling is the process of learning new skills or of teaching workers new skills.

It means teaching
employees new, advanced skills to close talent gaps. It focuses more on improving worker’s skills so they
can work within the same job. Unlike reskilling that requires to earn a completely new certification,
upskilling will require an employee to enhance their value to his/her organization by improving their
current skill set.

While distance and e-learning programs are not new, internet access and speed, ease of use and the
learning experience for these programs seem to have improved dramatically in recent years. High
resolution video clips can now be viewed with clarity and little lag, resulting in more options for
curriculum designers to push innovative learning resources. Web2.0 has also contributed to more
interactivity for the learners with many participating in collaborative projects and learning online. There
is also the element of learner readiness. Given that many of the digital natives are now in their twenties
and thirties, there is a critical mass of learners who are not just ready to embrace, but expect
technology-assisted learning as part of their upskilling process.

Reskilling is the process of learning new skills so you can do a different job, or of training people to do a
different job. Reskilling means looking for people with adjacent skills, that are close to the new skills
your company requires. It provides a lateral learning experience. From the definition, we can say that
reskilling focuses more on creating new skill so that employee or individual can do a different job.
Typically, reskilling is a program that requires employees to be sent to a college or trade school to earn a
degree or certification in a different field. After the completion of the degree, this employee will once
again become employable.

Reskilling has become a growth imperative for organizations, many of which have seen positions go
unfilled for months or years for lack of the right talent to fill them. It’s become increasingly apparent
that organizations in today’s tight talent market cannot depend solely on recruitment to find people for
those roles. Low unemployment rates and tight labor markets for skilled workers in many countries have
made it difficult to hire “ready-made” workers in a timely manner.

Therefore, we can say that upskilling is more about improving your current skill set, it means you will be
a professional in your current position. You can focus on one goal you have, which is to improve yourself
in the chosen expertise. On the other hand, when you choose to reskill your ability, you will have more
opportunity to make transitions between jobs. Your chance of employability could be greater as you
earn certification to different skills. However, reskilling means your professionalism in one skill will be
lower than if you take time to upskill your ability.