The world of work is changing, and the skills you need to succeed are changing with it.
There are many skills that you can learn to make yourself more marketable in today's job market. Some of these skills include coding, data analysis, design, and more.
However, if you want to be successful in Collingwood and the area’s future job market then there are some skills that you should learn before others to make you stand out.
What is upskilling?
Upskilling is the process of acquiring new skills or knowledge, or improving existing skills, typically to progress in one's career.
“It’s especially useful for those who are newcomers to Canada or are mid-career employees who feel their jobs are becoming redundant or they’ve lost interest in their work,” says Kathryn George, Employment Counsellor at TRACKS Employment Services in Collingwood. “The process can be a formal education program, on-the-job training, or even self-learning.”
The tourism industry in Georgian Bay needs attention
One growing industry in the area is tourism and hospitality which has become a challenge to hire in. An area Georgian College offers its UpSkill Tourism micro-credentials “designed to respond to the challenges in the tourism and hospitality sectors across the regions of Muskoka, Simcoe, Dufferin, Grey, and Bruce County.”
The program is free for eligible participants and is focused on developing and updating the necessary skills to succeed in frontline service as well as leadership roles. After completion of at least 5 of the 7 modules, they will be awarded the final UpSkill Tourism micro-credential digital badge as well as a monetary completion bonus.
TRACKS Employment Services, an employment resource center, helps unemployed and underemployed individuals of all ages find and retain reliable employment in South Georgian Bay at no cost.
Employment Counsellors are aware of the rise in demand for many new skills and can help provide advice to job seekers about various paths they can take to upgrade their skills and make themselves more marketable, including in some cases, education and training funding, and work-based training as set out by provincial programs.
Other skills that have become increasingly in-demand in Georgian Bay’s competitive job market, according to skills training offered by Georgian College, include:
- The customer experience (CX)
- Diversity and inclusion
- Emotional intelligence
- Social media management.
The provincial government fully funds TRACKS Employment Services, which offers multiple programs and job preparation services, including one-on-one support from an experienced Employment Counsellor and free services for all jobseekers.