Upskilling, Reskilling & New-Skilling

As the pace of change continues to escalate, one of the hottest workplace training trends right now is upskilling, reskilling and new-skilling. But what do each of these concepts mean?

Upskilling involves enhancing an employee’s existing skills to help them advance in their current role or field. This can include learning new technologies, improving soft skills or gaining advanced knowledge in a specific area. The goal is to keep employees competitive and prepared for future challenges within their current career path.

Reskilling, on the other hand, involves training employees in new skills so they can transition to different roles within the organization. This is particularly useful when certain job roles become obsolete or when the company needs to pivot to new business areas.

New-skilling is an emerging concept that focuses on a continuous learning mindset, enabling organizations and employees to stay agile and adaptable in the face of evolving challenges. Unlike upskilling and reskilling, which are often targeted at specific skills or roles, new-skilling emphasizes a broader, ongoing approach to learning and development.

The Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Training at UW-Green Bay is committed to upskilling, reskill and new-skilling with a goal of providing practical, locally-focused education that responds to the specific career and workforce needs.

This post was written with research assistance from Microsoft Co-pilot and Indeed.