Ever wondered why some employees earn more than others? One of the factors that can influence this is their level of expertise or experience in the job, or the skills which they possess. It is not about who is older, but who has the required and relevant skill set to keep the organization running. This set of employees is often considered valuable assets to any company they are working for/with. As you admire and wish to be like them, continue reading this article to find out how to upskill yourself while working full-time in 2025.
Having a 9-5 job is not a problem, nor is it a hindrance to your upskilling. If you find it difficult to do so, then it is entirely a problem of time management, lack of self-discipline, and possibly focus. No matter how long you have worked for a company, if the need arises for them to lay off some employees, they would look for those who aren’t performing well in their roles—even if you have worked for more than 10 years there. That is why it is important to upskill; not just for the company, the salary increase, but for the fulfillment that comes with reaching new heights and conquering more grounds.
Ready to learn how to upskill yourself while working full-time in 2025? Let’s delve deeper, shall we?
What is Upskilling?
Upskilling, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is the act of equipping individuals, particularly employees, with enhanced skills through further learning and training. It is simply the process of learning new skills to enhance your current role. Oftentimes, people mistake training for upskilling but here’s the real difference, while training provides the groundwork, upskilling builds on that foundation to drive personal and professional growth.
Benefits of Upskilling
Although we have mentioned some of the benefits of upskilling in the introduction, we still want to buttress on the other awesome benefits that come with upskilling. Here are ten (10) of them.
- Rapid promotion: Upskilling accelerates your path to higher-level positions.
- Increased salary/remuneration: New skills directly translate to higher earning potential.
- Improved job satisfaction: Mastering new abilities enhances your sense of accomplishment.
- Increased self-esteem: Skill development boosts your confidence and belief in your abilities.
- Increased demand in the job market: Upskilling makes you a more attractive candidate to employers.
- Upskilling makes an invaluable asset to the company/organization: Your enhanced skills directly benefit your employer’s success.
- Brings respect from fellow employees: Demonstrating a commitment to growth earns you professional admiration.
- Upskilling establishes you as a thought leader in your field of expertise: Advanced skills position you as an authority.
- Helps widen your horizon, meet new people and places: Upskilling opens doors to diverse professional opportunities.
- Upskilling brings fresh perspectives to your life: Continuous learning enriches your personal and professional outlook.
Key Areas to Upskill Yourself While Working Full-time
One thing with upskilling while working is that you don’t have to do it because you see others doing it—you have to be focused on your own journey. Before getting started, ask yourself this question, which area of my professional life do I want to really upskill in? This question will give insight into what is really important to you at that point of upskilling. Here are three (3) areas to upskill yourself while working.
1. Areas Where You are Lagging
Take a moment to assess your professional skills and pinpoint areas for growth. Maybe you’re a new grad needing to boost your typing speed, or perhaps you struggle with public speaking. Don’t wait for issues to be raised; take initiative. Invest in typing lessons or public speaking classes to enhance your capabilities and future prospects.
2. Areas Where the Organization is Lagging
Another key area to upskill yourself while working is to find out the lapses in the organisation and see what you can do to bridge that gap. It can be as small as graphic design, or video editing. While they are looking to hire graphic designers or video editors you can upskill and fill in the gap. However this can be a bigger workload but then if its something that is close to your line of work, why not go ahead?
3. The Current In-Demand Skills in the Job Market
Find out the top in-demand skills in the job market for your industry and learn ways to improve yourself and your earning potential, especially if you want to tranisiton to a new organisation or company. Look at the job descriptions of the roles you aspire to apply for and see how you can learn them.
How to Upskill Yourself While Working Full-time
Upskilling yourself while working is not as easy as we see it however with determination and resilience you can pull through. Here are the top 10 ways to Upskill yourself while working
1. Have a Clear Goal
As we have mentioned earlier, upskilling yourself while working is not a walk in the park; as such setting a clear goal is paramount. For example, aiming to learn web design in two weeks while working full-time is not feasible and risks burnout.
2. Set a Realistic Plan
A goal is different from a plan. A plan is the strategic steps you wish to take to achieve your desired goal. That is why having a clear goal is paramount, because if the goal is faulty, you will have a hard time trying to meet up with the plans (vice versa). Let’s say you have a goal to learn web development in 6 months. A realistic plan then will involve you taking online or physical classes, as the case may be, perhaps on weekends, because that is when you will be very free as a 9-to-5 worker. This is a realistic plan, not trying to learn web development during the workday/time, which could cause you to lose your job.
3. Find Time to Practise Regularly
As the saying goes, practice makes perfect—it really does especially when you are learning something new. So find time to practice what you are learning, don’t just learn and learn without practicing.
4. How to Upskill Yourself While Working Full-time in 2025: Communicate With Your Employer
This requires careful consideration. Prior to pursuing upskilling, assess your boss/manager’s openness to change. When upskilling in areas that directly benefit the organization, communicate your intentions to your employer. Depending on your manager’s disposition, they may offer sponsorship or adjust your work schedule. However, always gauge your boss’ personality before initiating such discussions.
5. Track Your Progress
While you upskill yourself, remember to measure and track your progress. Tracking your progress allows you to see if you are meeting your goals or if you are falling behind. If you are falling behind, you will know what to do to hasten your progress.
6. Have a Mentor/Coach
Having a mentor or coach in your upskilling area is beneficial. They can help you when you are having a hard time understanding certain concepts and information. Find someone who can guide you and make your journey easier by recommending books or courses.
7. Showcase Acquired Skills
As you learn, showcase the acquired skills, and show people what you can do. This is beyond practicing by yourself, here, you go on to volunteer when the need arises. Ultimately, this is about building your reputation and showcasing your skills to a wider audience..
8. Take New Responsibilities
Embrace new challenges by pursuing difficult roles and responsibilities. Consider freelance work or part-time jobs, as these opportunities can help reinforce what you’ve learned so far. Additionally, don’t shy away from criticism; instead, view it as an opportunity for growth.
9. How to Upskill Yourself While Working Full-time in 2025: Join Professional Organizations
Surround yourself with people who share your skills. Joining professional organizations will motivate you to find inspiration and continue growing as you network with like-minded professionals.
10. Attend Webinars and Network Properly
Make an effort to engage with others regularly. This step is crucial for those looking to upskill and join a larger organization or company. While attending webinars and in-person events, be sure to network effectively and see how those connections benefit you.
5 Challenges to Upskilling Yourself While Working Full-time
Upskilling while working full-time can be challenging, here are some of the commonly faced challenges:
1. Time Management and Prioritization: Balancing work responsibilities with learning new skills can be difficult, requiring efficient time management and prioritization to avoid burnout or neglecting either work or learning.
2. Finding Relevant Resources: The right courses, training programs, and learning materials may be difficult to find, requiring research and careful selection. (Recommended: Here’s how to find the best digital course for yourself.)
3. Maintaining Focus and Motivation: Distractions at work, lack of support from colleagues or management, and feeling overwhelmed can hinder learning and motivation.
4. Cost and Accessibility: Upskilling can involve financial costs for courses and materials, and access to resources may be limited depending on location and company policies.
5. Lack of Company Support: Some companies may not prioritize or support employee upskilling, leading to a lack of resources, time, or encouragement.
Top Key Technique to Upskilling
Virtual/E-learning
Nowadays you don’t have to be physically present in a class before you gain knowledge, anywhere you are, you can learn. This is one of the good strategies to upskilling—enrolling in online or virtual classes. Several virtual course platforms are available online, including:
- Udemy
- LinkedIn Learning
- Skillshare
- Simplilearn
- Alson
- Open learning from MIT
- Khan Academy
- Coursera
- HubSpot Academy
Conclusion on How to Upskill Yourself While Working Full-time in 2025
In conclusion, upskilling yourself while working full-time in 2025 is a brilliant strategy for career growth and advancement–it provides room for enhancement. From finding the areas where there are lapses in your professional life to the in-demand skills in the job market, you can identify the important skills to learn and improve on. Also, we mentioned how to upskill yourself while working full-time; set a clear goal, have a realistic plan, practice as you learn, etc. We are confident that these strategies provide the necessary information to facilitate your upskilling and foster a successful career trajectory.
If you need further assistance regarding your career; CV writing, SOP, LinkedIn Optimization, etc, feel free to contact us and we will be willing to help you achieve your dream of landing a job. Good luck!
