Upskilling
Topic: Human Capital: Education, Health and Demographic Dividend · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Upskilling means training that improves a worker's existing skills so they can do their current job better. It is often needed when new technology changes how a job is done. Upskilling raises labour productivity, which means output per worker, and it keeps workers competitive as automation and AI change routine tasks. Employers also have a responsibility to invest in this kind of training for their workers.
Example
An accountant in a Pune firm takes a short course in new accounting software and AI-based tools. She stays in the same job, but now finishes her work faster and with fewer errors.
Don't confuse with
- Reskilling: reskilling trains a worker for a new or different role, usually because the old job is disappearing. Upskilling keeps the worker in the same role with better skills.
Related concepts
- Skill gap
- Skill mismatch
- Employability
- Vocational education
- Apprenticeship
- Reskilling
- Recognition of prior learning
- NEET
- Online learning