The New Normal – Retraining and Upskilling for a Flexible Future
Jun 24, 2022
“I had been working as an aesthetician in 2020, and then it shut down due to the pandemic. I freaked out, wondering, ‘what was I going to do? What skills did I have?’ It was a very scary time for the personal care industry,” said Solana Rehne.
Unfortunately for Rehne, this was not the first time she had to make a career change
due to forces beyond her control.
“I had already gone through the ‘great recession,’ and it was actually that experience that led me to pursue a new career as an aesthetician and makeup artist. Prior to that, I had been working in the entertainment industry after earning a bachelor’s degree in communications. But due to the economic downturn, I had retrained to focus on a career in skincare,” said Rehne.
Prior to the pandemic, Rehne had been taking art digital media and computer information systems (CIS) classes at DVC. She then added business management classes to better prepare for her next career move.
“I would like to focus on social media for small business where I can apply everything I’ve learned in communications, digital media, video editing and production into a career that will sustain me no matter what happens with the economy,” said Rehne.
Rehne feels that after getting through the recession, the foreclosure crisis, and the pandemic, workers need to prepare for a career that is both flexible and resilient.
“Everyone needs a backup plan, should the need arise. It is important to be able to have greater control over your income rather than being so reliant on an employer,” said Rehne.
Clifton Hardle agrees and has enjoyed adding to his skillset during the pandemic.
“I’ve always wanted to study industrial design. For me, in my mid-30’s, it’s like going back 15 years and learning all over again. It’s fun, and reminds me to keep learning and not get stagnant,” said Hardle, an industrial design student at DVC.
Hardle was fortunate that he has been able to work throughout the pandemic. But this was only possible because his job was one that could transition to a remote environment.
“Businesses are realizing you don’t need to be in the office five days a week to be productive. Employers are more flexible and open to letting you figure out what works for you,” said Hardle.
When an employee learns new skills, their employer benefits as well.
“At work, I’m pushing my teams to understand their customers and stakeholders and build rough and ready prototypes to get feedback so we can build more impactful solutions,” said Hardle.
What are workers looking for?
A 2021 Credit Karma survey showed that 50 percent of American workers reevaluated their job or career as a result of the pandemic. Among those workers who were currently employed, 41 percent indicated they were likely to leave their job within the next six months.
Many of these workers said they were looking for a job with higher pay, greater work-life balance, and better benefits. In addition,13 percent said they wanted to pursue higher education degrees or certificates, and 17 percent said they wanted to pursue a new field or area of interest.
A January 2022 report from Cengage indicates that among those who have resigned in the wake of the pandemic, nearly 78 percent have enrolled in online training courses or certificate programs. And 64 percent indicated they felt this type of training was “essential” for successfully obtaining a new job. The report also found that those who resign are primarily interested in roles that offer the ability to work remotely at least some of the time.
Given these reports, it’s no surprise that there has been an increase in the number of adults returning to school to retrain for a new career, or to upskill for future advancement.
“From what I’ve seen in my classes, folks are quitting or training for a new career
to get better pay or treatment,” said Mario Tejada Jr., computer information systems
(CIS) professor and CIS/business department chair at DVC San Ramon.
Harvard Business Review reports that resignation rates have been highest among mid-career workers in technology and healthcare industries.
Tejada Jr. has seen examples of this throughout the pandemic. “In CIS, I see adults coming back to school to update skills to apply for new jobs or transition to new opportunities.”
The pandemic was particularly difficult for workers in service industries. Younger workers often were asked to work longer shifts, deal with sudden changes due to temporary business closures, and more. As a result, many young workers resigned or chose to reduce their hours to return to school.
“They are trying to build some foundational technology skills that make them more competitive for future job hunting,” said Tejada Jr.
Fast facts
In 2022, Buffer conducted a survey of 2000 remote workers. Their study revealed:
- 97 percent would prefer to work remotely at least some of the time for the rest of their career.
- 73 percent say their pay has not been impacted by the switch to remote work.
- 72 percent said their employer plans to permanently allow some amount of remote work.
- 62 percent report they are more excited about their job since shifting to remote work.
A shift towards remote work
Many companies successfully transitioned their employees to a remote work environment. Due to reduced time spent commuting, these workers have found they have the time and flexibility to add college classes to their schedule.
And those who voluntarily left their job as part of the “great resignation” contributed to the growing number of students as well – often because they were interested in developing skills that could be easily applied in a remote setting.
Both businesses and employees have benefited from the shift towards remote work.
- Employers and workers have enjoyed greater work-life balance.
- By working from home, workers can save on gas and commute time, while also benefiting the environment.
- A survey of 10,000 employees conducted by the Becker Friedman Institute of Economics indicate that worker productivity was the same or higher since their employees started working from home due to the pandemic.
- Job seekers are proactively searching for opportunities that incorporate hybrid or remote work options.
Remote work is particularly attractive to parents and other caregivers juggling multiple responsibilities.
Romana Sinegal homeschools her kids and had been taking online business classes at DVC to help with her family’s business. When most of DVC’s classes transitioned to an online environment due to the pandemic, she realized she now had more course options to choose from.
“When the pandemic hit, I focused on classes that really interested me since they
were all online and readily available. I was hoping to gain new skills in art and
design that I could apply as my kids grow older. I’ve taken illustration, animation,
photography, CAD and industrial design classes,” said Sinegal.
Sinegal feels that DVC is a great place for adults to learn new technologies or pursue avenues of study they hadn’t previously considered.
“It’s made me think differently about my future as my kids grow, giving me more time to work on my passions. I plan to work mainly remotely as I need the flexibility for my family. The classes I’m taking now will help me establish a future side business and some other dream projects. I’d love to be a digital nomad,” said Sinegal.
Fully online programs at DVC
Some jobs lend themselves better to remote work than others – and this is where retraining and upskilling can make a difference. At DVC, students can enroll in a growing number of degree or certificate programs offered fully online. This can make it easier to incorporate education into a busy schedule that includes work and family obligations.
Options include:
- Administration of justice
- Art digital media
- Business
- Computer information systems:
- Computer networking technology
- Computer science
- Early childhood education
- Geography
- History
Program for Adult College Education (PACE) degree tracks:
- Administration of justice
- Business administration
- General education
- Psychology
- Social justice
- Sociology
Sources:
https://bfi.uchicago.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/BFI_WP_2021-56.pdf
https://buffer.com/state-of-remote-work/2022
www.creditkarma.com/about/commentary/pandemic-spurs-great-resignation-can-americans-afford-it
www.hbr.org/2021/09/who-is-driving-the-great-resignation
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