A study of 1,000 UK adults found four in 10 admitted the coronavirus outbreak has been a โwake-up callโ – leaving them to ponder their employment prospects.
With 28 per cent of those polled currently furloughed, a further 47 per cent of employed adults fear they could yet find themselves in the same boat.
While 42 per cent are concerned they wonโt have a position to go back to once the lockdown ends.
As a result, the study commissioned by PeopleCert found a quarter are attempting to upskill in the hope they will be indispensable or employable elsewhere.
36 per cent of those polled revealed their employer has offered them support in improving their existing skillsets.
The study also found more than a third of those polled have reconsidered their chosen career following the outbreak.
In fact, one in 10 are currently attempting to retrain for an entirely different job.
However 54 per cent fear they are too established in their current career to do something new.
But despite all the uncertainty at the moment, many are confident about their job prospects.
A fifth of those who have been furloughed revealed they feel optimistic about their career, with half using their time to learn something new with a view to boosting their existing skills.
The PeopleCert study carried out through OnePoll, found those polled have 10 core skills on average โ with problem solving, team working and organisation the most common.
However the skill they would most like to improve upon is public speaking, followed by computing and assertiveness.
Further to this, a separate study of 1,000 business owners by PeopleCert found six in 10 job applicants lack the skills employers are looking for.
And two thirds also said filling vacancies with workers who have the desired competencies is one of their biggest challenges โ even harder than retaining valued members of staff.
Thinking about upskilling yourself? Check out PA Life’s Online Courses!
Available via the PA Life website and specially curated by an expert team, there are more than 100 courses available to help develop your career โ and yourself.
And the list covers those areas highlighted by the Hays research as being lacking within some businesses, including:-
โข Communications Techniques for Managers
โข Conflict in the Workplace
โข Essential Skills for First-Time Managers
โข How to Manage Virtual Teams
โข Inspirational Leadership
โข Managing Teams
Other areas within the bundle of 100 courses include Human Resources,, Microsoft Office 365, Finance, Health & Safety, Event Management, Project Management, Social Media, Employment Law and more.
If bought individually, these courses would cost ยฃ890. But PA Life readers can buy the entire bundle of 100 courses for just ยฃ225, including VAT.
And if you join the PA Life Club โ www.palifeclub.co.uk โ as a VIP member, you can buy them for just ยฃ99! What are you waiting for?
Access to these courses will be yours for a whole year, with more choice being added all the time. The courses are constantly updated and refreshed with new information and training, so youโll always be ahead of the curve.
To view the full list of courses and to start learning, visit www.palife.co.uk/course-bundle.
