Let’s take a look at why upskilling is so important for the public sector, what tech skills their technologists need most, and how to get started.
What is upskilling?
In the public sector industry, upskilling refers to helping employees develop the skills they need to keep up with changing technologies, government policies, and cybersecurity initiatives. Upskilling enables agencies to accelerate digital transformation, maintain compliance, and improve retention.
This makes upskilling worth the investment, despite the challenges associated with it in the public sector. In fact, our 2023 State of Upskilling report found that 81% of tech managers continue to prioritize tech skill development for their teams, even in times of economic uncertainty.
Upskilling versus reskilling
While upskilling focuses on helping employees develop skills for their current role, reskilling focuses on helping employees gain skills needed for a new role, whether that’s a promotion or lateral transition.
What are the benefits of upskilling the public sector workforce?
Upskilling the public sector workforce can help solve some of the industry’s most pressing challenges. These benefits make tech skill development an essential part of any agency’s strategy.
Attract new talent
It’s often difficult for the public sector to compete with private organizations’ salaries, benefits, and flexible working arrangements. According to a MissionSquare Research Institute survey, 52% of public sector employees are considering changing jobs because they want a higher salary or a better benefits package.
Tech skill development is one way to gain an edge in a competitive labor market. 44% of technologists say they upskill to grow their skill set for personal development. Employees want to work where they can develop their skills.
Fill critical skills gaps
Our 2022 State of Cloud report found that only 8% of technologists have extensive experience working with cloud-related tools. As agencies shift to cloud services, the public sector workforce needs the right skills to navigate this transition and take full advantage of the new technology.
If you’re unable to hire technologists with the skills you need to facilitate and maintain cloud adoption, you can use upskilling and reskilling to develop the talent you need to fill cloud (or other) skills gaps.
