LACK of job security and a weak economy have motivated several young professionals to upskill to stay relevant.

Even if they did not lose their jobs during the pandemic, some of them felt it was necessary to prepare for what may come and put themselves in the best position to find a new job.

A 26-year-old engineer who wanted to be known as Nusrah said she picked up Mandarin as a third language, as well as some Japanese, while dabbling in business networking.

“Due to the uncertain wave of the economy and industrial needs. I upskilled to make my profile more diverse than just my current job,” said the Terengganu resident.

She spent RM2,000 on courses and networking, she added.

Nusrah said, even though she had not had her pay cut, her expenses had increased over the past 12 months and new skills would prepare her to make the switch to a job with a better salary.

Darren Arvid, 25, who works for Blankslate, a content and digital agency, said he had upskilled in project management and content production.

“By smoothening project processes and automating certain areas, I can oversee more projects, and still adhere to timelines and the quality promised. I can create newer, simpler proposals and briefing decks without missing out the information required,” said the Klang resident.

“I believe the more I can do and the better I can do it, the more valuable I become to my team and my company.

“By being more valuable, I will also be placing myself as an option for managerial roles or larger projects and even larger payslips,” he said.

According to Arvid, the pandemic has resulted in the cancellation some of his company’s projects, while greatly delaying the majority that are still active.

For classes, he subscribed to online programmes, such as Masterclass and The Future, to learn from experts in their fields.

In a year of economic upheaval, reskilling and upskilling are seen as necessary for workers to stay relevant in a post-pandemic world.

A survey by UOB Asean Consumer Sentiment found that nine in 10 Malaysian employees believe that they need to reskill or upskill, given the impact of Covid-19 on the global economy.

The study also found that 85% of Malaysian respondents believe companies would prefer hiring people able to perform multiple functions, while 83% think employers will reduce headcount by stepping up digitalisation.

Meanwhile, concerns around job security are felt most strongly by Generation Z, people between the ages of 18 and 23.

According to figures published by the Statistics Department, unemployment in Malaysia was 4.7% in October, or 748,200 without a job. In December, that figure was 4.8%, or an extra 25,000 people looking for work.

Another young professional in a junior executive position took up an IBM data science course through Coursera to enhance her ability to analyse data.

Nurul Afiah, 27, from Bangi, works in the information department at Telum Media in a role that requires her to assess databases, and she wanted to enhance her skills.

“I always loved analysing data back in university. I decided to take the course so that it can help my current job,” she said.

The Covid-19 pandemic has widened options for professional certificates, she added.

“I pay RM97 a month for my course and can take it at my own pace, I’m aiming to finish the course in one year.

“I have to take 10 courses before I can finally get an IBM professional certificate,” Nurul said. 

She also has a part-time job tutoring primary and secondary school students for extra income.

In Jonathan Anthony’s case, he learnt new skills and converted part of his business into a new venture to survive the pandemic.

The co-founder of events and marketing agency Venuescape turned part of his team into the healthcare division within water technology company H2GO Global. 

Jonathan said he is currently affiliated with H2GO Global within the healthcare solutions department as the head of compliance and sourcing, which deals with medical-grade examination gloves.

“My role is focused on the manufacturing, compliance and sales and distribution of these gloves worldwide.

“As someone with an entrepreneurial background, the spirit of not giving up was integral to staying afloat through this uncertain time,” said the 38-year-old.

To move from events and marketing into medical examination gloves, Anthony knew he had to be well-versed in the industry.

“A lot of reading and researching was involved to understand the certifications, compliance boards, leading key players and regulations of the industry within each country.

“Despite coming from an events and marketing background with experience managing various clients, I still had to learn methods of people management and communication with clients in a completely new setting.”

Ultimately, for Jonathan surviving is about being adaptable and staying sustainable in uncertain times.

“Essentially, I sought to ensure that my skills and knowledge were up to date with the needs of the hour,” he said. – March 23, 2021.