Online Learning – A Boon To Working Executives/Professionals

With the advent of technology through Digitalization, Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence, there will be a requirement for upskilling or reskilling the current knowledge of working professionals over the next decade to be able to maintain sustainability and advancement in their careers.

Covid 19 Pandemic with successive lockdowns and several restrictions on “covid appropriate behaviour” taught us many lessons, including the usage of online learning right from the Primary School level to higher education. Such a new and unanticipated experience in the field of education has opened doors for several Universities/Colleges opting for a new platform of “Online Education” right up to the post-graduation level.

This article largely deals with the benefits of online learning/education for working Professionals/Executives to enhance their skills without interruption to their normal working hours, with minimum possible expenditure. 

Significance of Upskilling for working Executives/Professionals

To sustain a competitive business, every organization/company is required to change the way they operate by finding new talent or filling the gap by upskilling the existing workforce.  At the same, the existing Executives/Professionals also will be keen to swap over to the emerging advanced technology for the furtherance of their careers or to maintain their current position efficiently and effectively.

Further, upskilling is also important as the job roles and their requirements keep changing rapidly with the advancement of technology. To keep pace with the competitive business environment, the Company prefers to fill the skill gaps by the current employees, as and when they upgrade their qualifications/training compatible with the additional requirements/responsibilities. 

In such an event, no need arises for the Company to recruit afresh from the market and increases the retention of the employees, thus boosting the morale of the employees. Compared to offline/traditional classes, E-learning provides savings in terms of Low-cost Tuition fees, zero Lodging and boarding charges, and/or Transportation charges.

Hence, upskilling through online learning not only saves money but also time for the individuals and for the Company by avoiding induction training for the new recruits before they are deployed for productive jobs. Companies also can provide an amiable environment for employees who feel loyal to the Company and work with renewed enthusiasm and zeal, which is paramount for achieving a higher level of production.

Further, reskilling enables the working Executives/Professionals to shift to a new company or play a different role in the same company after acquiring an additional Degree/Diploma/Certificate through online education.

It is reiterated that online education provides an opportunity for working Executives who are looking for greener pastures in their own Companies to hold a higher position in the hierarchy or to change their roles for the betterment of their careers in the future either in the same company or elsewhere.

Contrasts between Upskilling and reskilling

The following table depicts the major differences between Upskilling and Reskilling:

UPSKILLING

RESKILLING

Needs additional skills to the current employees requiring them to go to the Institute to acquire a different Certificate or Degree to suit the current requirement of the company

Needs replacement of the outdated skills of the current employees with different or updated skills to meet the growing changes in the market from time to time.

A software Development Company sends the current employees to an Institute to provide coaching/training on a different software/language.

A Company sends the current employee in the field of construction and manufacturing to a Software Institute to learn and become a Software Developer.

In peculiar circumstances, an employee himself can opt for pursuing an additional/updated degree/Certificate Course commensurate with the requirements of the job for holding a higher position in the same company or maybe when looking for better prospects elsewhere.

In certain circumstances, the employee himself opts for pursuing a different Degree/Diploma/Certificate course to change his/her role from the current to a new one for better prospects, finding that his/her existing role is likely to become redundant.

Selection of the right online Programme/course

The first step in the selection process of a right online Programme is to determine the goal or objective of the candidate by understanding the actual requirement to upskill or reskill himself/herself keeping in mind his/her prospects in the existing job profile.  Whether the online Degree/Diploma/Certificate Course is useful to climb the ladder in the company? 

The next step is to understand the design and content of the online program. Whether the content, duration, and course fee are compatible with the requirements of the candidate. Whether the Company values online and offline Programme equally?

It is to be remembered that the traditional “just in case” learning has now been changed to “just in time” learning. “Just-in-time learning” depends on the time and financial resources available to the candidate and his/her requirements to upskill and grab the immediate opportunity to reach the next higher level on the ladder.  “Just in case learning” encompasses the study of a degree or diploma that helps the candidate look for opportunities elsewhere in a different job role.  “A just-in-time “example could be learning coding boot camps, web design, cyber security, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and so on and forth, which are highly valuable topics of the day.  A “just-in-case” example could be pursuing a traditional degree/diploma in Data Analysis, Accounting, Management etc.

In the next step, aspiring candidates need to assess the online Programme/course with respect to its utilization of a top-notch technology platform to deliver the intended content the candidate is looking for. The candidate also needs to find out the approvals/recognition of the Online program being taken up and the modules/design of the Course/program.

To gauge an insight into the content delivery of the Programme, candidates need to explore demo videos of different Universities/Colleges/Institutes to experience if the Programme is adaptable, intuitive, communicative, and appealing to fulfil the desires, and goals of the Candidate.

In the last step, the candidate needs to evaluate his/her options on the online educational Portals or universities/colleges/Institutions that offer a combination of all the above factors.

Top Online Programmes offered in India for working Techies/Professionals/Executives

Following are the top trending online programs in 2023 offered in India to enhance the capabilities and to broaden the employees’ prospects within the company.

  1. Data Science and Machine Learning
  2. Cloud Computing
  3. Full Stack Development
  4. Block Chain Technology Management
  5. Big Data
  6. Cybersecurity
  7. Digital Marketing
  8. Master of Business Management/PGD in Management
  9. Global Integrated Supply Chain Management
  10. Global Certificate in Effective Leadership and Management
  11. Product Management Certificate Programme
  12. PG Diploma in Full Stack Management

All the above online Programmes (PG/PG Diploma/Certificate) are offered by many Universities/Institutes in India.  Following is the list of  such  top Universities/Colleges in India:

  1. Amity Business School, Bengaluru
  2. SRM University, Chennai
  3. Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai
  4. NMIMS, Mumbai
  5. Jain University, Bengaluru
  6. Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh
  7. Alagappa University, Tamil Nadu
  8. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore
  9. DY Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune

Conclusion

Online learning is the right platform and gateway for working Executives and Professionals to upskill smartly without hampering their current job.

Working Executives/Professionals have a wide choice of selecting the right online Programme befitting to their current job profile.  There are top Universities/Institutes that are offering online education and it is the primary task of the individual to exercise due diligence while selecting the Programme and University/Institute for pursuing an online Programme commensurate with their job profiles.

Unlike for students under 17, there are no pitfalls anticipated for working Executives/Professionals in the E-learning process, as they are already expected to be computer-savvy.

Finally, to succeed professionally, one needs to enrol in a reputed institute for a well-known program/certificate which enables the prospective candidates to enhance their chances of securing a higher position in the same company in the same role or in a different role.

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