Five reasons why you need to improve your digital knowledge and skills
In an increasingly tech-driven world, developing your digital knowledge and skills is one of the most powerful contemporary career changes you can make.
Humanity is experiencing immense exponential growth: one of the most effective ways to cope with this progression is to enrich your digital knowledge and hone your digital skills.
What are digital skills?
Broadly speaking, digital skills are the tools and knowledge needed to effectively use technology and digital devices. This means having the ability to communicate on digital devices, access networks, solve problems and conduct research securely.
However, these skills are not only about platforms and programs. You must also develop an understanding of photo-visual language and how to process socio-emotional information. In other words, you can’t just use the technology; you must also cultivate an awareness of the ethical and human side of digital applications and their impact on the business environment.
Essentially, these are abilities that employers and employees should aspire to. There are also more specific digital skills that are oriented towards specialized functions: these are called critical digital skills. For example, critical digital skills are required in the areas of e-commerce, content creation, information security and digital marketing.
Be proactive instead of reactive
The Covid-19 pandemic, forcing us to go home and work remotely for two years, has prompted us to consider new strategies. One such strategy is to be proactive instead of reactive. Instead of trying to catch up and adapt to new trends and developments, it’s smarter to anticipate those changes and work proactively to anticipate and adapt to them before they happen again.
Digital forecasting gives businesses and individuals the competitive edge they need to keep up with the rapid changes of the digital age. Wits Business School’s short courses in Digital Business and Transformation aim for exactly that: to prepare you for digital transformation.
Why a Short Course in Digital Commerce is Ideal for a Working Professional
Short courses are dynamic in nature, especially those in executive education, which revolve around the flexibility of professional students. The focus shifts from assessments and studies to a more hands-on hands-on experience where students are empowered through applied learning systems, research, and tools that enhance their day-to-day activities in their respective workplaces.
With a rapidly changing business environment, short courses allow professionals to stay up-to-date while integrating new learnings into their practices in real time. Research shows that 54% of all employees will need to undergo a serious retraining to ensure they are equipped for the digital age. This is particularly relevant for technical skills such as app development, social media metrics, and programming. Given the speed at which technology is influencing our way of life and, essentially, the running of our businesses, a set of digital skills becomes crucial.
Likewise, consumers are doing more business online. Digital skills are essential to drive growth, increase revenue, market brands and improve performance.
Five reasons why you should improve your digital skills
- It can take your career to new heights
By being proactive and taking charge, you become a leader in your career and in the digital sphere. Show employers that you can adapt to new situations and lead entire teams of people to become more digitally competent and skilled. Digital is the future.
- It develops solution-oriented problem-solving skills
Digital systems use data to determine results and evaluate information. This means that the chances of human error are reduced when employees know how to use digital systems appropriately.
- It keeps you relevant
The digital divide refers to the disparity between those able to use and benefit from digital technology and those who cannot. Staying relevant in the digital age means being able to learn and, most importantly, apply new programs and techniques. In competitive work environments, staying relevant means ensuring that you remain a valuable asset to your business.
- It gives you an edge over your competition
Some of the most in-demand emerging jobs in 2020 include: artificial intelligence specialist, robotics engineer, data scientist, data engineer, cybersecurity specialist and back-end developer. These jobs are growing at 74% annually and are valuable avenues to pursue.
A set of digital skills helps you find precise and logical solutions to problems; it goes hand in hand with communication. Principles such as search engine optimization (SEO), UX/UI design, digital strategy, and digital marketing all require effective communication. Whether exchanges take place between consumers and companies or internally between employees, communication is improved.
It also leads to increased productivity: not only due to increased effective communication, but also because technology delivers results faster and more accurately than humans. For example, Google can deliver billions of results in seconds. That kind of efficiency would take humans ages.
- It makes you adaptable
Because the digital world is constantly changing, this means that you must regularly adapt your approach, your strategy and your skills. This benefits you individually as well as your organization as a whole. It shows that you can keep up with trends, pick up new skills quickly, and make a meaningful contribution to any establishment you work for.
Conclusion
All in all, improving your digital knowledge is an incredibly smart career move. Wits Business School short courses offer you the advantage of becoming an adaptable, creative, relevant and solution-oriented leader.
