The importance of knowledge and learning has been recognised since the beginning of time. There was a period when only people who knew how to read held public performances. After that came the era of university education influencing the subjective quality of life. Then came the era of Masters degree, PhD and Foreign degrees. Now is the era of skills, especially the “skill set”, since technology keeps advancing on a daily basis. Technological advancement is a key driver of change in skill needs and economic growth today.

Literacy, the ability to read and write, has been in existence over the years. The term “literacy” has a long history. The first written communication dates back to 3500 B.C., when only a small number of people learned to read and write. In those days, people who knew how to read held public opinions, displaying their skills

Predominantly, literacy rates were higher in the American colonies than in Europe. Certain religious sects [a religious group that is a subset of a religious denomination], such as the Puritans, placed a high value on reading for spiritual edification, and colonial governments required citizens to pass a literacy test to vote. America's founding fathers felt that if all men could read, and the press was free [meaning newspapers and other periodicals were allowed to print what they wanted], America would remain free from tyranny. The ability to sign one's name and the importance of literacy grew as marks of status, and more of the early American population learned to use a signature, setting themselves apart from their less educated peers.

The Industrial Revolution brought more changes to the advancement of literacy. Paper production greatly reduced the cost of books, and literacy became a primary goal in U.S. public education. During this time, recreational reading became a popular activity in the United States and Europe, with literacy rates reaching 7 per cent in some parts of the United States in the 1920s.

More recently, the importance of literacy has shifted, focusing less on the fundamental acts of reading and writing and more on functional literacy.

Additionally, the demand for skills in the labour market is changing. Change here basically entails the race between technology and education, as labour markets adjust to automation.  In this new world, the ability of workers to compete is handicapped by the poor performance of the educational system in most developing countries.  Technological change and global competition demand the mastery of competencies and the acquisition of new skills for many.

Promoting Success In The Workplace

To promote success in today’s labour market, one needs to invest early; that’s investing in the relevant skills (skill set which would help you advance in your career), not just acquiring a degree, masters, PhD or a Foreign Certification. The Labor market is very competitive, so one needs to acquire a different “skill set” to support their career. This is because skill is one of the most critical aspects of every position in the workforce today. It is the ability to do something well. A well-developed skill can make an individual a master in a particular field. However, in order to meet up with technological trends and demands of the Workforce, you must endeavour to learn a skill. Before succeeding in the Labor market, one needs a university degree. Then came the era of masters, PhD and foreign degrees. That’s a thing of the past in this digital era because digitalisation has made everything easier.

“Marmot” opined that Education is an important Social determinant of health, and people with the lowest healthy life expectancy are three times more likely to have no qualifications compared with those with the highest life expectancy. 

The above assertion may not be 50 per cent accurate today because technological advancement and accessibility of different social media platforms have made acquiring education and knowledge less stressful (that’s equity in education and social inclusion of disadvantaged groups in skills development and learning).

Transformative changes such as globalisation, new forms of organising work, and advances in automation and artificial intelligence (AI) have important implications for the world of work, and it’s everyone’s business: Governments, employers and workers all have a stake in skills development. Governments need to adopt more relevant skills policies to develop the skills required by rapidly evolving labour markets. Education and training systems will also need to take advantage of new educational technologies and give greater attention to digital skills.

Furthermore, enterprises and employers will need to make new investments to expand their involvement in educating, training and reskilling workers to support economic growth. Workers, too, need to proactively upgrade their skills or acquire new ones through training, education and lifelong learning to remain employable. Through Adaptation and innovation too, one could remain in the world of work for ages.  Adaptation and innovation are important in getting suitable employment. Having the right mindset, being self-confident and open to new experiences would guarantee adaptation and innovation, which would lead to great achievement in the world of employment. Colleges of higher learning should thus; implement practices that will better equip learners in their ability to deliver leading-edge and in-demand knowledge.

Good education is linked to other skills that can help us in life. For example, education helps us to develop skills needed to build social connections or accessing opportunities for good employment, feel more empowered and have a sense of control of one’s life.

Technology and skill acquisition are an important part of almost every job today. No matter what industry you are in, your technology is developing rapidly. To advance in your career, you need to stay up to date on trends in technology

Staying current with technology helps individuals learn new skills about innovation in their careers and prevents old skills from becoming stale.

Many youngsters attend schools without acquiring basic literacy skills, leaving them unable to compete in the job market. The necessity of learning new skills is undeniable, as it enhances our ability to work and enables us to gather new experiences. It also gives one access to new and different chances.

Skill is one of the most critical aspects of an individual’s career. It is the ability to do something well. A well-developed skill can make us master a particular field. 

The 21st century’s Labor market is very competitive, and for you to survive, you don’t have to depend on your degrees alone. Therefore, you need a backup! That’s equipping yourself with what’s called a “skill set.” 

A skill set is a collection of skills and abilities. Every individual has a different skill set depending on their interest, personal qualities, natural abilities, and technical skills. Skills can expand your professional competency and allow you to perform your job well.

We have two types of skills that make up one's skill set: soft skills and hard skills ( Also known as technical skills).

Soft skills comprise interpersonal skills and other personality traits that allow you to communicate and work with others. Soft skills are also transferable, which means they are valuable for any job, no matter the industry.

Examples Of Helpful skills

The following are examples of soft skills;

• Decision making

• Leadership

• Motivation

 • Adaptability

• Communication

• Conflict resolution

• Creativity

• Teamwork

• Time management

Technical skills or hard skills are capabilities you use to perform a task related to a specific job. You can gain or improve these skills through training, tutorials and practice.

The following are examples of hard skills:

• Graphic design

• Information technology

• Mathematics

• Data analysis

• Event planning

• Foreign language fluency

• Accounting

• Copywriting

Technical skills show your potential employer that you have the necessary training or education for a particular role.

Importance Of Technology In The Workplace

The international Labor Organization (ILO) has for years been advising member States on skills development policies, and developing research and analysis in this area. An organisation cannot expect growth if it does not invest in Skills Development. Investing in skills development is beneficial to the organisation as much as it is to the employees. 

Equal opportunities should be provided for all to acquire new skills so as to meet up with technological trends in their career. Equal opportunities are also crucial for people with disability, women entrepreneurs, young women and women workers, particularly those who reside in rural areas.

The cliché which says “you cannot do things the same way and expect different results” Applies to everything in life. However, To see changes or a difference, one needs to do things differently.

The development of skills can contribute to structural transformation and economic growth by enhancing employability and labour productivity and helping countries to become more competitive. Employers in many developing countries report that the lack of skilled workers is one of the factors militating against their operations and affecting their capacity to innovate. Skills development always leads to competitive advantage. Henceforth, To be the best, you need to have something nobody else has. 

In Conclusion

The world is moving fast and rapidly changing. Employers need to make sure that their employees are skilled and are well equipped to deal with these rapid changes. Skills give you advancement.

Through learning new skills, you get creative with new ideas, and you can equally solve any difficult problem with your creative ideas. Education and skills development are truly the secret and instruments for reducing poverty and inequality, and they set the foundation for sustainable economic growth. Let’s start investing in them more.