You’ve probably come across the term skills-based learning before. Usually, it’s mentioned alongside the traditional theory-based approach, followed by a heated debate about which of the two is superior.
In early 2020, President Trump reformed a federal hiring requirement that mandated job seekers possess higher-education degrees to secure government jobs. In doing so, he reinforced the benefits of the skills-based hiring format and best practices already adopted by many private sector businesses to promote equity and inclusion.
Skills-based learning is undeniably proving to be worth its weight. And if there is one industry in which its impact is felt, it’s the tech industry. If you’re still skeptical about jumping into the skills-based bandwagon, below are a few ways you can launch your technology career with skills-based technology learning.
Organizations Are Looking for Skill
The gap between current education and the growing call for new-century skills continues to widen. And traditional classrooms are rapidly becoming unable to fill this gap. This is because they facilitate teaching at a micro-scale, which has no place in the macro world in which we are living, since students of such systems are the majority, and countless job opportunities are left unfilled.
Through skills-based learning, you’ll break out of the traditional classroom model and attain a competency level that can lead to an entry-level position from which your career can flourish. You’ll have the opportunity to interact with individuals already in the field, and rather reinvent the wheel, and you can take advantage of the skills they already honed and perhaps get a head start in the field. The skills-based model will help you create a network of people who can greatly boost your career.
You Learn How to Learn
Perhaps the most valuable thing about skills-based technology learning approaches is that it teaches an individual how to learn. Simply put, you’ll gain practical knowledge in conducting research, filtering out relevant data, and absorbing information in a more meaningful and productive way.
In the developers’ world, where contexts are constantly evolving and changing, these skills are priceless. With this knowledge at hand, you’ll have the ability to quickly adjust to changes in structures within an organization and adapt to new technologies as they come.
Skills-Based Learning is Apprenticeship Oriented
Often you’ll find yourself associating apprenticeship with careers in the trades, like blacksmithing or woodwork. This isn’t the case anymore. Apprentices today have a wider array of opportunities, especially in the tech industry.
Apprenticeships have been proven to be significantly more effective at creating a work-competent individual. By learning on the job, you’ll gain business knowledge and real-world application technical skills. In turn, you come out more well-rounded, hands-on, and innovative. And future employers can’t help but gravitate towards this.
You Don’t Need a Four-Year Degree to Start Your Degree in Technology
The next generation of employers isn’t necessarily looking for a degree for entry-level IT positions.
An apprenticeship can help to accelerate your career with a more focused, hands-on learning method while providing a foundation of knowledge and work experience. And, partnerships with national universities can allow for the clear articulation of credits and recognition of learning so as you progress through your apprenticeship tracks, you’ll gain access to higher education opportunities, increasing your competitive market value.
Learn more about how a Woz Registered Apprenticeship can jumpstart your career in technology. Feel free to explore our nationally-recognized apprenticeship program, whereby apprentices learn while earning a salary, and pursuing a four-year degree.
So, what are you waiting for? Launch your technology career with skills-based training today!
