My Skills, My Future

Question:

I’m thinking about changing careers. I could do a short-term training, but I don’t have time to go back to school for a degree. What else can I do with the skills I have?

Answer:

The good news is that you have many transferable skills. All adults do. You may have many skills you’ve never thought of as skills, or given yourself credit for.

Here’s a resource that can help you build on your current skills: www.myskillsmyfuture.org.

You can plug in a job title you’ve held before, and My Skills My Future will bring back a long list of other jobs that use those same skills. Some will be the jobs you expect, but there will be others that would never occur to you.

The website will also tell you how the skills from the current job match up with those required by the potential job, and the areas where you’ll probably need some training. It will tell you if it has a “Bright Outlook,” if projections show many openings in that field in the coming years. Approximate pay levels are listed, including local information if you include your zip code. Typical job responsibilities, tools and technology used, and companies that hire that job title can be found there as well. You can also find places to get whatever training you may need.

My Skills My Future will inspire you to think outside your career box. You’ll make a better, more informed decision with the information you find there. Check it out!