(OPINION) Is a surge in unemployment just around the corner? Automation and continuing economic uncertainty have a quarter of American workers feeling the pressure at their place of work – and worrying that their jobs may disappear this year.
The new survey of 2,000 employed adults examined how workers see themselves in their current roles. It found that many believe they’ll receive a pink slip sooner rather than later.
Their concerns stem from distress about the job market (25%) and knowing they work in an unstable business or industry (22%).
Respondents also face challenges keeping up with their professions: 32 percent are worried they’re falling behind or lack the skills they need to succeed.
This may be because 55 percent of all respondents feel like they’ve been doing the same job for years, and a similar percentage (54%) admitted that their skill set feels outdated.
Conducted by OnePoll for CSU Global, the survey also found that many workers think it’s time for a refresh. A majority of employed Americans in the survey said they graduated from school in the 2000s or earlier (64%).
Nine in 10 believe it’s important to prioritize learning new skills as a professional to advance your career, and 74 percent are interested in making themselves more valuable to their employers.
A majority of those surveyed (78%) are interested in upskilling at their current job. For some, getting a certificate of completion from a class (35%) would teach them the skills they’re looking for, while one in four would be interested in getting a degree or a second degree.
What are Americans looking to learn? According to respondents, the skills needed to be a successful professional differ from those just five years ago (54%).
Above other kinds of credentials, those surveyed said that a degree is still most valuable for someone entering the workforce (37%) followed by a professional license (35%) or certificate (34%).
The most valuable skills they’d be interested in exploring at this point in their careers are leadership traits (18%), management or planning (14%), and understanding how to utilize artificial intelligence (14%).
