At the Deep Tech Skills Days in Warsaw last November, we spoke to Dr. Lyubomyr Matsekh-Ukrayinskyy, Sustainability Practice Lead, at ELEKS, Pledger of the Initiative and one of the Deep Tech Skills Days sponsors, about future challenges in the upskilling arena and the benefits of joining the EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative.
The Mindset Challenge – Lifelong Learning
As the demand for deep tech skills continues to grow, the need for effective upskilling strategies becomes more pressing than ever. When asked about the future challenges in talent upskilling, Lyubomyr identifies mindset as a major obstacle. He explains:
“We talk a lot about lifelong learning, but very few people are actually doing it in the sense of reskilling and upskilling.”
Despite widespread discussions about continuous learning, he observes that many professionals, at a certain point in their career are potentially less inclined to invest in their education, because it is time-consuming, expensive, takes a lot of effort and adds more work.
“They fall into the trap of staying in the same job without expanding their opportunities. A mindset shift is essential to break this cycle.”
To address this issue, he suggests that the EU, EIT, and initiatives like the EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative should take a more proactive approach in promoting upskilling. He believes stronger marketing efforts are needed to emphasize the long-term consequences of neglecting continuous education and to reinforce the message that staying teachable is crucial for career growth.
Adapting Upskilling to Experienced Professionals
Another key challenge Lyubomyr highlights is that existing upskilling opportunities often fail to meet the needs of experienced professionals. While workshops and online courses are available, he points out that many are not designed to engage individuals with significant prior knowledge. What is missing, he argues, is a user-centered approach in education for upskilling and reskilling
He believes that universities play a crucial role in addressing these challenges. By serving as hubs for lifelong learning, collaborating with local economies, and leveraging funding opportunities such as those provided by the EIT Community and the EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative, universities can develop impactful training programs for diverse learners. Additionally, partnerships with organizations specializing in supporting vulnerable groups can further enhance the effectiveness of these programs.
Practical Steps for Individuals and Organizations
For individuals looking to upskill and stay relevant in the evolving job market, Lyubomyr recommends participating in interactive learning experiences such as hackathons and workshops that combine education, psychology, entrepreneurship, and business modeling. These formats provide valuable skills and insights while keeping learners engaged.
For organizations, he emphasizes the need to listen to learners to understand psychological barriers such as self-doubt and fear of failure. He suggests working with education scientists to ensure that learning experiences are designed for maximum engagement and fully support professional growth.
And connecting and collaborating with other organizations is considered key. “ELEKS is part of the community for a few months, and while there are a lot of valuable resources out there, it takes time to navigate. So far, we’ve focused on networking and direct engagement. The Deep Tech Skills Days 2024 conference was particularly useful as it gave us the opportunity to connect with like-minded people, and there is still more to discover.”
Partners
