Lockdown Learning: why now is the perfect time to gain new skills

It goes without saying that the past year has been tough on all of us. But despite all the chaos that Covid-19 has brought to the world, recruiters are still continuing to scour CVs and cover letters in search of the perfect candidate.

If you’re considering a career change in 2021, it’s well worth assessing your current skill set to see if there are any other avenues to explore and give your CV that extra something to help you stand out. And one really positive thing that’s come out of this “new normal” is the ability to work – and learn – from home. Gone are the days when learning new skills meant committing yourself to a night class after work every week; with online learning you can now soak up all that extra knowledge in the comfort of your own home, on a schedule that works for you.

There’s a huge range of resources available to help you broaden your horizons, from lunchtime TED Talks to YouTube videos. But when it comes to really impressing potential bosses, nothing beats courses and qualifications that show you know your stuff. Let’s take a look at some of the skills that recruiters are most likely to be looking out for in 2021.

IT Skills

Computer literacy has long been considered an essential skill when it comes to the workplace, but never more so than it is today. With so many of us being expected to work remotely, employers need peace of mind that the people in their team are able to get on with their work with minimal supervision, whilst keeping customer information safe and secure.

Brushing up your IT skills and gaining a certificate demonstrates to recruiters that you’re up to date with the most commonly used business software and that you understand how to look after their valuable data.

Social Media

Pretty much everyone is on social media these days, and that goes for businesses too. Being able to contribute to an organisation’s online presence can be invaluable, representing significant time saving as well as enabling them to reach new customers. There are some great YouTube tutorials to help you boost your knowledge and give you another skill to add to your CV.

GDPR

Being stuck at home is frustrating and isolating, but it’s also a great opportunity to learn a new skill.  From basket weaving to watercolours, languages to music-making, there’s a wealth of information out there for you to make use of.

Here at BMH Training, we offer an extensive selection of learning programmes for adults, from essential life skills to Health and Safety – and much more! Our CPD courses will be of particular interest to recruiters and give your application a real impact – see for yourself!