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WHAT “UPSKILLING” MEANS FOR THE FUTURE OF WORK
A RESEARCH STUDY LED BY BARATH ROY MICHEL, SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER, HUMBER OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION, SHEDS LIGHT ON SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
WHAT DOES “UPSKILLING” MEAN FOR the future of work? Many experts believe upskilling is essential, but most people don’t know where to start. As the world slowly emerges from the pandemic, the topic of skills development has become increasingly urgent for the workforce.
To shed light on this timely subject, Barath Roy Michel, Senior Project Manager, Humber Office of Research & Innovation, collaborated with his colleagues to conduct a study on skills gap. In 2022, the results of the research study A Study on Skills Gap: Beyond COVID were published in the Special Issue of the Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Innovation (JIPE).
Since its publication, the research study has been picked up by BBC Worklife, featuring quotes from Barath and insights from McKinsey and LinkedIn experts. Barath notes that upskilling can look different for everyone. He states, “Take a step back and see what’s happening in the wider industry and see how you can get yourself ahead of the curve.” You can read the BBC article for more great insights.
We approached Barath for a few follow-up questions about the research study.
Firstly, why did you choose this research topic?
Barath: My main interest in skill development and its linkage to economic growth.
What next? What is the perceived impact on this research study?
Barath: I want to do an in-depth analysis between the courses offered at Humber College and the associated skill development. The long-term impact with continuous support would result in students being able to pick different courses irrespective of programs and get accredited by the respective educational institution.
About
Barath Roy Michel holds a Masters of Social Work (MSW) with a specialization in Human Resources. He worked as an HR Business Partner in TVS ASL, with an opportunity to dive into multi-million dollar client projects located in the Middle East. His key deliverables were related to recruitment, training, quality improvement, HR budgeting, performance metrics, data maps, agile implementation, and data analysis. Barath is an emerging researcher with an interest in skills development.
