Today, we are witnessing and participating in a major shift that was already signaled in 2017 by the McKinsey Global Institute, which discussed the results of a survey of 800 occupations in 46 countries. At that time, it was predicted that by 2030, up to 800 million workers around the world would have to change their responsibilities and perhaps even their profession, mainly due to increasing automation and digital development.

In a labor market that is facing a shortage of workers with the right skills, a new way to get them is through skillfully implemented reskilling or upskilling, which is the process by which an employee can rebrand himself and take on a completely new position that requires different skills than his current position. This is followed and continued by upskilling, which is the upgrading of skills^[1].

Professor Jacek Męcina of the Lewiatan Confederation in an interview with the Newseria news agency stressed that the process of improving or changing qualifications will be a permanent challenge in the future. – Those who are on the job market today must get used to the fact that the state will help their companies with massive training – the professor said^[2].

There are also economic factors that support such training and investment. Traditional recruiting, interviewing, and skills testing are time-consuming and, of course, capital-intensive processes. They also offer no guarantee that we have made the right choice, or that the chosen candidate will not change his or her mind.

Meanwhile, by focusing on reskilling, supporting the acquisition of new skills, and upskilling, we are unlocking the potential of our own teams in the first place. H.G. Wells wrote that “the history of mankind is increasingly becoming a race between education and disaster,” and of course today we are not just talking about schooling. There is no doubt that practical skills and experience gained during “on-the-job training” are becoming more important than formal education, and today this definitely allows us to expand the talent pool available on the market.

There is much to fight for. According to the latest According to the Occupation Barometer, 29 occupations have been identified as being in short supply. In 2024, two occupations that were in the balanced group a year ago will be added to the pool. The shortages include accountants in independent positions, welders, carpenters, and roofers. Machine Tool Operators and Drivers^[3].

The outlook for 2024 is an ongoing topic that we will systematically return to. In upcoming articles we will write about nearshoring or friendshoring, AI in industry, and the opportunities and threats of robotization and automation. We will also look at the economic consequences of war and the industrial strategy of the defense sector in the EU and its possible impact on Poland.

^[1] https://rynekpracy.pl/artykuly/czym-sa-reskilling-i-upskilling

^[2] https://biznes.newseria.pl/news/wplyw-robotyzacji-na,p1696480803

^[3] Zawody deficytowe – jakie są w 2024 roku? (aleo.com)