9 Job Skills That Students Will Need to Succeed in a Post-COVID World

As many of us wait for life to return to normal, we wonder what a post-Covid-19 world might look like. There are many unknowns, but it's improbable that things will get back to “business as usual”. Workplaces are changing rapidly, and so are the skills that companies require.

Here are nine skills that are likely to be in high demand soon.

1. Adaptability

One thing we know is that the way companies operate is going to keep changing. There won’t be many “jobs for life.” To succeed, people will need to be able to adapt to an ever-changing workplace and have the ability to update and refresh their skills continuously. 

Covid-19 has shown us that workplaces can change overnight. The concept of job security may be a thing of the past, and those that can quickly adapt will find ways to thrive.

2. Tech Savviness

One of the best ways to prepare your child for a post-covid-word is to help them acquire technology skills.

Companies that have the best technology will be in the best position to weather future storms. Anyone who has the skills to help businesses become more resilient will put themselves in a great job.

Students need to be comfortable with tech tools as well as be able to work effectively with them.

Gaining certifications in Google, Microsoft or Amazon will put your child in good stead. They can also achieve these qualifications while your child is still in high school. Even if your child does not want to go to university/college, they can still gain a high paying job and become financially secure. 

3. Creativity and Innovation

The pandemic has shown us that the businesses (and people) who can develop ways to deliver services virtually or quickly shift to new products have been able to weather the storm. In the post-Covid world, human creativity will be essential to invent, dream up new products and new ways of working.

4. Data Literacy

Data is crucial for every company. With the correct data, companies can predict the impact of disruptions on their business, and they are better able to locate and serve customers.

Companies that understand business trends are better able to respond in the right way. Without people who are equipped with skills to interpret and implement the data, the data is useless. Professionals with skills in data literacy will be appealing to potential employers.

5. Critical Thinking

We have seen a spike in fake news during the pandemic, misrepresentations of data, and studies, as leaders, businesses, and governments try to shift blame and divert attention. People who can objectively evaluate information will be highly valued. Organisations will be looking for critical thinkers to help them make the best decisions.

6. Digital and Coding Skills

The digital transformation of many companies and industries has been fast-tracked by the coronavirus because professionals with digital skills: web development, and digital marketing, will become even more critical than they are now. People who can keep digital businesses running and thriving during economic downturns are going to be on the must-hire list. People with these skills may also be able to create and sell their products.

7. Leadership

In a world where so many people are working remotely, people at all levels of an organisation will be in a position where they may need to lead others. As the gig economy continues to grow and people work in more fluid teams, people will need to take the lead at different times.

Professionals with solid leadership skills, including how to bring out the best and inspire teams and encourage collaboration, will be in demand.

8. Emotional Intelligence

Closely linked to leadership is a skill that is even more important in uncertain and challenging times: Emotional Intelligence (EQ).  The ability to be aware of and express control of our emotions and be mindful of others’ feelings is emotional intelligence.

When people are dealing with uncertainty, it is vital to connect with people on an emotional level. Students must learn to work on teams so that they can learn to understand others and empathise.

9. Commit to Lifelong Learning

According to the world economic forum, in just five years, 35% of the skills deemed essential today will change. The only way to remain relevant is to commit to a lifetime of learning.  In a tight job market, professionals with various advanced skills will stay in demand and likely struggle less to find employment.

Why building a skillset is vital? 

Today, it doesn’t require years of study or hefty loans to help your child build their skill set to be prepared. College degrees are out of reach for many students, and they shouldn’t need a college diploma to have economic security. 

On the other hand, building practical tech and life skillset is far more beneficial as it gives tons of pros to your kid’s career. Here are the advantages of focusing on skills during the 21st Century.

Better academic performance. Kids and teens who carry the above job skills can perform better at school. Why? It is because the mentioned skills earlier comprise of essential skills of 21st Century learning approaches. Unlike the traditional teaching methods, today’s teaching approach highlights a student-centred learning setup. 

A student-centred approach focuses on learner’s talents and abilities to discover and learn independently. It also promotes a project-based learning style involving real-life application. So, if your kids embody the nine skills discussed, you would expect them to excel more in class. 

Improves attitude and behaviour. Gaining the nine job skills can also enhance your kid’s motivation to learn and live. It also inspires them to have a more profound commitment to education whilst considering it fun and entertaining. Moreover, kids who carry the said skills enable themselves to have more time in learning and discovering. Through this, they will choose to become a lifelong learner.

Other than that, your kids would enjoy other inventions and innovations as they begin to learn the nine job skills. It also rewards them, resulting in stronger self-esteem.

Fewer negative behaviour. Instead of drowning and focusing themselves on massive changes due to the pandemic, your kids would look at the brighter side. It helps them apply critical thinking and digital skills to make more solutions than complaints. Besides, kids with the nine job skills are more disciplined, responsible, and compliant. 

Reduces emotional stress. The worldwide pandemic hits even the emotional health of everyone. So, if your kids receive training for emotional intelligence, they will become stronger and more courageous despite the new typical setup. Most importantly, they would have lesser stress, depression, anxiety, and even social withdrawal.

More equipped in life. Kids who manifest the nine job skills are also more ready for life challenges. They can handle different situations even without assistance. Owning the skills would mould them into intelligent and brilliant individuals who can access problems and solve them rationally. So, they are most likely become a strong candidate for any job positions available.

How would you prepare your child’s career? 

Skill Samurai offers a variety of career certification courses to help them (and you) improve their skills and be ready for whatever the future brings. It offers career-readiness programs to help students prepare for high paying, high demand jobs. 

Check out the following career paths your child can take under Amazon Web Services (AWS) certification.

Career Paths

Foundational

Step 1 AWS certified cloud Practitioner 13 hours of class time

Associate

AWS Certified Solutions Architect 34 hours

Based on our 2019 IT Skills and Salary Survey, the average salary for those holding AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate Level in the United States and Canada is $130,883. A few concepts candidates should know before taking the exam include:

1. Designing and deploying scalable, highly available systems on AWS
2. Selecting the correct AWS service based on requirements 
3. Deploying on-premises apps to AWS

Want to know all the details on how to prepare for your exam? Read our comprehensive AWS Solutions Architect Associate Certification Prep Guide, highlighting all the important FAQs and even providing hints and tips from our experts. 

AWS certified developer 53 hours

AWS Certified Developer

The average salary for those holding the AWS Certified Developer – Associate certificate is $130,272, which ranks sixth in North America. To achieve this increasingly popular certification, candidates should have:

1. A good grasp on choosing the right AWS services for the application
2. Leveraging software development kits (SDKs) to interact with assistance from your application
3. Writing code that optimises performance
4. Code-level application security

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator

The average salary for those holding the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate certification is $130,610. This certification validates technical expertise in deployment, management and operations on AWS. Candidates seeking this certification should understand concepts such as:

1. Implementing and controlling the flow of data to and from AWS
2. Migrating on-premises apps to AWS 
3. Identifying operational cost control mechanisms

Want to know all the details on how to prepare for your exam? Read our comprehensive AWS SysOps Administrator Certification Prep Guide, highlighting all the important FAQs and even providing hints and tips from our experts. 

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer 

The AWS Certified DevOps Engineer is the professional-level certification for both the Developer and SysOps Administrator associate-level – meaning you must hold one of those certifications before obtaining this one. In the IT Skills and Salary Report, 52 respondents from the United States and Canada have this certification. The small sample pool generated an average salary of $137,724. This certification validates technical expertise in provisioning, operating and managing distributed application systems on the AWS platform. Candidates should have a thorough understanding of concepts such as:

1. Implementing and managing continuous delivery systems and methodologies on AWS
2. Maintaining tools to automate operational processes. 
3. Security controls and governance processes

As interest in AWS continues to skyrocket, the need to validate AWS skills through certification will continue to grow and shine a light on the IT professionals who achieve these top-paying certifications. As with anything else in life, learning the skills and practising helps pave the way to success. AWS offers resources such as hands-on practice labs and quests before sitting for the certification exam. Global Knowledge also authorised training courses focusing on learning skills and applying them to your job, and exam readiness workshops concentrate on the exam itself to get you ready for test day.

AWS Certification Salaries

Certification

2019 Average Salary

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

$148,456

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer

$137,724

AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate 

$130,883

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate  

$130,610

AWS Certified Developer – Associate

$130,272

Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect — $175,761

Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals — $126,653

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate — $149,446 

You see, acquiring skills and competencies would help teenagers get equipped with any role-based job opportunities in the market. It can even prepare them for incredible job careers with significant entry-level positions. Afterwards, they can use these prior skills and experience to achieve more tremendous assets in their careers. 

As they try to improve their skills and upskill further, these teenagers and young adults would most likely enjoy the fields of computer sciences. They would even choose to try different computer engineering positions, architecture, software development, and other critical cloud-based skills. 

Eventually, these kids would not limit themselves to entry-level jobs, but to expand their horizons further until their reach senior job tech positions. Through this, they can simply enjoy the high-paying jobs listed above even they did not choose to go to college. 

In this case, teenagers would not spend more time and money on a college degree but focus on upskilling their abilities and competencies. 

How can my teen acquire job skills? 

Sign up now to Skill Samurai Career Readiness Program and watch the webinar available. In this way, you and your son or daughter would have the opportunity to gain background knowledge for industry certifications before your teen leaves and graduates high school. 

Get started here.

Related Posts:

Having a Career Conversation with Your Child... When and How.

Which Microsoft Azure Certification should I choose?

Which Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certification Should I Choose? A Guide for Teens and School-leavers