The Upskilling Imperative audiobook cover - 5 Ways to Make Learning Core to the Way We Work

The Upskilling Imperative

5 Ways to Make Learning Core to the Way We Work

Shelley Osborne

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Corporate CultureEducation

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The Upskilling Imperative
The Need for Upskilling+
Effective Learning Design+
Fostering Agile Learners+
Building a Feedback Culture+
Marketing L&D to Employees+
Integrating Learning into Work+
Leadership & Business Value+
Actionable Advice+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 9
Why does the author argue that continuous upskilling is more critical today than for previous generations?
  • A. Young professionals change careers more frequently because they lack company loyalty.
  • B. Most skills now only stay relevant for about five years due to rapid technological changes.
  • C. Companies have larger budgets allocated to Human Resources than they did in the past.
  • D. The traditional education system has completely stopped teaching practical workplace skills.
Question 2 of 9
When designing corporate training, the author recommends moving away from an 'instructivist' model toward a 'constructivist' approach. What does this mean?
  • A. Instructors should use the latest technology, like smart boards, instead of outdated tools.
  • B. Training should be a fast-paced sprint to ensure maximum information retention.
  • C. Students should take responsibility for their own learning rather than just passively receiving information.
  • D. Companies should only hire professional teachers to conduct their workplace training.
Question 3 of 9
According to the book, what is a necessary first step for management to foster an agile learning environment?
  • A. Making skills development a mandatory part of annual performance reviews.
  • B. Getting skills development officially included in the company's annual budget.
  • C. Restricting professional development opportunities to high-performing employees only.
  • D. Replacing all traditional management staff with certified agile learning experts.
Question 4 of 9
How does the author suggest managers deliver feedback to help cultivate a growth mindset?
  • A. Focus exclusively on what the employee did poorly so they know exactly what to fix.
  • B. Send feedback via email so the employee has time to process it without getting defensive.
  • C. Combine regular feedback loops with practical plans for improvement, building on existing strengths.
  • D. Wait until the annual review to deliver feedback so all issues can be addressed comprehensively.
Question 5 of 9
Why does the author suggest using 'market segmentation' when promoting internal learning programs?
  • A. To divide the training budget equally among different corporate departments.
  • B. To tailor the advertising and messaging to the specific needs and motivations of different employee groups.
  • C. To separate high-performing employees from low-performing employees during training sessions.
  • D. To sell the company's internal training programs to external competing businesses.
Question 6 of 9
The author compares building a learning culture to keeping New Year's resolutions. What is the key takeaway from this comparison?
  • A. Learning initiatives should only be launched at the beginning of the fiscal year.
  • B. Employees lack the willpower to learn unless they are strictly monitored by management.
  • C. Learning is most accessible and sustainable when it is smoothly integrated into daily work routines.
  • D. Most learning programs will inevitably fail by March, so they should be kept short.
Question 7 of 9
What is meant by 'trickle-down motivation' in the context of workplace learning?
  • A. When leaders visibly support and participate in learning initiatives, encouraging their teams to do the same.
  • B. When the HR department passes down a list of mandatory courses for lower-level employees to complete.
  • C. When senior executives allocate leftover budget funds to lower-level departments for training.
  • D. When employees teach new skills to their managers during reverse-mentoring sessions.
Question 8 of 9
What statistic is provided in the text to prove that investing in a Learning and Development (L&D) culture makes good financial sense?
  • A. McKinsey reported that companies save $200 per employee when they cut L&D budgets.
  • B. Walmart increased its overall revenue by 50 percent after replacing middle managers with virtual reality modules.
  • C. Udemy for Business customers saw an 869 percent return on their learning investment over three years.
  • D. The Association for Talent Development proved that companies can reduce payroll by relying solely on asynchronous learning.
Question 9 of 9
What does the acronym 'DEAL hour' stand for in the book's actionable advice?
  • A. Develop, Educate, Assess, Lead
  • B. Drop Everything And Learn
  • C. Daily Employee Assessment Loop
  • D. Design Effective Agile Learning

The Upskilling Imperative — Full Chapter Overview

The Upskilling Imperative Summary & Overview

What’s it about?

The Upskilling Imperative (2020) introduces practical tips for companies to ensure their staff have ample opportunity to learn skills for the future. With industries and technologies changing all the time, it shows business leaders the steps they can take to stay ahead of the curve and establish robust, accessible learning environments.

Who Should Listen to The Upskilling Imperative?

Who’s it for?

  • Managers or C-Level executives looking to upskill their teams
  • People interested in Learning and Development or HR

Employees who want to change the way their company views training 

About the Author: Shelley Osborne

About the author

As the Vice President of Learning at Udemy, Shelley Osborne is responsible for upskilling employees around the world. Before joining Udemy to develop the company’s corporate learning strategy, Osborne served as the Vice President of Learning and Development at Farside HR Solutions. She has given talks at TEDWomen events and contributed commentary to CNBC and the Wall Street Journal. The Upskilling Imperative is her first book.

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