{"id":46767,"date":"2022-06-13T12:53:52","date_gmt":"2022-06-13T10:53:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/?p=46767"},"modified":"2025-11-28T14:02:56","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T12:02:56","slug":"meeting-the-skills-gap-the-career-boosting-benefits-of-lifelong-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/meeting-the-skills-gap-the-career-boosting-benefits-of-lifelong-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Meeting the Skills Gap: The Career-Boosting Benefits of Lifelong Learning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cWhat has created the current skills gap is that we\u2019re not moving as fast as we know we should be moving. We need to get better with technology, but at the same time, we don&#8217;t want to get left behind on the human side of things.\u201d<\/p><cite>Vuyile Mbatha, Corporate Head of Leadership &amp; Learning<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Meet Vuyile<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div>\n            <!-- Responsive picture tag -->\n        <picture class=\"picture-block\">\n            <source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/getsmarter_blog_headshot_vuyile_large.png\" >\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/getsmarter_blog_headshot_vuyile.png\" alt=\"\">\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Growing up, Vuyile Mbatha had an inquisitive mind. The only sport she had an affinity for was chess. \u201cI figured I\u2019m more of a thinking person; let\u2019s get into books, let\u2019s understand things, let\u2019s strategize,\u201d she admits. As the corporate head of leadership and learning for a financial service firm, her natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge has propelled her career and expertise forward. Having completed not one, but 15 courses through GetSmarter \u2013 from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/lse-negotiation-programme\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LSE Negotiation Programme<\/a>, to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/cambridge-leading-sustainability-high-impact-leadership-online-short-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">High Impact Leadership<\/a> from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), to MIT Sloan\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/mit-sloan-artificial-intelligence-implications-for-business-strategy-online-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy<\/a> \u2013 her learning journey has followed an exemplary trajectory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over and above being a PhD candidate at the University of Witwatersrand, Vuyile works at a financial services firm where she heads up leadership, development, learning, and talent. \u201cLifelong learning is innate. It\u2019s about believing that if there&#8217;s something I&#8217;m not able to do, it&#8217;s not that I&#8217;m incapable of doing it, it&#8217;s that I can&#8217;t do it yet,\u201d she advises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>\u201cOnline learning can help individuals and businesses go a long way. It&#8217;s literally learning at your fingertips, in your own environment, from the comfort of your home and at your own pace.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Career-Boosting Benefits of Lifelong Learning | Meet Vuyile Mbatha\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zMPQLja7V3o?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why do I need to be proactive about lifelong learning?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>How people are evolving in the world of work, and the rate at which new skills are needed, is a question on many a professional\u2019s mind. The answer is simple: with every new technology, innovation, regulation, and system, the most in-demand skills shift. Now, more than ever, employees and leaders need to stay abreast \u2013 or better yet, ahead \u2013 of change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vuyile maintains that it\u2019s within everyone\u2019s reach to grow and achieve more, largely by continuously advancing and developing their skills. \u201cLearning is literally something I do every single day, and I help others get access and opportunities to do the same.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lifelong learning, according to Vuyile, requires dedication, focus, and a level of introspection, the combination of which can help identify where your skills gaps are. \u201cWhen studying a course about leadership, for example, it feeds into my PhD, which feeds into the work I do as well as my day-to-day life,\u201d she says. In terms of personal development, Vuyile asks herself two questions: what do I need right now to be the best version of myself, and what is it that I need in my future?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Acquiring new and better forms of knowledge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The people who will thrive in the 21st century will be those who embrace lifelong learning and continually increase their knowledge, skills, and competencies. Studies reveal that those who maintain their ability to learn outpace other professionals. The most sought-after skills are critical thinking and analysis as well as problem-solving and self-management, which comprises active learning, resilience, stress tolerance, and flexibility. The people who will thrive in the 21st century will be those who embrace lifelong learning and continually increase their knowledge, skills, and competencies. \u201cYou need to understand yourself as an individual,\u201d shares Vuyile. \u201cWe all learn in very different ways. Be honest about what it is that you&#8217;re good at and what it is you still need to work harder at.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Answer the call to learn for a lifetime<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Vuyile\u2019s drive and learning journey may not be for everyone, which is why GetSmarter\u2019s short course offering is designed to meet you where you\u2019re at. \u201cYou have a plethora of world-class university offerings,\u201d Vuyile explains. \u201cAs a learner, I was able to learn and interact with like-minded peers from around the world, and study with fantastic universities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>\u201cThe advice I would give to prospective students is to find something you&#8217;re passionate about. Look at the gaps you have right now and choose a course that\u2019ll not only help you excel in your current role, but also make you stay relevant in the future.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Address the ever-changing skills gap by embracing the need to learn and upskill<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Browse online short courses<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cWhat has created the current skills gap is that we\u2019re not moving as fast as we know we should be moving. We need to get better with technology, but at the same time, we don&#8217;t want to get left behind on the human side of things.\u201d Vuyile Mbatha, Corporate Head of Leadership &amp; Learning Meet [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":47070,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"article-format":[],"class_list":["post-46767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career-advice"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Meeting the Skills Gap: How I Harness the Career-Boosting Benefits of Lifelong Learning | GetSmarter Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Through dedication, focus, and a 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