The rapid adoption of technology in every sector of the economy means working professionals need to constantly adapt and learn new skills if they want to stay relevant and continue to add value.
This is according to Rob Paddock, chief academic officer at online education company GetSmarter, who notes that for professionals, opportunities for traditional methods of continuous learning are limited.
"The problem is most universities are not set up to meet the needs of modern working professionals, and the gap between the needs of employers and the output of the formal education system is growing at a terrifying rate," he says.
Paddock believes online short courses and programmes are increasing access to quality education as a convenient and cost-effective option, and are proving a viable alternative for those looking to grow in their careers.
According to Paddock, throughout their careers, modern professionals need to learn, unlearn and relearn without having to quit their jobs and go back to university.
He notes by completing online short courses from the comfort of their own homes, working professionals can keep their skills up to date, and receive a university certificate to validate their competence.
The existing higher education system worked exceptionally well for the industrial era economy, at a time when information was scarce and change happened slowly, he explains.
"After school, you went to university to gain access to scarce information, and then you generally worked in one or two jobs for the rest of your life implementing the knowledge you gained at university. Now that we've entered the information era, that has all changed."
Paddock notes the amount of knowledge in the world has doubled in the past 10 years and is doubling every 18 months, according to the American Society of Training and Documentation.
The result is modern working professionals now have to become lifelong learners if they wish to stay relevant and advance their careers, he says.
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