The traditional concept of the linear career ladder where people moved upwards on a narrow, predetermined career path set the day they joined an organisation has gone. Today’s career landscape is more dynamic than ever, with professionals increasingly exploring flexible paths that see them move laterally and even downwards and into different industries to pursue their career goals.
“Significant numbers of people are moving toward more flexible, self-driven and non-linear careers,” says Anne Keegan, professor of human resource management at UCD College of Business. “The shift from traditional to new career models is driven by evolving work environments, technological advancements, and a growing emphasis on flexibility and skill development at all levels. The rise of freelance and gig work, platform-based employment and project-based organisational structures has accelerated the adoption of non-linear career trajectories.”
That changed model also requires a commitment to lifelong learning. “Bearing these broader trends in mind, workers see a need to diversify their skill sets,” Keegan adds. “They observe that rapid technological advances require a focus on continuous learning and development if one wants to progress in a particular sector or organisation and remain employable.”
One company that actively supports internal mobility and encourages employees to keep an eye on new roles within the organisation is The Doyle Collection, which has been named as one of Ireland’s best super large workplaces this year. “We are deeply committed to encouraging our team members to pursue professional growth through our culture of continuous improvement,” says the company’s head of people, Alan Smullen.
Book your place at Europe’s leading summit for talent
‘A gas emergency would quickly turn into an electricity emergency. It is low-risk, but high-consequence’
How LEO Digital for Business is helping to boost small business competitiveness
‘I have to believe that this situation is not forever’: stress mounts in homeless parents and children living in claustrophobic one-room accommodation
“Our learning and development strategy provides our colleagues with a wide range of opportunities to reskill and upskill through customised training modules, leadership development programmes, and access to online courses and certifications,” he adds. “Programmes such as Proud to Lead focus on enhancing both technical and leadership skills, ensuring our teams are well-equipped to meet the evolving demands of the luxury hospitality market. Additionally, The Doyle Collection integrates technology into our training via an e-learning platform that offers dedicated learning paths and tracks individual progress. This holistic approach ensures that colleagues at all levels can develop the skills needed for career advancement. A robust catalogue of ongoing training provides cross-functional knowledge to prepare colleagues for potential internal transitions.”
A change in strategy saw much greater completion rates on training programmes provided by Chadwicks Group, which has also been named as one of Ireland’s best super large workplaces this year. “It’s something I’m very passionate about,” says learning and engagement manager Jayne Scammell. “We want to make sure colleagues have the best chance of succeeding with us. We want to give them opportunities to grow and have rewarding careers with us.”
The company provides a number of award-winning training programmes for employees including courses on leadership development, credit control and sales. “We used to do programmes that were accredited ... but we found that lots of colleagues weren’t completing them”, says Scammell. “After Covid we looked at the programmes and removed the accreditation and eliminated other barriers. We wanted to create something that would help colleagues progress in their careers with us. Since we removed the accreditation and assessment elements in 2022, we have had a near 100 per cent graduation rate in the programmes, up from 60 per cent before that. People used to drop out because they didn’t have time to do the assignments or had other issues that prevented them from doing them.”
Salesforce is not only helping its own employees acquire new skills in critical areas like artificial intelligence (AI), but it is also making the training available to the wider public. “At Salesforce, we’re seeing a significant shift towards more flexible and non-linear career paths,” says Alan Cronin, senior manager communications with Salesforce Ireland, which has been named one of Ireland’s best super large workplaces this year.
“Preparing our workforce, and society more broadly, for these new opportunities is more important than ever before,” he continues. “And there’s work to be done as the digital skills gap has accelerated, and the world faces a growing digital skills crisis – with only one in 10 global workers having in-demand AI skills. We’re actively working to skill up the future workforce on AI and agents to help address the skills shortage and set up workers for success now – and into the future.
“At our annual conference, Dreamforce, last year we announced a $50 million [€48 million] investment in our new AI for All initiative that will provide our premium AI courses and AI certifications at no cost through our free online learning platform, Trailhead, through the end of 2025. We believe that governments, non-profits, and educational institutions should not be left to solve the problem alone. Businesses like Salesforce have a responsibility to provide opportunities for people to train and reskill. And it’s not just our own employees, but the wider ecosystem.”
Investment in skills benefits both employers and their staff, according to Skillnet Ireland director of policy and communications Tracey Donnery. “Having people with the right skills in the right roles is the most valuable asset an organisation can have,” she says. “Discussions between managers and employees about their ambitions are needed to ensure they align. The jobs of the future are going to look very different, and employers need to look at career development pathways to allow people to move laterally as well as upwards. There are benefits for employers as well as they won’t have to rely on recruitment externally to fill roles that come up.”
Upskill
Where the employer doesn’t have the resources to provide their own training programmes, they can avail of courses provided by bodies such as Solas. Skills to Advance is a national upskilling and reskilling initiative, created and funded by Solas, that assists employers to develop new skills in their teams, improve processes and cost savings, and increase their competitiveness through highly subsidised training. “Since 2019, over 89,000 training opportunities have been availed of under the initiative,” says Mary Lyons, director of enterprise, employees and skills at Solas.
Included in the Skills to Advance offering are Further Education and Training micro-qualifications: bite-sized, accredited programmes that deliver targeted training in rapidly transforming skill areas.
Micro-credentials are short, flexible quality-assured and enterprise-led courses, according to David Corscadden, communications manager for MicroCreds with the Irish Universities Association (IUA). “They make it easier for people to engage with lifelong learning. In general, they are four to 12 week courses for a couple of hours a week. It’s an easy commitment to make. Courses offered across IUA universities cover a range of skills in areas including sustainability, digital transformation, data programming, digital disruption and fintech to name just a few.”
“Just as we are asking people to be flexible in their work, the education system is becoming more flexible to offer programmes to enable people to balance learning with doing their job,” adds Sorcha Mulcahy, deputy director of Careers, Employability and Skills at University College Dublin. “UCD has a micro-credential course on Irish law and legal procedure for people who are not from a legal background. It’s not going to make you a lawyer, but it will give you an understanding of the area. We also offer one on new technology and innovation that gives guidance on the ethical use of AI for example. People don’t necessarily want to be techies, but they can avail of a short learning experience in the area.”
