Let's explore an important tech solution currently being built that will have far-reaching implications on our futures and careers. That tech solution is the Skills Graph.
I want to define what the Skills Graph will be, because although there are massive tech companies currently racing for the pole position in the Skills Graph race to supremacy, the Skills Graph itself is still very much in its infancy.
The Skills Graph could be defined as a network that maps out relationships between various skills, job roles, educational requirements, and career paths. It will enable you to attain the skills needed in your ai-driven future.
You may have yet to hear of the Skills Graph, so I'd like to take a moment to discuss its predecessor, the Social Graph.
The Social Graph maps intricate relationships between people and has been developed and perfected by various social media companies, such as Facebook.
The Social Graph revolutionized connecting people with one another online.
The Skills Graph aims to transform our approach to connecting people and skills in order to fuel business in the 21st century.
Instead of connecting people, the Skills Graph makes connections between people and their skills, as well as the jobs the career paths they desire/
This represents a shift from who you know, to what you know. And more importantly, leveraging what you know to lead to your next best steps for your career and future!
We have become accustomed to software connecting people with one another and surfacing long-lost relationships through social networks such as Facebook. In fact, it was Facebook’s ability to more effectively find those connections through algorithms that propelled them to the position of dominance they enjoy today
Unlike earlier social media platforms, such as MySpace or Friendster, Facebook leveraged the concept of the Social Graph as not only a tool to display connections, but as an intelligent system to explode user engagement and growth.
While those earlier platforms captured significant attention initially, they failed to maintain that momentum in the face of Facebook's rapid evolution and advancements with the Social Graph.
Today, Facebook boasts billions of active users globally.
Now, let’s see how this graph concept will evolve as it relates to Skills and the Skills Graph
Just as the Social Graph mapped personal relationships, the Skills Graph maps professional skills and connections.
The ability to accurately link skills with emerging job opportunities, and provide actionable insights for both learners and employers, will be game-changing.
The eventual market leader of the Skills Graph will shape and greatly influence the workforce and business landscape.
Make no mistake; the competition is fierce as tech giants vie to become the primary platform where skills data converges and translates into career pathways and educational advancements. The impact of successfully connecting in-demand skills with the people who possess or aspire to them will be profound.
And to further understand the Skills Graph, we need to detour for a moment to differentiate between skill and talent.
Talent often refers to an innate ability or a natural aptitude that an individual possesses.
Talents are often perceived as qualities one is born with, such as musical talent, artistic creativity, or natural ease with public speaking, for example. Talent can provide a foundation, but its potential is often realized through further training and the development of related skills.
Skills, on the other hand, are generally viewed as an ability acquired or developed through training and experience. Skills are often measurable and teachable; they can be honed and improved upon through practice and persistence. While talent might give someone a head start, skills are what allow individuals to continue to grow and adapt to new challenges or roles.
This focus on skills is precisely why we refer to it as the Skills Graph, rather than the Talent Graph. The Skills Graph is about mapping out and understanding the relationships between skills that can be taught, learned, and improved upon. It emphasizes the capacity for growth and adaptability in a rapidly advancing job market.
You may also start hearing about the concept of a "skills stack".
A skills stack refers to the collection of individual skills that a person accumulates over time through education and experience.
Like stacking blocks, you can add new skills to your repertoire, enhancing your employability and career progression. Each new skill added to your stack not only increases your capability but also your marketability in various roles and industries.
But here is the challenge for you as an aspiring skills stacker - figuring out which skills to add to your stack.
It is crucial to identify which skills are most valuable and relevant. Here is where software and specifically the Skill Graph will make this much easier for you - first by helping you to assess which skills you already have!
Accurate skills assessments ensure your efforts to enhance your skills are targeted, maximizing potential career benefits and efficiency in skill acquisition.
It is this specific efficiency in skills acquisition through the help of AI and the Skills Graph is why I have named my new learning platform Rapid Reskill. That is what we specialize in and focus on at RapidReskill.com is helping you to rapidly reskill into our ai future, creating resources for you to not only assess your current skills, but identify your skills gaps, skills that are growing in demand, and skills that are relevant to where you want to head in the future - doing all of this rapidly by learning to leverage the power of AI to your own advantage in order to gracefully navigate your own AI Pivot.
And I will be speaking at length in future episodes about my AI Pivot Method which I have developed that will help you to rapid reskill.
One central player in the creation of the Skills Graph is none other than LinkedIn. Owned by Microsoft, LinkedIn has invested considerable resources into developing sophisticated skills libraries. This extensive cataloging effort is not merely about amassing a static list of skills; but understanding the relationships between them, including identifying what would be known as "adjacent skills."
Adjacent skills are those that are closely related or complementary to one another, often found within the same or overlapping career fields.
Some examples of adjacent skills could be that of a software developer that might find adjacent skills in data analysis or user experience design, which could broaden their expertise and appeal in the tech industry. Or, someone with a Project Management background may want to leverage the adjacent skills found in Agile Methodologies to further round out their capabilities.
Have you ever considered how adjacent skills might unleash new career opportunities for you?
As an online instructor, I have endorsed my students skills on LinkedIn once they have attained certain certifications.
And while LinkedIn provides a platform to showcase your skills, it largely relies on just you to self-report and update your skills.
This self-reporting method does have limitations. First, there is the issue of accuracy; some of you out there may overestimate your proficiency or list skills you are only vaguely familiar with.
With the rise of AI tools designed to optimize job matching, there's an increasing trend where you can tailor your profile based not only on your actual skills but also on what AI suggests would make you more attractive to potential employers or fit specific job descriptions.
This underscores the need for accurate skills assessment tools. Reliable assessment is crucial for validating the skills we claim to possess, but also for helping us and potential employers to understand actual skill levels.
Looking ahead, advancements in AI are destined to revolutionize how skills are assessed and validated. AI can help automate and refine the assessment process, making it more dynamic and responsive to the nuances of various skills and industry demands.
This technology could lead to the development of more sophisticated certification processes that are recognized across industries. This is of particular interest to me as an online instructor of many various in-demand certifications. Here's where I think this is heading!
Blockchain technology is destined to secure these certifications as verifiable, and immutable, which is critical in a world where skill verification needs to be reliable and universally recognized.
I envision a future where we have our own personal Skills Graphs in our virtual wallets with plot points consisting of virtual badges, tokens and dare I say, NFTs.
Not only will these new AI technologies enhance your ability to manage and advance your career through assessing your current skills, but will also identify trending skills.
These systems will continuously analyze job market trends to identify skills that are rising in demand. By aligning these trending skills with your job interests profile and long-term career goals, AI can provide you with targeted insights, helping you to stay ahead in your chosen fields, as well as identifying new and emerging fields that will likely interest you and in which your odds of success will be weighed.
In addition to skills assessments and trending skills identification, these systems will also assist you in locating adjacent skills—those skills closely related to your current abilities but that open up new opportunities. Adjacent skills are particularly valuable as they allow you to pivot or expand your career paths with relatively less effort compared to acquiring entirely new skills.
Perhaps most transformative will be AI’s ability to propose personalized learning paths.
These recommendations will not only consider the transition from your current state to your desired state but will also integrate with job boards to suggest educational and training opportunities directly linked to in-demand trending skills. Your personalized learning recommendations will be timely, and aligned with real job market needs.
The next generation of AI in career development will take even greater agency in assisting you. It will operate with an understanding of both your immediate needs, such as securing an immediate job, and your long-term aspirations, such as a 10-year career outlook for instance.
This AI agency will have the capability to offer branching career paths and optimal job and skill recommendations, not limited to those listed in job postings but extending to adjacent and easily attainable skills if you have already mastered certain areas.
So let’s talk action items and next steps for you to use the Skills Graph to your advantage starting now!
First would be to conduct regular Skills Audits.
Use self-assessments or utilize online tools to evaluate and document your current skills stack accurately. This will not only help in identifying strengths and weaknesses but also provide a clear baseline for future growth. Keeping an updated, accurate skills profile ensures readiness as new platforms and technologies emerge to capitalize on the Skills Graph. And above all, be honest with yourself.
Second would be to Engage in Continuous Learning.
Focus on acquiring new skills and refining existing ones, particularly those that are emerging as high in demand. Utilize online courses, workshops, and certification programs. And here I want to put in a quick plug for rapidreskill.com - our learning platform we are building out to help you rapidly reskill into the future.
Third would be to build a Network that represents a diverse interest set.
Networking isn't just about expanding social contacts; it's about building a wide-ranging portfolio of connections that can provide insights into different industries, emerging skills, and job opportunities. Many great ideas will come your way by surrounding yourself with a wider variety of cultures, industries and verticals represented in your ever-expanding network.
So we've explored the Skills Graph, its potential impact, and how it builds upon the legacy of the Social Graph. I invite you to consider how these advancements might shape your career path or business strategies.
Feel free to share your thoughts, questions, or personal experiences with skill development and the Skills Graph. Your insights not only enrich our discussions but also help others navigate their professional journeys.
Thank you for tuning in and be sure to subscribe, review and share the Urelevant podcast with those you care about!