Upwork has announced the establishment of Upwork Academy, an instructional platform aimed at assisting professionals in building their own enterprises.
Many Americans have left traditional occupations in favour of opportunities that allow them to work remotely as part of the Great Resignation. According to CNBC, the trend of people abandoning their employment isn’t going away anytime soon, and some experts foresee the end of job loyalty. According to a recent Microsoft survey, 52 percent of Gen Z and millennial workers said they were likely to explore changing employment this year, up 3% from 2021.
Many of these employees will migrate to freelance work rather than returning to a full-time staff position.
According to a recent Upwork survey, 59 million Americans—roughly 36% of the total U.S. workforce—performed skilled freelance work in 2021.
Upwork Academy launches
Workers who are thinking about switching to freelance work may find the transition scary or alienating. Upwork Academy was founded to meet the requirements of these employees, offering a variety of upskilling tools, coaching, and training opportunities to assist freelancers in building their brands and companies. The Academy will debut 11 on-demand training courses on how to take advantage of the platform’s growing freelance prospects. Additionally, it will allow you to connect with the Upwork community.
“Most people who are new to Upwork are new to freelancing,” said Francis Murphy, Upwork’s vice president of community. “It’s not the same as working for a firm, where you interview, get the job, and the employer walks you through the first steps.” For freelancers, Upwork Academy is our method of accomplishing it.” Courses on topics like building a profile and submitting bids are available through Upwork Academy. Upwork has also introduced Academy Coaching cohorts, which are aimed to assist users in achieving their goals. Upwork Academy now includes Upwork Skills Certification. Skills exams, test preparation resources, and opt-in certifications for web, mobile, software development, and design and creative are all available.
“We’re seeing an increase in demand for new skill sets in the technology, development, and IT sectors,” Murphy added. “We understand that these abilities are in high demand by firms all over the world. We want to ensure that the skilled individuals on our platform represent all of these fields. At the moment, users can use certifications to prove their development expertise. For mobile web development, there are more than 20 distinct certifications. Our clients can see that these specialists have been certified by Upwork when they look at them.”
Platform and content for the community have been revamped.
The Upwork Community has been completely redesigned, with a new homepage, updated forums, and additional features to improve functionality and scalability. By the end of the quarter, the company also intends to introduce the Career Path Database. It includes images, films, and audio of personal tales that show how people got to where they are now in their jobs. Users can use guides and worksheets to assist them achieve their objectives. “For each person who uses Upwork, it is a one-of-a-kind tool and opportunity.
“The new Community options are designed to satisfy those specific needs: education, conversation, thought leadership, and so much more,” Murphy explained. “For a long time, our community was positioned as a support channel. We’re still here to help, but we now have a lot more to give in terms of content, connections, and community-building.”
Tips for Freelancers
Murphy offers advice to freelancers who want to make a profession out of their work. He emphasises the significance of developing an effective profile. “The profile is the doorway to the numerous clients we have on Upwork, from tiny businesses looking for a one-time hire to our enterprise clients, which are some of the world’s largest enterprises,” he said.
It’s also critical to write a persuasive proposal. “‘I’m sending all these proposals out, and I’m not receiving anything back,’ several members of the Upwork community say. “Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of direction to come up with the appropriate idea,” he remarked.
Because people hiring freelancers are seeking for certain skill sets, Murphy emphasises being specific. “What is your special niche if you have one in your industry, whether it’s as broad as mobile development or as narrow as web development?” What do you have to give that others don’t?”
New community organisations and activities are being formed.
Upwork will launch 20 community groups that will be “collaborative and celebratory venues for the Community to interact, learn, and grow across topics like identity, industry, interest, and impact,” according to the firm. Location-based groups from the United States, the Philippines, Pakistan, Kenya, Egypt, Ukraine, Moldova, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Germany are among them, with more scheduled for later this year.
An event hosting platform, a Community Event series, interactive workshops, and an Upwork LIVE Support for Talent in Ukraine event are among the other new features. Upwork will conduct a virtual event on June 7 at 9 a.m. PDT to commemorate the release of Academy. It will go over Upwork’s new on-demand talent resource as well as the upgraded Community experience for freelancers.
