When you work in the ever-evolving field of psychology, it pays to keep your skills relevant, up to date, and on point. As a practising psychologist, doing this will help you to stay abreast of the continual scientific advancements that are being made in the field virtually every year.
With psychological studies being conducted around the globe at a frequent and consistent pace, you need to continue to hone, develop, and tweak your skills to stay in the know as a psychologist. This is where upskilling comes in!
To learn more about what upskilling looks like when you are working as a psychologist, stay with us as we discuss this in further detail.
Further Education for Qualified Psychologists: Never Stop Learning
Psychology is a field of science that is constantly changing and evolving. As our research into the science of human psychology and behaviour continues into the future, we are continually uncovering new schools of thought and developing fresh ideas based on the findings of arguably more advanced psychological studies.
Just as importantly, these updated research findings can help guide, influence, and develop more evolved methods and processes of psychological treatment and care. As such, to stay relevant - even as an already fully qualified psychologist - it always helps to pursue further study in psychology. This is beneficial both for your patients and for your own knowledge as a well-educated, well-rounded mental healthcare professional.
Essentially, the concept of pursuing further education and upskilling in your professional field ties into the notion that there is always something new to learn. This is especially true when it comes to a field such as psychology, where scientific researchers are always making new discoveries about the factors that influence human psychology and behaviour.
Past psychological research - while continuing to carry weight and influence in terms of psychology today - can quickly become out of date and obsolete. For this reason, upskilling in terms of your technical and academic learnings will keep you abreast of recent psychological findings, and help keep your knowledge fresh and relevant to today’s standards. In this way, you will be able to give your patients access to the best possible and most advanced methods of psychological treatment, as well as staying at the top of your field.
Upskilling as a Qualified Professional: What Does it Look Like?
So, we’ve discussed the many benefits and the necessity of upskilling in your field, even as a qualified professional. But, what is upskilling, and how do you go about doing it?
Of course, upskilling is the process of adding to your existing set of skills, experience, and knowledge. As well as helping you to stay informed on your field, upskilling also gives you a competitive edge as a qualified professional. This can help you stand out if you’re looking to move up in your career, change jobs, or even finally get that promotion! This is because upskilling not only keeps you on top of the most recent advancements in your area, it also helps you to become better, and more skilled, at your profession.
It’s important to note that the act of upskilling is not just about completing further formal education. It can also involve gaining on-the-job, hands-on experience to help fine-tune your technical skills. Further, the process of upskilling can also mean learning from the experience of a coach or mentor, who can help guide you in your career. For this reason, upskilling is a multi-faceted endeavour that requires a holistic and balanced approach to learning new skills while also building on your existing knowledge and experience.
Working on yourself as a qualified professional requires you to keep learning constantly. Of course, you may already have completed a formal qualification in your field. Nonetheless, there is always something new you could be learning, or new skills you can acquire! This is why upskilling is always necessary.
Undoubtedly, upskilling is particularly essential when you’re working in a scientific field such as psychology, which is constantly evolving, developing, and changing. As such, to stay afloat, relevant, and abreast of the most recent updates in your field, it helps to continue learning, studying, and researching - even if you feel you already know it all!