A career change is a big step. You’re investing time, energy and sometimes money in a new direction, so naturally you’ll want to know whether the job market is actually looking for people with those skills. The question: “Is the job market ready for my chosen retraining path?” is therefore one of the smartest questions you can ask yourself before taking the plunge.
Good preparation starts with understanding: understanding the market, trends and yourself. In this article, we answer the most frequently asked questions about retraining and job market opportunities, so that you can make an informed choice.
What does it mean for the labour market to be ‘ready’ for your retraining programme?
The labour market is ‘ready’ for your retraining pathway when there is a structural and growing demand for the skills you wish to develop, employers are actively seeking people with your new profile, and the opportunities are not dependent on a temporary trend. It is a field that will remain relevant in the medium term.
This doesn’t mean there’ll be a job vacancy waiting for you tomorrow. It does, however, mean that there is a clear need in the market that matches what you have to offer following your retraining. Think of sectors where there are chronic shortages, roles that are becoming increasingly important due to technological or societal changes, or combinations of skills that are in ever-greater demand.
A field that is popular now may not necessarily be a promising one in three years’ time. You should therefore look beyond the hype and focus on sustainable trends in the labour market.
What signs indicate that there is demand for your new direction?
There are clear indicators that a particular retraining programme offers good prospects on the labour market. The most obvious indicators are a high number of vacancies in that field, a growing number of organisations actively recruiting, positive findings in sector surveys and an upward trend in the range of courses on offer within the education sector.
Please note the following indicators:
- Job sites consistently list a large number of vacancies in your chosen field
- Employers offer training or retraining as an entry requirement, which indicates active investment
- Industry organisations and sector funds are publishing positive labour market forecasts
- LinkedIn shows a growing number of professionals with your desired job title
- Training organisations are expanding their range of courses in this area
As well as quantitative indicators, qualitative indicators are also valuable. Talk to people who are already working in your chosen field. They can tell you how employers’ requirements are evolving and which skills are genuinely in demand, as opposed to what’s on paper.
How do you research the job prospects for your retraining programme?
You will explore the job market opportunities for your chosen retraining path through a combination of desk research, networking and consulting reliable sources. Start with job vacancy databases, industry reports and forecasts from the UWV or the CBS, and combine these with direct discussions within your chosen sector.
Practical steps for labour market research
A good approach consists of several steps which, taken together, give you a clear picture:
- Search on job sites Search on sites such as Indeed, LinkedIn and Nationale Vacaturebank for job titles that match your retraining programme, and make a note of the number of results
- Consult the UWV labour market forecasts by region and sector, to provide reliable forecasts
- Follow trade associations in your chosen sector via their newsletters and publications
- Hold information sessions with professionals who are already working in your chosen field
- View the range of courses on offer and see which institutions are investing in new programmes related to your field of study
Use your network as a research tool
Your network is one of the most powerful sources of labour market information. People working in a particular sector know exactly what’s going on, which roles are growing and which skills really make a difference. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Most professionals are happy to share their experiences.
What are the most promising sectors for retraining at the moment?
The sectors currently offering the best prospects for reskilling are healthcare, technology and IT, sustainability and energy, education, and cyber security. These are sectors facing chronic staff shortages or experiencing rapidly growing demand due to social and technological changes.
Within these sectors, certain specialisms offer particularly promising prospects:
- Health and social care: There is a persistent shortage of qualified staff in nursing, care and support roles
- IT and digitalisation: Roles in the fields of data, cyber security and software development are experiencing sustained growth
- Sustainability and energy: The energy transition is creating new roles in installation, consultancy and project management
- Education: The teacher shortage makes career changes into teaching an attractive option and is actively encouraged
- Logistics and supply chain: Globalisation and e-commerce mean that demand for logistics staff continues to grow
Career prospects also vary from region to region. In the Randstad, opportunities in IT and financial services differ from those in regions where the manufacturing or agri-food sectors dominate. You should therefore always tailor your retraining to the labour market in your own region, or in the region where you wish to work.
How do you know if your talents match the required skills?
You can find out whether your talents match the required skills by making an honest comparison between what you are naturally good at and what employers in your chosen field actually look for. This requires self-awareness and a clear analysis of job adverts in your target sector.
Talents are not the same as skills you have learnt. Talents are the things that energise you, that you pick up effortlessly and at which you naturally excel. When your talents align with what a sector requires, retraining becomes not only more promising but also more sustainable. You then work from a strong foundation rather than going against your own nature.
A good way to gain this insight is by using scientifically validated talent assessments. At Nieuwkans, we work with the The BrainsFirst approach to sustainable employability, in which online brain games identify your natural talents and cognitive behavioural preferences. This provides a clear and reliable picture of what you are naturally good at, so that you can assess whether your chosen career change is a good fit for you.
When is a career change the right choice for your career?
A career change is the right choice when your current field is in structural decline or undergoing change, when you realise you have outgrown your job, or when your talents and ambitions are better suited to a different career path. It is a proactive step that yields the greatest rewards when taken on your own initiative rather than out of necessity.
There are a number of situations in which retraining is particularly advisable:
- Your role is undergoing significant changes due to automation or reorganisation
- You realise that you haven’t enjoyed going to work for quite some time now
- You have talents and interests that are hardly put to use in your current role
- You want to proactively anticipate changes in the labour market before they affect you
- You’re facing an enforced career change and want to turn it into an opportunity
Retraining is not an escape, but an investment. The most successful retraining programmes are those where a person knows who they are, what they want and what the market demands. These three elements together form the basis for a career move that really stands the test of time.
How Nieuwkans can help with your retraining and career prospects
We understand that retraining raises questions and that it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of everything. At Nieuwkans, we help you, step by step, to gain clarity about your career path, your talents and the opportunities the job market has to offer. Our approach is always tailored to your needs; we never follow a one-size-fits-all programme.
What we can do for you:
- Gain an understanding of your natural talents and cognitive behavioural preferences through scientifically-based methods
- Support in researching and assessing your chosen retraining path in relation to the labour market
- Personal coaching to boost your self-confidence and help you find your direction
- Support in making practical and achievable career choices
- Two interactive sessions focusing on sustainable employability, both now and in the future
Would you like to know how you can successfully manage your career change and which direction really suits you? Contact us and we’ll discuss the options for your career together.