This is an analogy Farid Ghasem Asad uses often when he talks about teaching students—he’s a college instructor, and CEO of Pixelman Marketing Agency. “I recommend to all my students: if you want to get a good job, academic education and knowledge is a foundation, but you need the tools to upgrade,” he said. “Just like a plumber.”
Upskilling and technical training can help workers save time, find better jobs, receive higher salaries, or even just keep up in a rapidly evolving industry, Asad said. He has Master’s degrees, a PhD, and multiple diplomas, and still spends hours a day learning and taking certificate courses, not only to teach students, but also for his own marketing firm.
“The [search engine] algorithm is changing so quickly—almost every six months—and I have to upgrade my skills with those certificates,” Asad said. “Most of them are for free, but they’re going to help us understand how to lead our clients, right?”
Upskilling could lead to higher pay, better jobs
ADP Research’s People at Work 2025 report found that upskilling correlates to a 37% jump in wages.
An expensive post-grad program may not be necessary—free training and certificates are still valuable, said Andrea Wynter, vice-president of people at ADP Canada, a company that specializes in employer services and human resources.
“More important than the cost [of the program] is seeing a history of continuous skills development over the entirety of an individual’s professional career, and not just in the early stages,” she said. “This helps convey that you are a lifelong learner, inherently curious, and focused on keeping pace in this fast-changing world of work.”
It’s important to be strategic about your training, Wynter said, and ensure it aligns with your goals.
Research your target role and industry, find out the necessary skills to upgrade and reach out to your professional network or industry associations. You can even ask your existing HR team, she added.