Lockdown learning is leading to a new skills boom

New research reveals time spent on self-improvement is helping increase our transferable skills to bolster careers post lockdown.

From cooking to coding to launching new businesses, the nation has been busy upskilling during this time of uncertainty

Hobbies including perfecting Tik-Tok moves, learning sign language and calligraphy are among those the under-35s are taking on during quarantine

Of those who have learnt or tried something new, 89 per cent said they want to apply it to life outside lockdown and 21 per cent are even considering a career change as a result of the pandemic and the skills they’ve been learning

Almost half (43 per cent) of those who are learning or trying something new have devoted their time to educational activities, like a new language, taking an online course or even learning to code.

The research also shows that 13 per cent of this group have ramped up their side hustle by focusing on something entrepreneurial, like developing business opportunities.

Out of this group who are trying something different, 75 per cent have focused on fitness, 54 per cent are working on their culinary skills, 67 per cent are trying their hand at creative disciplines like painting, learning a musical instrument or photography and 14 per cent are mastering the art of meditation.

DIY and home improvements, including gardening, have also been a big hit during lockdown for those learning or trying something new, with 23 per cent fixing household objects, improving their outdoor space and re-decorating to help alleviate stress and boredom during this challenging time.

Thirty-eight per cent of those who have learnt or tried something new during the pandemic admitted they would never have done so had they not been in lockdown.

Additionally, 89 per cent of those surveyed said they found that devoting this time to self-education, whether studying a new skill or concentrating on an existing one, had also been good for their mental health.

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