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How do you decide what new skills or technologies are worth investing your time to learn?

How do you decide what new skills or technologies are worth investing your time to learn?

technology personal-development careerdevelopment skillbuilding growthmindset digitalskills lifelonglearning careerstrategy techtrends upskilling emergingtechnologies reskilling intellectual-curiosity learn&grow
Thank you comment icon Soft skills Irem Kilic
Thank you comment icon I would start with really understanding what you excel at and build from there. What excites you and makes you happy?! If you're good at building relationships, maybe look at Inside Sales, teaching or a healthcare professional. If you're good at numbers/math, look into financial advising or accounting. Whatever you're really good at doing, whatever it is that excites you...research it, ask questions from professionals in and around what you're looking into as that will help you determine moving forward or not. The more data you gather, the better decision you can make. Joe Napoli
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Rosa’s Answer

A Strategic Approach to Learning New Skills
Deciding which skills and technologies to learn can be challenging. A smart approach begins not with the technology itself, but with self-discovery and an understanding of the industries you're passionate about.
Step-by-Step Guide
Define Your Passion and Target: Begin by asking yourself what you're genuinely interested in. Identify a specific industry or even a company that aligns with your passions. This is your starting point.
Research Industry Trends and Challenges: Once you've chosen a target, explore the current trends, business models, and major challenges within that industry. This will provide valuable insight into the technologies being used to solve problems and drive operations.
Identify In-Demand Technologies: Every organization is seeking ways to increase automation and efficiency. By researching your target industry, you can pinpoint the specific tools and technologies that are in high demand. Rather than trying to learn everything, focus on mastering the few that are most relevant to your chosen field.
Invest in Foundational Skills: While specific tools are important, it's also wise to invest in general-purpose technologies that have broad applications. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a prime example. Learning the fundamentals of AI can provide a competitive edge across a wide range of industries, making it a valuable long-term investment.
By following this strategic process, you can ensure that your time and effort are invested in skills that are not only relevant but also highly sought after by employers.
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Gloria’s Answer

I think that learning is always valuable, even if it is not immediately applicable to me. Right now, I am lucky enough to know what I love to do with my job, so I am often looking at technology trends that are going to help me do my job better or more efficiently. As an instructional designer, I need to not only know the tools that I use to create training. However I also need to understand the various tools my students use to consume the training. So I need to understand computers, phones, tablets and even their operating systems to make sure that I am not leaving some students behind. In many ways, connecting with new technology is just a good practice as the world is evolving quickly. Right now, people my parent's age are falling behind because they are not evolving with the technology that now dominates our daily lives. I continue to learn as a means of being able to keep up with the world.

As for skills, there are often benefits in learning skills that appear to be outside of what we need to know. For example, as an instructional designer, I often have to interact with clients. So I need to know how to guide my client to their real need before creating training. This is a form of influence as well as being a consultant. My client doesn't always know what kind of training is best. For example, my client might want me to create a web-based training course to teach someone how to ride a bike, when the best way to learn is by using a bike and having someone support you in person. I also use skills like problem solving and data analytics. With data analytics, I determine if the training was useful and what areas of the training did not work so that they could be fixed. When I write training that are taught my a teacher, I have to recognize how in person or video training is different than web-based training. They require different elements and support.
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Sankarraj’s Answer

When I decide what new skills or technologies to invest in, I look at three things: industry need, ethical responsibility, and long-term growth. That’s why my learning path has been shaped by a mix of technical, ethical, and strategic certifications.

For example, I pursued Mastering AI on AWS because cloud-native AI is transforming every industry, and hands-on AWS skills allow me to build and deploy scalable solutions. At the same time, I took courses in AI Governance and Compliance and Generative AI Governance: Building a Responsible AI Center of Excellence because I believe adaptability isn’t just about keeping up with tools—it’s about ensuring we use them responsibly, with fairness and accountability.

I also invested in Generative AI in Testing and AI-Driven Cybersecurity, since my career sits at the intersection of software quality, risk, and safety. These certifications helped me build projects like AutoTestX and AutoBugPredictX, where I applied AI to predict defects and strengthen resilience. To stay well-rounded, I complemented these with Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) to sharpen leadership and execution skills, and Harnessing AI for Social Impact to remind myself that new technologies should always serve people, not just efficiency.

So my decision framework is this: I invest in skills that (1) are shaping the future of my industry, (2) prepare me to use AI ethically and responsibly, and (3) expand my ability to lead, share, and mentor others. This balance of technical depth, governance awareness, and leadership adaptability is what keeps me future-ready in the fast-changing AI landscape.
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PwC’s Answer

- I prioritize areas where learning has a multiplier effect — for example, skills that improve my ability to lead teams, mentor associates, or unlock efficiencies across multiple projects. If a new tool or technique can scale across engagements, it’s a high-value investment.

- I invest in skills at the intersection of curiosity and business impact. First, I look for clear use cases tied to revenue, risk, or efficiency. Then I check market data, client hot topics, company news, general chatter, and peer adoption to identify trends and "hot" marketable skills. Alternatively, I look for “hidden pockets” where I find valuable based on my analysis, but aren't necessarily validated by the broader public.

- I focus on learning skills and technologies that align with our team’s goals and PwC’s innovation priorities. I look for areas where emerging tools—like AI—can enhance quality, efficiency, or compliance in our Independence Technology work, ensuring the time invested leads to meaningful impact.

- I first look to learn new skills or technologies that are disrupting the industry. While they may require a larger investment of time, the expectation is they will be a potential game changer for our firm, clients and my professional/personal growth. I also invest time in learning new skills or technologies that pique my interest. If the new skill or technology doesn't resonate with you, you're likely not going to gain as much out of it as another new skill or technology which does.
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Vinay’s Answer

When exploring software technologies, it's important to remember that they evolve every decade. New and improved technologies often replace older ones, and sometimes old technologies make a comeback with enhancements.

Here's how I decide which technologies to focus on:
1. Is it interesting enough for me to want to learn more about it?
2. Does it have a strong community and enough interest from companies to ensure it will last for many years?
3. How much effort is needed? If it requires starting from scratch or involves a lot of research, my interest and the technology's stability must be high to make it worthwhile. Technologies that build on existing knowledge are usually easier to learn.
4. What kind of investment is needed? It's simpler if all I need is a laptop and some books. However, if it requires setting up my own infrastructure, I need to consider both initial costs (to buy equipment) and ongoing costs (like subscriptions).
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Clinton’s Answer

Hi there!

One of the most valuable pieces of advice I can offer to anyone starting a career in technology is this: avoid the temptation to "rainbow chase." That means constantly jumping from one shiny new tech trend to the next, hoping to catch the next big thing. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement—tech evolves fast, and there’s always something new on the horizon. But chasing every trend can leave you feeling scattered and burned out.

Instead, find a technology or domain that genuinely excites you and commit to it for a meaningful stretch of time. Depth matters. Building real expertise takes time, and sticking with something allows you to develop the kind of skills that make you stand out.

That doesn’t mean you should ignore new developments. Stay curious, keep learning, and track emerging trends—but don’t feel pressured to pivot every time something new pops up. Most technologies don’t become obsolete overnight, and many skills are transferable across platforms and tools.

Focus on building a strong foundation, and the rest will follow.
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PwC’s Answer

- One of my strengths is being intellectually curious, I focus on skills that will help me better deliver results. Sometimes I focus on areas and topics that I am interested in but also what will bring me forward and further within the firm.

- It depends, but I usually start by considering the time I can realistically dedicate to learning. Some topics, like leadership development and mentoring, are non-negotiable, they’re essential for continuous growth. I often explore the Growth Centre to review my personalized learning path, yet my main filter is impact: I choose to invest in skills and technologies that can create meaningful value for both my team and myself.

- I think skills and technologies that excite me, that allow me to operate more independently, and that challenge me in new and interesting ways. I also think about what skills and technology are relevant in the workplace and how I will be able to leverage those skills to add value.

- It's a combination of likely durability and application both to work and my own development and interests.
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PwC’s Answer

If you don’t know it, learn it. Use it. Then decide if it is worth investing further. You never know how useful a piece of technology will be until you get your hands on it!
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Rigoberto’s Answer

Hi!

That’s a really good question.

In my case, I focus on learning new data tools because that’s the area where I currently work. I also try to stay up to date with AI-related technologies, especially those that can make my work more efficient and help me deliver better results.

I think it’s important to keep improving and developing new skills, not just to stay relevant, but to add extra value to what we do. Every new skill you learn can open doors, make your work stand out, and help you grow both personally and professionally.
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Daliborka’s Answer

Start by recognizing what you're good at and what truly excites you. It doesn't matter how trendy a skill is; if you don't love it, staying motivated and becoming the best will be tough. So, yes, follow your passion. To find it, explore and learn new things. Most precious skill = Curiosity. Be curious, ask questions, try out different ideas, and challenge the norm. Stay updated on the latest trends and technologies, and learn how to master them. Whether it's AI, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, or just using search engines to explore trends, dive deeper into these areas. Research, compare, and maybe even create a presentation for yourself or others. Most importantly, enjoy the journey!
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PwC’s Answer

- I don't know at first. I try and gauge the overall benefit of what it is and see the future potential of what it can do. And then i try it. And maybe 9/10 times its a huge waste of time, but the 1/10 times it isn't, it is so beneficial that it outweighs all the other times it didn't work out. One issue with the firm currently is the focus on constantly being billable, to the extreme maximum levels. we should allow people to have time that they are working but aren't doing client work, so they can experiment, try new things, allow ideas to percolate, etc. etc. we can't thrive if we're always only just surviving and we can't learn anything new if we're all constantly burned out.
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Ehab’s Answer

Start by discovering what truly excites you. It's okay to consider careers others recommend, but your main focus should be on what you love. Think about which classes make you feel enthusiastic. Speak with your guidance counselor to learn about jobs related to those interests. When you follow your passion, you are more likely to succeed because you'll stay engaged and do your best work.
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PwC’s Answer

- This ons is tough as there are so many new things, frameworks, etc. My way to decide is to keep a log of new things to try and then try to match them to opportunities. Server sent events is a great example. It isn't a new technology by any means but there had not been a real need for them in anything I was working until recently

- The more the better. I want to learn concepts that I can later build on as I tap into my curiosity.

- "Prioritizing the following:
- Relevancy to the role (new risk/security/etc protocols needing to be learned)
- Helping the team/firm/client
- Personal interest"
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Russ’s Answer

This is an interesting one. First, ask yourself, is this pertinent to the field you're in or want to be in and are you passionate about it? If none of those things are true, then perhaps it's not a priority. Search engineers or generative AI tools can help you get into the details too and often they would lead to specific sites which let you further dive into the details.

There is an element of diving into the unknown as well. That's okay. Maybe you're unsure if this domain you're interested in is pertinent or will be pertinent or maybe you're unsure if you're passionate about it. Then give it a try! Maybe find something small first where you can dip your toes into it. For instance: perhaps a 2 hour course on it. Then you can gauge if you want to keep going or pivot to something else.
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PwC’s Answer

- As an Experienced Associate, I look to my Seniors mainly to identify areas where I should make improvements and learn new skills/software. However, I also dedicate some time periodically to find and research new skills that will help in my job. If I find that what I'm doing is either inaccurate or inefficient I usually will not pursue those, focusing instead on the opportunities that are more reliable.

- By being curious - seeing what the teams are using, asking who has been successful and having someone show me how they did something. Then, challenging them with a tool I know, comparing the difference and leaning in to learn more. I always want to stress test, compare and learn how different opinions can help change my perspective, I never just want to be doing "the same old thing" but also don't want to adopt "the newest thing" without a checkover and some critical curiosity checks.

- First focus on skills and technologies that are relevant to one's role in the workplace as well the roles on immediate team members or supervisors. This provides opportunity for advancement in one's role/department. One can also explore skills and technologies that are relevant to other departments that may be related/connected to one's main role. Having skills in other areas outside one's main role provides opportunities to work on other areas as well as shows how valuable a person is to the firm.
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PwC’s Answer

- I decide on which skills and technologies to spend time on based on whether they can be applicable in a practical way to what I do on a daily basis. It is important to me to see a "use case" of the technology before I spend my time learning about it.

- I decide skills or technologies worth investing my time in by looking at the potential speed I or my team could gain from learning those skills.

- I decide based on both my curiosity and the needs of my role. Right now, AI is clearly a priority, so I’m actively pursuing as much training as I can. I’m also focused on strengthening my data analytics and automation skills. Even though I’m a business professional rather than an IT specialist, I see these skills as essential for the future.
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Amit’s Answer

Great question! When choosing new skills or technologies to learn, here are some helpful tips to guide you:

1. Match with Your Goals
Think about your career dreams. Does this skill help you get there? Also, do you find it interesting? Passion can boost your motivation.

2. Look at Market Demand
Check job listings and industry news to see if employers want this skill. Is the technology becoming popular in your field?

3. Versatility
Can this skill be used in different jobs or areas? For example, coding is useful in many industries.

4. Learning Resources
Are there good, easy-to-find resources like online courses or tutorials to help you learn?

5. Time and Effort vs. Benefits
Consider how long it will take to learn and how much it will help your career or projects.

6. Seek Advice
Talk to teachers, professionals, or friends who know about this area for advice.

Quick example: If you're studying computer science and notice a growing need for data science skills, and you like working with data, learning Python for data analysis might be a great move.
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Betty’s Answer

Focus on your career path by learning new skills and investing in technology that matches your interests. This approach can lead to great opportunities and success.
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John’s Answer

That's a great question and one that you'll have to come to terms with in any tech career. The challenge is that technology changes so quickly that you can easily find yourself investing time and effort in things that may be imminently replaced or superceded by the next thing that turns up.

My approach would be to invest a little effort in a lot of different things. You don't need to learn enough be an expert, but knowing enough to be useful and do the basic things is what you are aiming for. Then it's a question of waiting and seeing what you see demand for or more interest in. Don't be worried about dropping an area that is less relevant in favour of devoting more time to something that you are finding traction with. None of these skills are really 'lost' as they will all form part of your underlying base knowledge.

As you get more practiced at this, you will get a feel for what that 'basic knowledge level' needs to be - it's probably going to reduce as you get more practiced at this approach. That then allows you to pick up a few more prospective technologies in case one of those becomes the next thing to take off.
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Lin’s Answer

As a student, the skills you choose to learn outside of your classes can give you a significant edge. The key is to be strategic, focusing on what will open the most doors for internships and your first job. Here’s a simple framework to help you decide what's worth your valuable time.

1. Start with the End Goal: Your Target Internships
The most practical way to start is to look at the jobs you want in the near future. Think of it as market research for your career.

* Analyze Job Descriptions: Go to job sites like LinkedIn or Indeed and search for "software engineering intern," "data analyst intern," or whatever role excites you.

* Look for Patterns: Read through 10-15 job descriptions and make a list of the technologies and skills that appear over and over. Is every web developer internship asking for React? Does every data role require SQL and Python?

* Create a "Learning List": This simple exercise gives you a data-driven list of the most in-demand skills for your desired career path. This is your starting point.

2. Prioritize Timeless Fundamentals Over Trendy Tools
While it's tempting to jump on the newest, hottest framework, your time as a student is best spent on a solid foundation.

* Connect to Your Coursework: Use new skills to deepen what you're learning in class. If you're taking a database course, go beyond the textbook and learn practical SQL. If you're in a software design class, apply those principles by learning a popular framework like Django or React. This makes your learning more efficient and effective.

* Master One Thing First: Instead of dabbling in five different programming languages, pick one that aligns with your "Learning List" and go deep. A strong command of one language (like Python for data/AI or JavaScript for web development) is far more impressive to employers than a superficial knowledge of many.

3. Build Projects: Turn Learning into Experience
For students, a portfolio of projects is often more valuable than a high GPA. It's concrete proof that you can apply what you know.

* Learn by Doing: The moment you start learning a new skill, immediately use it to build something. It doesn't have to be a massive project. A simple personal website, a data analysis of your favorite video game, or a small mobile app are all fantastic starting points.

* Your GitHub is Your Resume: Create a GitHub profile and commit your projects to it. Document your code and write a clear README.md file explaining what the project does. Hiring managers and recruiters will look at your GitHub to see what you can do.

By aligning your learning with real-world job requirements and building a portfolio to showcase your skills, you're not just studying—you're strategically building the foundation for a successful career before you even graduate.
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Valeria’s Answer

Great question! I usually look at three things before diving into a new skill or technology:

1. Will it be useful for my goals or the field I’m interested in?
2. Is it something that’s growing or in high demand in the job market?
3. Am I genuinely curious and excited to learn it?

If it checks at least two of those boxes, it’s worth the time. It’s also smart to start small. I would recommend trying a short course or project.
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PwC’s Answer

- For technology, find a mentor or younger person who is always on the cutting edge- ask them where they’ve invested time. Today this is all about AI - try exploring Chat GPT!
- I apply a prioritization technique based on proximity to my day to day life and what can simplify or amplify my capabilities.
My energy needs to be focused on highest impact so if I can get greater performance or reduce overhead brain power I start there. I then will take a 101 level view on the technology before forming a hypothesis on applicability or spending further calories to go deeper. I think about this in terms of sprints of learning while also constant feedback or retrospective to see if I am getting the value from the effort spent learning new technology.
- Keep the curiosity you had when you first started in your career by your side. Don’t let - I’m too old - stop you from engaging in conversations about what you don’t know, what you want to know more about, and learning about things that don’t appear to have any connection to your job. At a minimum, you will be in high demand at trivia night.
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MANAHIL’s Answer

Hi there,

As a student, I usually decide which new skills or technologies to invest in by asking myself three questions:

1. Is it relevant to my future career goals?
I try to focus on skills that are in demand or directly connected to my career path.


2. Does it build on my current strengths?
If it complements what I already know, it adds more value to my learning.


3. Will it stay valuable in the future?
I look for skills that are part of long-term trends, such as digital skills, communication, or problem-solving.



I also try to balance between hard skills (like technology or data tools) and soft skills (like teamwork and adaptability), since both are important for growth.


Manahil
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Mario’s Answer

Hi, good day.

It's super important to get a grip on the Marketplace to tackle the current challenges and seize opportunities while figuring out what the real needs are out there. Nowadays, you'll come across key concepts like LML, AI, Automation, Predictive, Cloud, Security, etc. in most of your research. I totally recommend connecting with what you're personally passionate about! When you do what you love, it resonates positively with your career and your aspirations. Dive into what you genuinely enjoy doing every day and make sure to connect the dots!

Happy Journey
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