As the world continues to advance and new technologies enter the global market, the question surrounding job security and future-proofing jobs for people is becoming an increasingly hot topic. The proliferation of AI capabilities and automation, while bringing incredible benefits to the way we work, do carry the risk of making certain roles and skills obsolete.
The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2020 revealed that around 50% of the world’s employees will need to learn a new skill in the next five years to adapt to shifting skills demand and evolving employment trends.
While this might initially sound concerning, this shift in skills demand should be seen as an opportunity for employees to upskill and reskill, expanding their resumes and the value they can bring to organisations.
Salesforce Trailhead provides employees of all backgrounds and skill levels with the opportunity to refine and expand their qualifications, making them more agile and adaptable to the ever-changing world of work.
What is Trailhead?
Trailhead is an online platform offered by Salesforce offering free learning tutorials on how to use various aspects of the Salesforce suite. Trailhead was officially launched in 2014 and contains a library of different courses called Trails that consist of modules and units that break down the content, making learning easier and more enjoyable to users.
Users can complete existing trails or build their own custom trails that they can add to the Trailhead library. As users (known as “Trailblazers”) complete various courses, they earn Superbadges and certifications along the way that are accredited by Salesforce and can be added to their existing resumes. Signing up to the Trailhead platform allows users access to:
- A suite of courses focusing on different key focuses relating not just to Salesforce, but also soft skills like storytelling, leadership development and coaching.
- Virtual and in-person classes through the Trailhead Academy.
- Live Streamed and on-demand video tutorials on Trailhead Live.
- Hands-on, practical experience in the form of projects that Trailblazers can complete to test their new skills, rounding off with a post-project quiz.
Learners who join Trailhead automatically become part of the extended Trailblazer community which hosts in-person and virtual events and meet-ups and regularly discusses Trailhead courses on various discussion threads and forums.
How Can Learners and Businesses Benefit From Trailhead?
Trailhead is an easy, accessible way to learn for anyone looking to upskill or learn an entirely new skill, only requiring a stable internet connection. The platform puts the learner at the centre of every experience, from the way courses are designed to the ongoing support and facilitation offered by fellow Trailblazers.
It also adds an element of fun to completing trails through gamification, rewarding users with points, badges and sometimes even prizes for reaching certain milestones and achievements.
Using Trailhead, learners can pick their preferred courses and complete them with ease, applying these new skills in their workplace or beginning a new career. For businesses, Trailhead offers a simple and scalable way to train employees and teams.
Some of the benefits of Trailhead include:
- Corporate training made simple - Trailhead offers a variety of trails spanning several focuses like sales, marketing, human resources and IT. It also has courses focusing on specific Salesforce products and how to use them optimally within a business context.
- Access to a network of supportive resources - Trailblazers can access a diverse range of videos, how-to guides, virtual and in-person classes and instructor-led lessons, catering to every learning style and ensuring users have the support they need to complete their courses.
- Fully integrated support - For paid users of Trailblazers, quick turnaround times for support issues of 1-2 days means learners can enjoy a largely uninterrupted learning experience. There is also a larger support community made up of Trailblazers who share insight, answer questions and problem-solve together.
CloudSmiths: Partnering With Trailhead to Make a Difference
At CloudSmiths we’re proud to be taking an active role in nurturing and developing Salesforce talent within South Africa. Partnering with Dynamic Technologies, we take on graduates from their DynamicDNA learnership programme, further training them in Salesforce using Trailhead’s extensive range of online courses.
We help to facilitate their learning on Trailhead, guiding them as needed and helping them become accredited in Salesforce and ready to enter the job market.
We’re one of Africa’s largest Salesforce implementation partners and trusted advisors. We offer end-to-end Salesforce consultation, implementation, development and support services:
- Consulting and advisory services
- Salesforce development
- Salesforce licences
- Managed services and support
- Salesforce implementation
- Salesforce Training
