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Changes in the workplace are nothing unusual these days. Even in public institutions, technological innovations and new regulations regularly lead to changes in responsibilities – requiring employees to acquire new competences and knowledge. Does this mean organisations need to recruit new staff from outside? Not always – this is where upskilling and reskilling come in.
Familiar needs, new terms
When continuity, loyalty and trust matter, retraining an employee who already knows the organisation and has worked there for years can be a good solution. Changes in qualifications can vary in scope. The terms upskilling and reskilling are increasingly used in this context (see the report by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development – PARP). In simple terms:
- Upskilling means developing existing competences. It is the process of acquiring new skills within your current career path. For example, a graphic designer learns to use new AI-powered tools, while an accountant masters advanced systems for automating financial settlements.
- Reskilling means retraining for a different occupation. It is the process of gaining entirely new qualifications so that you can work in a different profession – for example, moving from a job as a sales representative to testing the latest computer games.
Why is this so important? According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), more than one billion workers worldwide will need to undergo reskilling by 2030 (see the WEF’s proposals). Constant changes, particularly technological and environmental ones (the so-called green transition), are forcing us to rethink how we understand occupations and qualifications.
Lifelong learning goes beyond formal education
The idea of lifelong learning is not just about implementing national policies or following guidelines issued by international organisations. It can be part of your own everyday experience – you can pursue your interests, explore your curiosity, try different paths and go beyond school-based education. All of this supports your personal and professional development. Formal education completed when you were younger provides a strong foundation, but further courses, training, professional experience and self-directed learning also contribute to your CV.
What if you want to have your skills officially recognised? The kwalifikacje.gov.pl portal and the Integrated Qualifications Register (IQR) can help.
The portal and Register – support within the system
The portal offers much more than essential information. Of course, you will find instructions and practical advice in longer publications and short articles. But it is also a place where you can use free applications. These can help you identify your competences and potential, suggest goals and point you towards suitable qualifications. The tools are tailored to users’ ages and needs – for example, the Sectoral Vocational Education Compass is designed for people looking for a suitable vocational school, while the ZeteRKa chatbot can guide anyone who wants to identify their competences and plan their development pathway.
And if you would prefer to browse and compare qualifications yourself, use the Integrated Qualifications Register – a nationwide database containing more than 19,000 qualifications (as at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025).
How can this tool help with upskilling and reskilling?
- Define your goal: do you want to become better at what you already do (upskilling), or do you need to move in a completely new direction (reskilling)?
- Review your options: visit the Integrated Qualifications Register and check which qualifications are available in your current sector and which ones relate to the field you are interested in.
- Check your level: each qualification in the Register has an assigned level of the Polish Qualifications Framework (PQF) – this will help you understand where you currently stand and what your next step could be.
- Choose your certification pathway: the qualification entry provides information on where you can obtain the qualification or how you can have your skills, knowledge and competences formally recognised.
- …and take action!
IQR – a source of data and insights beyond qualifications
The Integrated Qualifications Register is a powerful tool that helps not only people looking for new qualifications or information about the labour market, but also employers, training providers and advisers. The number of qualifications and the amount of data in the Register grow every year. It is worth taking a closer look at the data collected up to 31 December 2025 – they show the scale of the IQR’s activities, including key information about certificates, qualifications, and the operation and development of the tool itself.
Explore the summary of activities in 2025, ‘IQR in Numbers’:
- animation: YouTube link,
- presentation: PDF file (1,683 kB).
Time for a change?
Upskilling and reskilling have become a regular part of working life, reflecting the rapid changes taking place in the labour market. Although they require employees to adapt and make an effort, they can genuinely improve working conditions and wellbeing.
Sometimes, even one new qualification can make a difference – helping you secure a promotion, develop your competences or retrain for a different occupation. We hope the portal and the Integrated Qualifications Register will help you find the right one.
Want to know more?
Read about the ‘IQR in Numbers’ report here: link to the article.
Find out more about reskilling here: link to the article.
Listen to a podcast about choosing your path in life and lifelong learning: link to the podcast.
Sources
Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (2025). Reskilling and upskilling as a response to changes in the labour market. https://en.parp.gov.pl/storage/publications/pdf/Raport-tematyczny_re-upskilling_dost.pdf (accessed: 22 April 2026)
World Economic Forum (23 January 2026). How the Reskilling Revolution will prepare future workers. https://www.weforum.org/impact/reskilling-revolution-preparing-1-billion-people-for-tomorrows-economy/ (accessed: 22 April 2026)