Reskilling and Upskilling the Workforce: Text Mining to Identify Patterns and Trends in Research

Abstract

In the aftermath of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the seismic shifts triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the labor market has undergone a significant transformation, compelling a reassessment of workforce competencies. This study delivers a comprehensive analysis of the emerging trends in reskilling and upskilling initiatives, which are pivotal for adapting to these shifts. Employing text mining techniques through Voyant Tools, we meticulously examined a corpus of 68 academic articles from the Web of Science database, all related to workforce development. Our methodological framework encompassed a thorough statistical analysis to distill and scrutinize term frequencies, inter-term relationships, and the overarching sentiment within the scholarly dialogue. The outcomes of this inquiry provide a sophisticated understanding of the prevailing academic terrain, accentuating the central themes and lacunae in the extant research corpus. The revelations from this preliminary study make a significant contribution to the domain of human capital development. The findings lay down an empirical groundwork for future studies in this sphere, poised to furnish strategic insights crucial for crafting robust career development programs. By illuminating the imperative of perpetual learning and skill enhancement, this paper adds to the conversation on equipping a resilient workforce, ready to excel in the dynamic, tech-centric economy that lies ahead.