Two-thirds of workers taking on multiple jobs, study finds

‘Portfolio’ careers are on the rise, according to Department of Education research, with people eager to broaden their skills and experience.

According to Department of Education (DfE) data, two-thirds of workers are taking on numerous jobs or want to do so, with the number of people with ‘portfolio’ careers increasing during lockdown.

According to the findings of a survey of 2,000 persons in England, 63% already have numerous roles as part of a portfolio profession or aim to do so in the future.

Furthermore, a quarter of employed persons (26%) would choose a portfolio career now or in the future.

The government, in collaboration with OnePoll, performed a research in November that indicated that 37% more persons have a portfolio career than before the outbreak.

A fifth (22%) of those who chose a portfolio job claimed that the desire to do something different was the primary motivator, while 17% said that the desire to retrain was a factor in their decision.

It comes as the Department for Education (DfE) has urged professionals to combine their careers with part-time or flexible further education roles in order to share their sector knowledge and skills.

The government is encouraging people with “significant industrial experience” to teach their skill or trade at further education colleges through its Further Education Teacher Recruitment Campaign.

According to the Department for Education, competent individuals were in high demand in fields such as legal, manufacturing, health and social care, and information technology.

Teaching as part of a portfolio career, according to Helen Tupper, co-founder and CEO of Amazing If, is a “great way to make the most of current skills while attempting something new, and can help boost people’s feeling of purpose, enhancing their satisfaction at work over time.”

“Portfolio careers provide people the opportunity and flexibility to attempt different jobs to find what they need from work,” she continued. They assist people in developing and demonstrating talents in a variety of settings, as well as expanding their network and speeding up their learning.”