Can you really learn new hard skills while working full-time?

Illustration: TBS

Humayun Ahmed works at an automobile company as part of their service team. From diagnosing issues in systems to coordinating with junior staff, his days are packed. But even after nearly a year in the role, he sensed that something was holding him back.

Bite-sized: Can you really learn new hard skills while working full-time?

"I realised that I wasn't moving up the ladder the way I wanted to. Experience alone wasn't cutting it. To grow, I needed to learn a skill aligned with where the industry was headed," he said.

For Humayun, that skill was C programming — a foundational language used in automation, embedded systems and intelligent diagnostics. As the automobile sector shifts towards automated services and smart systems, engineers like him are expected to know more than just mechanics.

"In our sector, there's a huge demand for engineers who understand automation. I knew that if I could learn C programming, I would be in a much stronger position for promotion and new responsibilities," he said.

He found a few online courses. But the actual challenge was finding the time and energy to learn.

"Most of these courses take place during working hours. And even when I enrolled in a self-paced one, I struggled a lot. After a full day of work, I would sit at my desk to learn, but my body would give up before my mind did. I couldn't find any motivation at all."

In an era where professional advancement is increasingly tied to acquiring hard skills — like coding, graphic design, or financial modelling — many full-time workers find themselves torn between ambition and exhaustion.

Illyeen Noweed, a journalist at a Dhaka-based news agency, faced a similar challenge, albeit from a different front.

"As a journalist, I'm constantly exposed to skill-building opportunities. Video editing, data analysis, visual storytelling — these are all things I could benefit from. But right now, every bit of my focus is on my daughter," she said.

Her daughter is two-years-old. Illyeen juggles newsroom deadlines by day and bedtime routines by night.

"People often talk about time management, but when you have a toddler, there's no managing time. There's only surviving it," she added.

For now, she thinks that her professional growth has taken a back seat. "Career-wise, I feel like I'm stuck. I'm not learning anything new, and I can see others moving forward while I'm just holding ground," she said.

Still, there are those who manage to break through, though rarely without sacrifice.

Mahir Daiyan Ruddro, a marketing executive at a creative agency, recently taught himself graphic design, a skill that had always seemed to be connected to his line of work.

"In marketing, visuals carry a lot of weight, whether it's presentations or campaigns, strong design makes your ideas stand out," he said.

He had noticed that while his strategies were sound, his presentation materials lacked the proper visual finishing. Instead of outsourcing to the design team every time, Ruddro decided to learn the basics himself.

"I started learning illustration and graphic tools like Illustrator and Photoshop. It wasn't easy — I work full-time, and I only get Fridays and Saturdays off. I invested my weekends in learning, often sacrificing sleep and social gatherings," he said.

"I took almost three times longer than a regular person would. I had to pause, restart, and repeat lessons because I couldn't practise daily. But I stayed at it."

The results were worth the effort. Within seven months, Ruddro's work was visibly different.

"My presentations became more refined, my campaigns more visually engaging. I no longer had to wait for edits or revisions — I could do it all by myself."

Because of this, he was promoted and received a raise shortly after.

"Learning that skill gave my career a real push. It showed that I could take ownership beyond my role. That kind of initiative opens doors," he said.

What the data tells us

According to the 2024 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report, 89 percent of professionals believe upskilling leads to greater job opportunities. Yet 65 percent of full-time employees cite lack of time as their biggest barrier to learning. Fatigue, lack of structure, and course timing are other major obstacles.

With platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and edX offering on-demand learning, many assume the path to upskilling has never been easier. But digital access doesn't always translate to progress.

Online courses are easy to access, but that does not mean they are easy to finish. In the book, The Plateau Effect, the authors Bob Sullivan and Hugh Thompson explain that it is not always about how motivated someone is; it is about whether they have a clear plan and enough support. 

After a long day at work, learning something new can feel more like a burden than a way forward. People aren't lazy — they're tired. The book also identifies the false assumption that someone can work all day and study all night without facing a problem. That kind of pressure often leads to burnout. 

What really helps is having the right system in place, like mentors, friends to learn with, or a flexible routine that fits into daily life. Learning works best when it's smart and realistic, not just hard.

So, is it truly possible to learn new hard skills while working full-time?

The answer is yes, but there are some challenges.

Success in this depends not only on individual discipline but also on how flexible the skill-building process and the environment are. Weekend classes, microlearning modules, and peer support can make a significant difference.

Employers, too, have a role to play. Some companies now offer internal upskilling sessions during working hours, some even sponsor external training, or allocate "learning days" each month.

"I think we need to normalise slower learning, just because you're not learning at lightning speed doesn't mean you're not making progress," said Ruddro.

Illyeen also shared her hopeful thoughts, "Maybe now isn't the right time for me, but that doesn't mean I will never get to it. I've learned to be patient with myself," she said.

"I may not have the energy to pull off three-hour sessions. But if I can manage 30 minutes a day, that's a start. I still believe it'll be worth it," she concluded.