A deep dive into skill development

In a rapidly evolving, connected world, continuous learning, upskilling, and reskilling are fundamental to creating more opportunities – both for yourself and your business.

According to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) ‘Future of Jobs Report 2025’, ‘workers can expect that two-fifths of their existing skill sets will be transformed or outdated over the 2025-2030 period.’ Technological advancements (such as automation), expectations of employees, and industry shifts are behind many of these evolving skill demands.

But why is ensuring your skills remain relevant and valuable so vital? CIPD list several examples:

•       Professional development and career advancement – higher earning potential, new opportunities, more competitive
•       Meeting current and future business demands
•       Aligning with industry trends and developments
•       Improved productivity, efficiency, and economic growth
•       Talent management and succession planning.

Today’s job market is highly competitive, ever-evolving, and fast-paced. Thinking ahead to what new skills will be needed in tomorrow’s world of work – and taking action to acquire them – will only put you in a stronger position.

Aligning skill development with future career opportunities

Understanding your career paths, the specific skills required to excel in them, and the status of your current skills outlook means asking yourself a few questions:

• What are your career goals? Do you have short-term and long-term objectives? What roles or industries interest you? Are there any trends shaping those sectors (for example, green manufacturing within fast-moving consumer goods or artificial intelligence within healthcare)?
• What skills are required in your chosen career? Have you examined industry reports, LinkedIn profiles, or job descriptions? What is the mix of hard skills and soft skills (such as project management versus critical thinking)?
• What are your current skills? Have you conducted a frank self-assessment of your skills? Are there peers or mentors you can ask for constructive feedback? What skills stand between where you are and where you need to be?
• What learning goals are required? Which of the required skills and competencies are in highest demand? Are transferable across multiple industries? Are aligned with your own interests?
• What ‘skill development pathways’ are needed? Do you need to enrol in a training programme to achieve certification? Are there industry or professional networks you can join? What real-world practice is available to you?
• How robust is your CV or portfolio? Are they up to date? Have your skills been applied in tangible, measurable ways (for example, in projects, key achievements, and metrics)?

Remember: career opportunities and job roles evolve, so it’s beneficial to revisit trends and keep a keen eye on industry developments.

Identifying skill gaps

Looking again at WEF findings, ‘skills gaps are categorically considered the biggest barrier (by 63% of employers) to business transformation:

•       85% of employers plan to prioritise upskilling their workforces
•       70% of employers expect to hire staff with new skills
•       40% of employers plan to reduce staff as skills become less relevant
•       50% of employers plan to transition staff from declining to growing roles.

So, where to begin in identifying your own skill gaps and those of your teams? One widely adopted tool is the skills gap analysis. It’s used to assess the difference (or ‘gap’) between a workforce’s existing capabilities and those required to meet current and future business needs. It identifies skill sets that aren’t yet in place for team members to perform their roles effectively.

It can identify hard skills/technical skills (analytics, project management, coding) and soft skills (problem solving, critical thinking, communication). Once the current and desired skills have been analysed, HR teams can design appropriate interventions – anything from training and development initiatives to redesigning job roles to hiring new team members.

Key skills to develop in 2025

Supporting workforces to acquire the right mix of hard skills and soft skills – technical and human – will play a pivotal role in preparing for our evolving business climate.

WEF’s report states that tech-focused skills (such as AI, big data, networking, cybersecurity, and technological literacy) are predicted to grow fastest in terms of importance and speed. Creative thinking, lifelong learning, agility, flexibility, and curiosity are also high on the list. Other soft skills, including social influence, talent management, environmental stewardship, and leadership also rank in the top 10.

Skill Up list the 15 most profitable skills in the UK to develop as:

1. Data analysis
2. Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI)
3. Software development
4. User experience
5. Web development
6. Project management
7. Account management
8. Digital marketing
9. Content creation and management
10. Sales
11. Video filming and editing
12. Languages
13. Foreign Currency Exchange Trading (FOREX)
14. Trade skills
15. Recruitment.

Tackling organisation-wide skill development

The answer to upskilling at scale is to establish an organisational culture of lifelong learning (also known as continuous learning). Encouraging curiosity, adaptability, experimentation, and continuous skill development must occur at all levels of the organisation – from senior executives to new recruits.

It requires authentic, ongoing leadership commitment – which looks like modelling learning behaviour and a ‘growth mindset’, proactive engagement with growth opportunities, and making learning a cornerstone within wider strategic values. Where possible, embed learning into daily tasks – such as knowledge-sharing sessions, real-time feedback, microlearning activities, and reflecting and experimenting within routine processes.

Make sure employee growth and learning opportunities are highly accessible. Offering diverse formats (mentorship, peer learning sessions, online certifications, cross-functional projects, workshops) that are readily accessible to all, but tailored to different roles, works well. Recognising and rewarding learning, ensuring psychological safety, personalising career growth plans, and measuring and evaluating progress are also highly impactful.

Enhance your skills with Keele University

At Keele, we offer a range of fully online master’s programmes designed to support professional growth alongside work and personal commitments.

Whether you’re looking to move into a new industry, build on your current expertise, or explore a new discipline, our online courses provide opportunities to build relevant knowledge and skills identified in industry reports as increasingly important.

Our programmes span areas such as computer science, education, management, and public health – with flexible study options that allow you to learn wherever you are.