Why are ‘skills of the future’, ‘upskilling’ and ‘reskilling’ so trending?

Trends from the L&D Global Sentiment Surveys

While upskilling, reskilling, and future-proofing employees' skills in general, have always been central to Learning and Development (L&D), these topics have gained significant momentum in recent years. This trend is also noticeable in the L&D Global Sentiment Surveys (GSS), where these terms have consistently ranked highly: upskilling and reskilling debuted on the list in 2021 and held the number one spot for three consecutive years (!) until they were overtaken by Artificial Intelligence in 2024.

However, the need for upskilling and reskilling employees is nothing new; history is full of examples, from the rapid technological innovations of the industrial revolution to the mainstream adoption of computers and the internet. And skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and adaptability have always been essential, right? So, what explains their recent rise in popularity?

Pandemic

The timing (2021) of these terms' appearance in the GSS is no coincidence. Although the pandemic period feels like a blur for many, several clear trends emerged during this time. The most notable was the rapid digital transformation, driven by the necessity of remote work. This shift also highlighted the importance of soft skills such as resilience, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and effective communication. Leaders had to navigate their teams through these challenges remotely, maintaining engagement and productivity; a real test of their leadership skills.

Changing job market

“The job market is evolving quickly, with many traditional roles being disrupted or even becoming obsolete. Due to the mismatch between vacancies and available profiles, employers are now incentivized to invest in new or different skills for their existing workforce," says Jill Sniekers, Human Development consultant.

Nico De Neve, Business Consultant L&D adds: "And for new hires who may not fully meet the job requirements, we need to provide the necessary skills and knowledge. Take bookkeepers, for example, a profession with very high demand. Even if candidates don't have the exact qualifications, but do have the right attitude, we hire them and provide upskilling. Upskilling in this sense has a much broader scope: it’s not just about hard skills, consider soft skills and behavior training. That is why we introduced our Academies: two-year training programmes that allow us to bring our employees to a whole new level."

The question 'Will AI take over your job?' is also widespread today. "In this context, it’s interesting to take a look in the rearview mirror", Nico continues. "There is an older generation whose educational background is very different from what is required for the same jobs today. Technological advancements in fields such as auto mechanics or carpentry have already introduced a whole new set of skills needed for these professions.”

Increasing competition, for businesses and on the job market

"Moreover, there is a significant shift in job functions and roles, requiring new or different competencies. While changing technologies have always been a factor, I think now it’s at a faster pace, pushing both companies and employees to innovate and improve efficiency to stay competitive", Laura Evenepoel, Care Manager, explains. "The stress associated with this demands agility, resilience, and strong, creative problem-solving skills, some of the so-called skills of the future."

Conclusion - Nothing new, but the pace has increased

Indeed, the concepts of upskilling, reskilling, and skills of the future are nothing new. Throughout history, maybe even since the dawn of humanity, these have been crucial for progress and innovation.
However, the pace and importance of investing in these areas have increased significantly over the years, making them more prominent. And while we believe they are the core of L&D, it is now more important than ever to position them as a strategic pillar of your employee development strategy.

Discover the other blogs in this blog series

• How to translate L&D efforts into learning?
• Should L&D experts put more effort into measuring ROI?
• Should L&D professionals be subject matter experts?