Globally, the need for highly skilled technical workers is enormous. According to World Economic Forum44% of workers’ skills will be disrupted in the next five years, and 60% of employees will need training by 2027. Added to this is a growing skills shortage as more companies embrace AI and other digital technologies.
In the United States, companies will need to hire or create nearly 2 million new technical roles over the next five years to implement and maintain emerging technologies, while an additional 34 million people will be needed over the next five years in India. These are just two of the many countries that will see demand for tech talent.
This presents a once-in-a-lifetime challenge and opportunity for leaders in 2025. As AI is transforming the workforcewe have an opportunity to rethink a future where work is more human, opportunities are universal and we thrive on purposefulness. But we need to think differently about how we approach our enterprise learning strategy, for the entire talent ecosystem.
In the past, corporate learning has followed a predictable pattern: onboarding, periodic eLearning and mandatory compliance training. Although important, it is difficult for students to find time for these long courses. The content is often generic and irrelevant. When students do not feel connected to the content, they will disengage and will not retain the information. We need to address this with a revised Learning Strategy 2025.
We have an opportunity to rewrite the playbook by moving from static, time-bound learning to an agile, employee-centric experience that adapts to a person and their unique needs. Here’s how learning and development leaders can make it happen for employees, customers, partners and communities in the coming year:
1. Streamline learning initiatives.
When technology changes at the speed of light, standing still in learning and development means falling behind in innovation. By 2025, leaders will need to create a learning journey that is continuous and equips people with new skills and knowledge to keep up with the speed of change. This requires building a learning experience around a unified profile that knows someone’s skills, experiences and ambitions and can connect these elements to business needs.
It’s not just about creating more content. It has to be done easier for students to find what they need when they need it. Technology can help by curating content based on a learner’s role, experiences and goals.
We must also create a global playground for learning that fosters and encourages experimentation and the development of uniquely human skills. Think of it as a technology sandbox environment that lets people beta test new features. A learning playground can offer a safe space for people to try new skills, explore, make mistakes and learn without the pressure of a performance evaluation.
2. Improve employee engagement.
To keep students engaged in 2025, we need to move from passive learning to active skills that adapt to both individual and business needs. Consider streaming platforms such as Netflix and Spotify. These platforms keep us coming back for more because they are personalized and adapt to our interests and behaviors. Why can’t learning platforms and experiences be the same?
Whether a learner is onboarding, working on a project or developing a new skill, training should be tailored and delivered within the flow of their day-to-day work. Imagine having access to just-in-time learning where the content you need finds you exactly when and where you need it. Just before a sales call, for example, you receive a proactive recommendation on a course in the art of negotiation.
This approach is not only more efficient but also more impactful. By providing predictive, personalized and relevant learning, organizations can increase engagement and retention while giving people the support they need to continue to grow. This is a shift from simply building a learning library to connecting students to the right content at the right time. It is about learning that works for an employee rather than an employee working for learning.
3. Measure success.
To adapt and optimize learning and development strategies for maximum impact, we need data-driven insights that assess how effective learning programs are. We need to create a learning culture built on a foundation of open and honest feedback. This includes capturing feedback in the moment—when a learner completes a task, gets help, asks a question, or completes a training session—as well as on an ongoing, annual basis, such as through pulse and employee voice surveys.
Doing so gives employees an opportunity to improve learning. It also helps leaders and HR managers gain insight into their teams’ needs and opportunities for improvement.
Instead of seeing AI as a threat that will eliminate jobs in the coming year, we should see it as a powerful tool that empowers and empowers individuals and increases capabilities so people can focus on meaningful work that drives business forward. Quite simply, because AI creates new jobs and a need for competence developmentit also empowers leaders to provide employees, partners, customers and communities with access to personalized experiences that combine organizational needs with talent development.
If we want to maximize the potential of AI and technology, we need to create a safe space where people can be pushed outside their comfort zone, try new things, test, fail and learn. In doing so, we will attract and develop the best talent, facilitate career advancement and drive workforce growth – and ensure that businesses and the wider ecosystem are equipped with the skills needed to win.
