In today’s job market, the message from employees worldwide is clear: Build our skills, or we’ll walk.
The 2025 Randstad Workmonitor reveals a workforce increasingly prioritizing learning and development, with a striking four in 10 surveyed workers ready to quit if they don’t get proper learning opportunities. This ultimatum comes amid an unprecedented surge in demand for AI, data and cybersecurity skills, creating a perfect storm where both employers and employees are racing to future-proof careers against technological disruption.
Employees crave skills opportunities
The report, now in its 22nd edition, surveyed more than 26,000 workers across 35 global markets. Training and development importance holds steady at 72%—slightly below the 76% peak of 2022-23—with a commitment to skill-building stronger than ever. Nearly a quarter (23%) of workers told Randstad they’ve already left a job in the past due to insufficient learning opportunities, a number that’s up from 16% in 2024.
Employers are responding: Sixty-four percent of workers report receiving future-proofing skills support (up from 52% last year), and 34% note increased learning opportunities in the past six months. Randstad found that employees in North America and APAC are more likely to feel supported by their employers in future-proofing their skills. In contrast, organizations in Southern Europe and Latin America may have room for improvement.
However, “skills development” is a broad term. To dig into this topic, I examined Coursera’s Industry Skills Brief, which was released in November 2024 and analyzes learner proficiency, identifies global skill trends and spotlights roles engaged with future-critical workforce skills. Here are some highlights:
- Generative AI surges: Gen AI course enrollments skyrocketed year-over-year by 1,158% across industries (retail highest at 1,788%). Eighty-nine percent of executives rank AI as a top-three tech priority.
- Professional certificate growth: There was an 18% year-over-year overall enrollment increase, with the energy sector leading at 324%. Eighty-eight percent of employers value these credentials in job applications.
- Data skills are essential: Data-focused certificates consistently rank among top programs. Nearly 25% of U.S. job postings now require data science skills.
- Leadership skills remain vital: Leadership development, change management, negotiation and collaboration remain crucial across industries.
- Cybersecurity is a priority: There’s high demand across professional services, energy and technology sectors as data protection concerns grow.
HR tech in the news
Microsoft has announced it will retire Skype in May 2025 and shift its focus to a free version of Microsoft Teams. According to the tech giant, this move will streamline its free consumer communication services and better adapt to customer needs
Bullhorn, which provides cloud-based software for staffing agencies, recently published its GRID 2025 Report, finding top firms are 57% more likely to be advanced in digital transformation, leveraging AI and automation for faster placements, higher redeployment and growth.
Digital employee experience solution Nexthink warns that poor onboarding for IT and tech talent will cost U.S. organizations $2.2 billion annually, with 25% of new IT hires quitting after a bad onboarding experience.
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