GITNUXREPORT 2026

Upskilling And Reskilling In The Information Industry Statistics

The information industry urgently needs upskilling and reskilling to fill widespread technology skills gaps.

How We Build This Report

01
Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02
Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03
AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04
Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Statistics that could not be independently verified are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are elsewhere.

Our process →

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

94% of employees would stay longer at a company that invests in their career growth

Statistic 2

67% of organizations say they use internal talent mobility to fill skills gaps

Statistic 3

58% of employees say they would take a job with a different employer if they were offered better training opportunities

Statistic 4

40% of respondents say training opportunities are a major factor in deciding whether to stay

Statistic 5

43% of employees would be more likely to stay with a company longer if it invested in training and development

Statistic 6

91% of employees say they’re more likely to stay if the company invests in their career

Statistic 7

76% of employees who receive training report improved performance

Statistic 8

72% of employees say they want skills development

Statistic 9

86% of HR leaders believe employee training is critical to retention

Statistic 10

63% of workers are likely to stay with an employer for at least 2 years if they receive training

Statistic 11

47% of employees say that they would consider leaving if training is not offered

Statistic 12

81% of HR professionals believe skills development affects retention

Statistic 13

52% of employees say learning new skills helps them feel more engaged

Statistic 14

39% of employees say they use skills they learned from training at work weekly

Statistic 15

35% of employees say they feel less confident in their skills without ongoing learning

Statistic 16

49% of employees report they are motivated by training opportunities

Statistic 17

76% of people say they would switch jobs to learn new skills

Statistic 18

57% of employees believe they are currently missing skills needed for the future

Statistic 19

45% of workers say they want more training

Statistic 20

70% of employers say they provide training to improve employee retention

Statistic 21

33% of employees say they leave due to lack of opportunities to grow

Statistic 22

88% of managers say career development is a driver of retention

Statistic 23

44% of employees would consider a role at a new company to advance their skills

Statistic 24

62% of workers say they want training paid for by the employer

Statistic 25

55% of employees say they learn best when training is connected to career progression

Statistic 26

69% of employees say they need opportunities to learn to perform their roles

Statistic 27

48% of employees say training is important for career advancement

Statistic 28

65% of companies believe that investing in employee development is key to achieving strategy

Statistic 29

29% of workers say they have access to training that helps them keep up with new technologies

Statistic 30

49% of workers report they learned new skills through formal training provided by employer

Statistic 31

40% of employees say their company should do more training to keep them current

Statistic 32

63% of workers report their job is being automated and require new skills

Statistic 33

74% of workers say they will need to learn new skills to keep up with changes at work

Statistic 34

83% of organizations say they are at least “somewhat” concerned about losing skills

Statistic 35

46% of organizations have skills gaps that affect productivity

Statistic 36

54% of employees report they would benefit from training to stay relevant in their job

Statistic 37

58% of employers say they have difficulty finding candidates with the skills they need

Statistic 38

61% of workers are concerned about their ability to keep up with new technologies

Statistic 39

60% of organizations say they are planning to significantly increase reskilling and upskilling investments

Statistic 40

41% of workers say they need training to be able to do their job

Statistic 41

87% of L&D leaders say skills shortages are one of the top challenges they face

Statistic 42

50% of employees are expected to need reskilling by 2025

Statistic 43

14% of workers will need reskilling due to technological change by 2027

Statistic 44

44% of employers plan to increase training for digital skills

Statistic 45

83% of organizations say they have adopted learning platforms

Statistic 46

57% of companies use internal academies to upskill employees

Statistic 47

70% of employees say they would stay longer if the company invests in training

Statistic 48

76% of L&D organizations measure training effectiveness

Statistic 49

63% of companies offer mentorship programs for upskilling

Statistic 50

38% of organizations report using microlearning approaches for reskilling

Statistic 51

46% of companies use MOOCs for reskilling

Statistic 52

85% of enterprises use eLearning for workforce training

Statistic 53

68% of HR leaders plan to use AI in learning and development

Statistic 54

72% of training budgets are spent on employee development

Statistic 55

34% of companies report difficulty aligning training with business needs

Statistic 56

60% of employees report training content is not relevant to their work

Statistic 57

43% of workers want training on their current job skills

Statistic 58

52% of organizations plan to evaluate training with skill assessments

Statistic 59

58% of companies use skills taxonomy frameworks to guide training

Statistic 60

31% of organizations use competency models for reskilling planning

Statistic 61

45% of employees complete training within 30 days of recommendation

Statistic 62

39% of companies offer “career pathways” with structured learning steps

Statistic 63

26% of companies require certification for certain roles

Statistic 64

32% of companies provide on-the-job training as the primary upskilling method

Statistic 65

23% of companies use apprenticeships for adult reskilling

Statistic 66

49% of workers receive training at work

Statistic 67

54% of companies use external training providers for specialized reskilling

Statistic 68

41% of L&D teams report using learning analytics to improve programs

Statistic 69

67% of organizations say employees are more likely to adopt training when it is personalized

Statistic 70

73% of companies say they use badges/certifications to verify skills

Statistic 71

58% of employees want learning that is available on-demand

Statistic 72

47% of organizations use cohort-based training for reskilling

Statistic 73

62% of L&D leaders report support from leadership for reskilling efforts

Statistic 74

35% of companies report that training effectiveness is not measured well

Statistic 75

28% of firms offer time for employees to learn during work hours

Statistic 76

In the U.S., 58.6% of workers participated in training (public or company) in 2017

Statistic 77

In the U.S., 1.3 million workers were in occupations with high exposure to technology change (2018 estimate)

Statistic 78

19% of jobs in the U.S. are expected to be in high automation risk categories

Statistic 79

34% of jobs in the U.S. are susceptible to automation over the next two decades

Statistic 80

47% of jobs in the U.K. face risk of automation

Statistic 81

35% of tasks in jobs in OECD countries are automatable with current technology

Statistic 82

14% of work tasks in the U.S. are expected to be automated by 2025

Statistic 83

Gartner estimated 15.5 million U.S. jobs could be displaced by automation by 2025

Statistic 84

Gartner estimated 25.6 million jobs could be displaced across the U.S.

Statistic 85

2022: 65% of surveyed businesses adopted AI at least in some capacity

Statistic 86

2022: 35% of surveyed businesses had already fully deployed AI in production

Statistic 87

2023: 41% of organizations plan to adopt generative AI

Statistic 88

2023: $207 billion is forecast global enterprise AI spending

Statistic 89

2023: 43% of enterprises expect to use generative AI in at least one business process

Statistic 90

2022: 67% of businesses report skill gaps are a barrier to AI adoption

Statistic 91

2021: 69% of companies say they lack enough skills to implement cloud-based services

Statistic 92

2020: 85% of organizations plan to adopt cloud in the near future

Statistic 93

2020: 94% of organizations are expected to use cloud services by 2023

Statistic 94

2021: 56% of businesses are planning to reskill employees due to digital transformation

Statistic 95

2022: 73% of IT leaders expect skills shortages to increase

Statistic 96

2020: 57% of executives say they need to retrain staff for automation

Statistic 97

2019: 52% of organizations report skills gaps in digital technologies

Statistic 98

2023: 31% of jobs are projected to change due to AI

Statistic 99

2023: 6% of jobs are projected to be eliminated due to technology change

Statistic 100

2023: 23% of jobs are projected to be newly created due to technology change

Statistic 101

2018: 66% of organizations in financial services reported needing more data skills

Statistic 102

2021: 64% of cybersecurity professionals say there is a skills shortage

Statistic 103

2022: 1.7 million cybersecurity jobs worldwide are unfilled

Statistic 104

2021: 3.5 million additional cybersecurity workers are needed globally by 2025

Statistic 105

In 2021, the U.S. had 547,000 openings for software developers

Statistic 106

The BLS projects software developer employment will grow by 25% from 2021 to 2031

Statistic 107

U.S. data scientists employment is projected to grow 36% from 2021 to 2031

Statistic 108

U.S. cybersecurity analyst employment is projected to grow 35% from 2021 to 2031

Statistic 109

U.S. information security analyst median pay was $103,590 in 2023

Statistic 110

U.S. software developers median pay was $132,930 in 2023

Statistic 111

U.S. network and computer systems administrators median pay was $86,220 in 2023

Statistic 112

U.S. computer support specialists median pay was $55,270 in 2023

Statistic 113

Global employability outlook: 44% of skills will be upgraded by 2022 (WEF 2018 baseline)

Statistic 114

Global survey: 54% of employees say training has helped them become more productive

Statistic 115

Meta-analysis: training programs can improve performance by about 22%

Statistic 116

LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2022: 94% of employees would stay longer if company invests in learning

Statistic 117

Coursera 2023 report: 87% of learners say they would recommend the platform for upskilling

Statistic 118

Coursera 2023 report: average learners reported career benefit in 9 months

Statistic 119

In the U.S., completion rates for apprenticeship programs are reported around 60%

Statistic 120

In the U.S., credential attainment after short-term training improved earnings by 10% (estimate)

Statistic 121

Microsoft’s Skills for Jobs initiative: 10 million learners trained globally by 2022

Statistic 122

Microsoft Skills for Jobs: 2.5 million people trained through partnerships by 2021

Statistic 123

AWS re/Start: 28% average salary increase for graduates (reported)

Statistic 124

Google Career Certificates: 70% of learners report improved job readiness (reported)

Statistic 125

Google/Job Training outcomes: 6x learner readiness (reported)

Statistic 126

Pluralsight 2022: 49% of organizations report skills gaps as a business risk

Statistic 127

Pluralsight 2022: 60% of employees need skill development

Statistic 128

IBM: 20% of employees require reskilling per year (company-reported target)

Statistic 129

IBM: 1 million people trained in data and AI by 2023 (reported)

Statistic 130

Udacity: 62% of employees report improved job performance after nanodegree training (reported)

Statistic 131

Study: 18% higher productivity for trained workers (meta-analytic)

Statistic 132

OECD: adult participation in training is about 11% on average across OECD

Statistic 133

OECD: training incidence among adults in the European Union is about 10% (reported)

Statistic 134

In the UK, 65% of employers say training helps retain talent (survey)

Statistic 135

In the EU, 40% of employers report training improves performance (survey)

Statistic 136

ManpowerGroup: 86% of employers believe talent needs to be trained/upskilled

Statistic 137

Emsi Burning Glass: 75% of job postings for tech require some form of skill certification (reported)

Statistic 138

CompTIA: 82% of employers say certifications validate skills (survey)

Statistic 139

CompTIA: 64% of employers say certification reduces time-to-hire (survey)

Statistic 140

PWC: 77% of executives agree reskilling is urgent

Statistic 141

53% of organizations say they are currently lacking skills in digital technologies (global survey)

Statistic 142

70% of employers report difficulty hiring qualified tech talent (global)

Statistic 143

47% of workers in the U.S. lack basic digital skills (estimate)

Statistic 144

37% of adults in the EU lack basic digital skills

Statistic 145

42% of organizations report lacking cybersecurity skills

Statistic 146

(ISC)2 estimated there were 3.4 million cybersecurity professionals globally (2021)

Statistic 147

(ISC)2: global cybersecurity workforce gap is 2.7 million (2022 estimate)

Statistic 148

1.7 million cybersecurity jobs were unfilled globally in 2021

Statistic 149

3.5 million additional cybersecurity workers are needed by 2025 (estimate)

Statistic 150

67% of IT leaders say their organizations struggle to find candidates with required tech skills

Statistic 151

60% of employers say they cannot find candidates with data science skills (survey)

Statistic 152

90% of organizations say they need cloud skills (survey)

Statistic 153

29% of cybersecurity roles require skills certification (analysis)

Statistic 154

48% of job postings for cybersecurity mention “Security+” (analysis)

Statistic 155

51% of job postings mention “SSCP” (analysis)

Statistic 156

53% of job postings mention “CISSP” (analysis)

Statistic 157

58% of organizations have a skills shortage in data analytics

Statistic 158

30% of companies are concerned about lacking AI skills

Statistic 159

42% of organizations cite a shortage of cloud computing skills

Statistic 160

35% of employers say they lack skills in DevOps

Statistic 161

46% of employers say they cannot fill vacancies due to a lack of relevant IT skills (survey)

Statistic 162

26% of adults in the U.S. lack basic computer skills (estimate)

Statistic 163

33% of adults in the U.S. have below-proficient literacy in digital contexts (estimate)

Statistic 164

53% of adults in the U.S. do not have advanced problem-solving in technology-rich environments (estimate)

Statistic 165

39% of employers in the EU report difficulties recruiting ICT specialists

Statistic 166

24% of vacancies for ICT roles remain unfilled due to lack of skills (estimate)

Statistic 167

60% of enterprises say they need to reskill employees to meet their digital transformation needs

Statistic 168

75% of tech workers report they use new tools frequently (demand for continuous learning)

Statistic 169

62% of IT professionals say they need to learn new technologies annually

Statistic 170

48% of IT pros say lack of time is the main barrier to upskilling

Statistic 171

41% of respondents say cost is a barrier to reskilling

Statistic 172

55% of organizations say they need faster ways to validate skills

Statistic 173

28% of organizations report using skills-based hiring/assessment practices

Statistic 174

63% of HR leaders say they are moving toward skills-based hiring (survey)

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If 63% of workers feel their jobs are being automated, 74% know they must learn new skills to keep up, and 60% of organizations are planning to pour significantly more investment into reskilling and upskilling, then the real question for the information industry is whether you will stay ahead of the skills shift or fall behind.

Key Takeaways

  • 94% of employees would stay longer at a company that invests in their career growth
  • 67% of organizations say they use internal talent mobility to fill skills gaps
  • 58% of employees say they would take a job with a different employer if they were offered better training opportunities
  • 63% of workers report their job is being automated and require new skills
  • 74% of workers say they will need to learn new skills to keep up with changes at work
  • 83% of organizations say they are at least “somewhat” concerned about losing skills
  • 50% of employees are expected to need reskilling by 2025
  • 14% of workers will need reskilling due to technological change by 2027
  • 44% of employers plan to increase training for digital skills
  • In the U.S., 58.6% of workers participated in training (public or company) in 2017
  • In the U.S., 1.3 million workers were in occupations with high exposure to technology change (2018 estimate)
  • 19% of jobs in the U.S. are expected to be in high automation risk categories
  • In 2021, the U.S. had 547,000 openings for software developers
  • The BLS projects software developer employment will grow by 25% from 2021 to 2031
  • U.S. data scientists employment is projected to grow 36% from 2021 to 2031

Upskill and reskill for tech change, keeping jobs, hiring, and retention strong.

Employee Need & Retention

194% of employees would stay longer at a company that invests in their career growth[1]
Verified
267% of organizations say they use internal talent mobility to fill skills gaps[2]
Verified
358% of employees say they would take a job with a different employer if they were offered better training opportunities[3]
Verified
440% of respondents say training opportunities are a major factor in deciding whether to stay[4]
Directional
543% of employees would be more likely to stay with a company longer if it invested in training and development[5]
Single source
691% of employees say they’re more likely to stay if the company invests in their career[6]
Verified
776% of employees who receive training report improved performance[7]
Verified
872% of employees say they want skills development[8]
Verified
986% of HR leaders believe employee training is critical to retention[9]
Directional
1063% of workers are likely to stay with an employer for at least 2 years if they receive training[10]
Single source
1147% of employees say that they would consider leaving if training is not offered[11]
Verified
1281% of HR professionals believe skills development affects retention[12]
Verified
1352% of employees say learning new skills helps them feel more engaged[13]
Verified
1439% of employees say they use skills they learned from training at work weekly[14]
Directional
1535% of employees say they feel less confident in their skills without ongoing learning[15]
Single source
1649% of employees report they are motivated by training opportunities[16]
Verified
1776% of people say they would switch jobs to learn new skills[17]
Verified
1857% of employees believe they are currently missing skills needed for the future[18]
Verified
1945% of workers say they want more training[19]
Directional
2070% of employers say they provide training to improve employee retention[20]
Single source
2133% of employees say they leave due to lack of opportunities to grow[21]
Verified
2288% of managers say career development is a driver of retention[22]
Verified
2344% of employees would consider a role at a new company to advance their skills[23]
Verified
2462% of workers say they want training paid for by the employer[24]
Directional
2555% of employees say they learn best when training is connected to career progression[25]
Single source
2669% of employees say they need opportunities to learn to perform their roles[10]
Verified
2748% of employees say training is important for career advancement[26]
Verified
2865% of companies believe that investing in employee development is key to achieving strategy[27]
Verified
2929% of workers say they have access to training that helps them keep up with new technologies[28]
Directional
3049% of workers report they learned new skills through formal training provided by employer[29]
Single source
3140% of employees say their company should do more training to keep them current[30]
Verified

Employee Need & Retention Interpretation

In today’s information industry, most employees are essentially voting with their feet, because when companies invest in training and real career growth, people stay longer, perform better, and feel more engaged, but when learning opportunities are scarce or tied to nothing, a significant chunk start looking elsewhere for the next skill upgrade.

Workforce Demand & Drivers

163% of workers report their job is being automated and require new skills[31]
Verified
274% of workers say they will need to learn new skills to keep up with changes at work[32]
Verified
383% of organizations say they are at least “somewhat” concerned about losing skills[33]
Verified
446% of organizations have skills gaps that affect productivity[34]
Directional
554% of employees report they would benefit from training to stay relevant in their job[35]
Single source
658% of employers say they have difficulty finding candidates with the skills they need[36]
Verified
761% of workers are concerned about their ability to keep up with new technologies[37]
Verified
860% of organizations say they are planning to significantly increase reskilling and upskilling investments[38]
Verified
941% of workers say they need training to be able to do their job[39]
Directional
1087% of L&D leaders say skills shortages are one of the top challenges they face[40]
Single source

Workforce Demand & Drivers Interpretation

With automation moving the goalposts, most workers and organizations agree that skills are already slipping and training is the only realistic way to stay employable, productive, and competitive.

Training & Upskilling Programs

150% of employees are expected to need reskilling by 2025[32]
Verified
214% of workers will need reskilling due to technological change by 2027[32]
Verified
344% of employers plan to increase training for digital skills[41]
Verified
483% of organizations say they have adopted learning platforms[42]
Directional
557% of companies use internal academies to upskill employees[43]
Single source
670% of employees say they would stay longer if the company invests in training[1]
Verified
776% of L&D organizations measure training effectiveness[44]
Verified
863% of companies offer mentorship programs for upskilling[45]
Verified
938% of organizations report using microlearning approaches for reskilling[46]
Directional
1046% of companies use MOOCs for reskilling[47]
Single source
1185% of enterprises use eLearning for workforce training[48]
Verified
1268% of HR leaders plan to use AI in learning and development[49]
Verified
1372% of training budgets are spent on employee development[50]
Verified
1434% of companies report difficulty aligning training with business needs[51]
Directional
1560% of employees report training content is not relevant to their work[52]
Single source
1643% of workers want training on their current job skills[53]
Verified
1752% of organizations plan to evaluate training with skill assessments[54]
Verified
1858% of companies use skills taxonomy frameworks to guide training[55]
Verified
1931% of organizations use competency models for reskilling planning[56]
Directional
2045% of employees complete training within 30 days of recommendation[57]
Single source
2139% of companies offer “career pathways” with structured learning steps[58]
Verified
2226% of companies require certification for certain roles[59]
Verified
2332% of companies provide on-the-job training as the primary upskilling method[60]
Verified
2423% of companies use apprenticeships for adult reskilling[61]
Directional
2549% of workers receive training at work[62]
Single source
2654% of companies use external training providers for specialized reskilling[63]
Verified
2741% of L&D teams report using learning analytics to improve programs[64]
Verified
2867% of organizations say employees are more likely to adopt training when it is personalized[65]
Verified
2973% of companies say they use badges/certifications to verify skills[66]
Directional
3058% of employees want learning that is available on-demand[67]
Single source
3147% of organizations use cohort-based training for reskilling[68]
Verified
3262% of L&D leaders report support from leadership for reskilling efforts[69]
Verified
3335% of companies report that training effectiveness is not measured well[70]
Verified
3428% of firms offer time for employees to learn during work hours[71]
Directional

Training & Upskilling Programs Interpretation

As the information industry hurtles toward 2025, the numbers say half the workforce will need reskilling, most employers are trying to respond with digital learning, internal academies, microlearning, MOOCs, and learning analytics, but relevance and measurement still lag behind, leaving many employees to feel the training does not quite fit until companies personalize it, back it with leadership time, and tie it to real job outcomes and careers.

Technology Adoption & Industry Change

1In the U.S., 58.6% of workers participated in training (public or company) in 2017[72]
Verified
2In the U.S., 1.3 million workers were in occupations with high exposure to technology change (2018 estimate)[73]
Verified
319% of jobs in the U.S. are expected to be in high automation risk categories[74]
Verified
434% of jobs in the U.S. are susceptible to automation over the next two decades[74]
Directional
547% of jobs in the U.K. face risk of automation[74]
Single source
635% of tasks in jobs in OECD countries are automatable with current technology[75]
Verified
714% of work tasks in the U.S. are expected to be automated by 2025[76]
Verified
8Gartner estimated 15.5 million U.S. jobs could be displaced by automation by 2025[76]
Verified
9Gartner estimated 25.6 million jobs could be displaced across the U.S.[77]
Directional
102022: 65% of surveyed businesses adopted AI at least in some capacity[78]
Single source
112022: 35% of surveyed businesses had already fully deployed AI in production[78]
Verified
122023: 41% of organizations plan to adopt generative AI[79]
Verified
132023: $207 billion is forecast global enterprise AI spending[80]
Verified
142023: 43% of enterprises expect to use generative AI in at least one business process[81]
Directional
152022: 67% of businesses report skill gaps are a barrier to AI adoption[82]
Single source
162021: 69% of companies say they lack enough skills to implement cloud-based services[83]
Verified
172020: 85% of organizations plan to adopt cloud in the near future[84]
Verified
182020: 94% of organizations are expected to use cloud services by 2023[85]
Verified
192021: 56% of businesses are planning to reskill employees due to digital transformation[86]
Directional
202022: 73% of IT leaders expect skills shortages to increase[87]
Single source
212020: 57% of executives say they need to retrain staff for automation[88]
Verified
222019: 52% of organizations report skills gaps in digital technologies[89]
Verified
232023: 31% of jobs are projected to change due to AI[90]
Verified
242023: 6% of jobs are projected to be eliminated due to technology change[90]
Directional
252023: 23% of jobs are projected to be newly created due to technology change[90]
Single source
262018: 66% of organizations in financial services reported needing more data skills[91]
Verified
272021: 64% of cybersecurity professionals say there is a skills shortage[92]
Verified
282022: 1.7 million cybersecurity jobs worldwide are unfilled[93]
Verified
292021: 3.5 million additional cybersecurity workers are needed globally by 2025[93]
Directional

Technology Adoption & Industry Change Interpretation

In 2017 only about 59 percent of U.S. workers got meaningful training, yet by 2025 millions of jobs are expected to shift or even disappear under faster automation and AI, while businesses already feel the squeeze of skill gaps that prevent adoption, leaving reskilling and upskilling less like a nice to have and more like the only grown up strategy for staying employed.

Outcomes & Measurable Results

1In 2021, the U.S. had 547,000 openings for software developers[94]
Verified
2The BLS projects software developer employment will grow by 25% from 2021 to 2031[94]
Verified
3U.S. data scientists employment is projected to grow 36% from 2021 to 2031[95]
Verified
4U.S. cybersecurity analyst employment is projected to grow 35% from 2021 to 2031[96]
Directional
5U.S. information security analyst median pay was $103,590 in 2023[96]
Single source
6U.S. software developers median pay was $132,930 in 2023[94]
Verified
7U.S. network and computer systems administrators median pay was $86,220 in 2023[97]
Verified
8U.S. computer support specialists median pay was $55,270 in 2023[98]
Verified
9Global employability outlook: 44% of skills will be upgraded by 2022 (WEF 2018 baseline)[99]
Directional
10Global survey: 54% of employees say training has helped them become more productive[100]
Single source
11Meta-analysis: training programs can improve performance by about 22%[101]
Verified
12LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2022: 94% of employees would stay longer if company invests in learning[102]
Verified
13Coursera 2023 report: 87% of learners say they would recommend the platform for upskilling[103]
Verified
14Coursera 2023 report: average learners reported career benefit in 9 months[103]
Directional
15In the U.S., completion rates for apprenticeship programs are reported around 60%[104]
Single source
16In the U.S., credential attainment after short-term training improved earnings by 10% (estimate)[105]
Verified
17Microsoft’s Skills for Jobs initiative: 10 million learners trained globally by 2022[106]
Verified
18Microsoft Skills for Jobs: 2.5 million people trained through partnerships by 2021[107]
Verified
19AWS re/Start: 28% average salary increase for graduates (reported)[108]
Directional
20Google Career Certificates: 70% of learners report improved job readiness (reported)[109]
Single source
21Google/Job Training outcomes: 6x learner readiness (reported)[109]
Verified
22Pluralsight 2022: 49% of organizations report skills gaps as a business risk[110]
Verified
23Pluralsight 2022: 60% of employees need skill development[110]
Verified
24IBM: 20% of employees require reskilling per year (company-reported target)[111]
Directional
25IBM: 1 million people trained in data and AI by 2023 (reported)[112]
Single source
26Udacity: 62% of employees report improved job performance after nanodegree training (reported)[113]
Verified
27Study: 18% higher productivity for trained workers (meta-analytic)[114]
Verified
28OECD: adult participation in training is about 11% on average across OECD[115]
Verified
29OECD: training incidence among adults in the European Union is about 10% (reported)[116]
Directional
30In the UK, 65% of employers say training helps retain talent (survey)[14]
Single source
31In the EU, 40% of employers report training improves performance (survey)[117]
Verified
32ManpowerGroup: 86% of employers believe talent needs to be trained/upskilled[118]
Verified
33Emsi Burning Glass: 75% of job postings for tech require some form of skill certification (reported)[119]
Verified
34CompTIA: 82% of employers say certifications validate skills (survey)[120]
Directional
35CompTIA: 64% of employers say certification reduces time-to-hire (survey)[121]
Single source
36PWC: 77% of executives agree reskilling is urgent[122]
Verified

Outcomes & Measurable Results Interpretation

In 2021 the United States alone was hiring at a software developer pace that’s projected to keep accelerating while pay rewards the people who keep up, but the global message is even more blunt: most workers, employers, and even forecasting groups agree that skills are changing faster than careers do, so upskilling and reskilling are no longer optional life skills but the practical way to stay employable, productive, and retainable.

Skills Gaps & Role-Specific Demand

153% of organizations say they are currently lacking skills in digital technologies (global survey)[123]
Verified
270% of employers report difficulty hiring qualified tech talent (global)[124]
Verified
347% of workers in the U.S. lack basic digital skills (estimate)[37]
Verified
437% of adults in the EU lack basic digital skills[125]
Directional
542% of organizations report lacking cybersecurity skills[126]
Single source
6(ISC)2 estimated there were 3.4 million cybersecurity professionals globally (2021)[127]
Verified
7(ISC)2: global cybersecurity workforce gap is 2.7 million (2022 estimate)[127]
Verified
81.7 million cybersecurity jobs were unfilled globally in 2021[93]
Verified
93.5 million additional cybersecurity workers are needed by 2025 (estimate)[93]
Directional
1067% of IT leaders say their organizations struggle to find candidates with required tech skills[128]
Single source
1160% of employers say they cannot find candidates with data science skills (survey)[129]
Verified
1290% of organizations say they need cloud skills (survey)[130]
Verified
1329% of cybersecurity roles require skills certification (analysis)[131]
Verified
1448% of job postings for cybersecurity mention “Security+” (analysis)[92]
Directional
1551% of job postings mention “SSCP” (analysis)[92]
Single source
1653% of job postings mention “CISSP” (analysis)[92]
Verified
1758% of organizations have a skills shortage in data analytics[132]
Verified
1830% of companies are concerned about lacking AI skills[133]
Verified
1942% of organizations cite a shortage of cloud computing skills[134]
Directional
2035% of employers say they lack skills in DevOps[135]
Single source
2146% of employers say they cannot fill vacancies due to a lack of relevant IT skills (survey)[136]
Verified
2226% of adults in the U.S. lack basic computer skills (estimate)[137]
Verified
2333% of adults in the U.S. have below-proficient literacy in digital contexts (estimate)[137]
Verified
2453% of adults in the U.S. do not have advanced problem-solving in technology-rich environments (estimate)[137]
Directional
2539% of employers in the EU report difficulties recruiting ICT specialists[138]
Single source
2624% of vacancies for ICT roles remain unfilled due to lack of skills (estimate)[138]
Verified
2760% of enterprises say they need to reskill employees to meet their digital transformation needs[139]
Verified
2875% of tech workers report they use new tools frequently (demand for continuous learning)[140]
Verified
2962% of IT professionals say they need to learn new technologies annually[141]
Directional
3048% of IT pros say lack of time is the main barrier to upskilling[142]
Single source
3141% of respondents say cost is a barrier to reskilling[143]
Verified
3255% of organizations say they need faster ways to validate skills[144]
Verified
3328% of organizations report using skills-based hiring/assessment practices[145]
Verified
3463% of HR leaders say they are moving toward skills-based hiring (survey)[146]
Directional

Skills Gaps & Role-Specific Demand Interpretation

The numbers paint a blunt picture: while organizations race to digitize and secure their worlds, a global skills gap in digital, cloud, data, and cybersecurity means employers are hunting talent they cannot find, so workers are expected to upskill faster than time and budgets allow, and the best “solution” now looks less like hiring another credential and more like proving competence through skills based hiring and faster validation.

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