GITNUXREPORT 2025

Upskilling And Reskilling In The Job Industry Statistics

Majority of employers prioritize reskilling to adapt to AI and automation challenges.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

Nearly 60% of organizations believe that AI and automation will significantly impact their workforce within the next five years

Statistic 2

52% of companies consider digital skills the most critical area for upskilling efforts

Statistic 3

55% of organizations report difficulty in recruiting candidates with the right digital skills

Statistic 4

The most in-demand digital skills include AI, machine learning, cloud computing, and cybersecurity

Statistic 5

49% of workers in developing countries lack basic digital skills, hindering their employment prospects

Statistic 6

Nearly 50% of employees report a lack of confidence in their digital skills, hindering their ability to upskill effectively

Statistic 7

80% of new jobs created in the past decade require digital skills, emphasizing the importance of upskilling efforts

Statistic 8

72% of employers believe that a lack of digital skills among employees is a barrier to digital transformation

Statistic 9

54% of employees feel uncomfortable or unprepared for AI-driven changes in their work

Statistic 10

68% of employees say they would stay longer at a company that invests in their upskilling

Statistic 11

58% of employees prefer flexible online or blended training programs for their upskilling

Statistic 12

Employees with access to upskilling opportunities are 30% more likely to be engaged and productive

Statistic 13

83% of HR professionals report that reskilling initiatives have improved employee retention rates

Statistic 14

Reskilling initiatives have led to a 23% increase in employee satisfaction scores, according to recent surveys

Statistic 15

The global corporate training market is projected to reach $451 billion by 2027

Statistic 16

The use of virtual and augmented reality tools for training grew by 180% during the pandemic period

Statistic 17

The global upskilling market for technical skills is projected to grow at a CAGR of 14.5% from 2023 to 2030

Statistic 18

75% of employers consider reskilling and upskilling critical for their company's future success

Statistic 19

60% of companies have increased their reskilling budgets by more than 25% in the past year

Statistic 20

Only 21% of employees say their company offers sufficient opportunities for upskilling

Statistic 21

82% of company leaders believe that reskilling existing employees is more cost-effective than hiring new ones

Statistic 22

The average time for an employee to reskill or upskill is approximately 6 months

Statistic 23

The number of skill-based training programs increased by 40% globally during the COVID-19 pandemic

Statistic 24

84% of employers say that reskilling employees will be critical to their future workforce plans

Statistic 25

Only 37% of employees aged 55 and above have received formal training to stay current

Statistic 26

65% of HR managers say that identifying employee skill gaps is a top priority

Statistic 27

78% of gig workers say they need additional training to improve their employability

Statistic 28

The average cost for a company to reskill an employee is around $1,200, compared to $4,000 to hire and onboard a new employee

Statistic 29

80% of learners prefer bite-sized or microlearning modules for quick upskilling

Statistic 30

In 2022, 35% of companies increased their investment in leadership and management training programs

Statistic 31

70% of organizations say that reskilling employees has directly contributed to increased innovation

Statistic 32

66% of employees feel their current skills are becoming obsolete within three years, underscoring the need for ongoing upskilling

Statistic 33

25% of companies globally plan to implement AI upskilling programs within the next year

Statistic 34

45% of U.S. employers are currently offering online upskilling courses to their employees

Statistic 35

The top barriers to employee upskilling include lack of time, resources, and management support, according to 70% of HR managers

Statistic 36

65% of companies plan to increase their use of personalized learning in upskilling initiatives, to better meet individual employee needs

Statistic 37

35% of workers in non-tech sectors expect to need significant retraining over the next five years due to automation

Statistic 38

Companies that invest in reskilling see an average ROI of 8:1 in increased productivity and reduced turnover

Statistic 39

78% of senior managers consider ongoing learning and upskilling as essential for organizational agility

Statistic 40

59% of employees believe their organizations do not provide enough opportunities to learn new skills

Statistic 41

70% of companies report a skills gap in data analytics, leading them to seek targeted upskilling programs

Statistic 42

The percentage of employers including soft skills training in upskilling programs increased by 52% over the past five years

Statistic 43

Employee participation in voluntary upskilling programs rose by 30% during remote work adoption in 2020

Statistic 44

Nearly 90% of learners prefer online courses for their flexibility and convenience, impacting how companies design upskilling initiatives

Statistic 45

The number of companies offering competency-based training increased by 60% since 2019, aligning training with specific skill outcomes

Statistic 46

45% of employers worldwide report that their reskilling programs have directly led to improved business performance

Statistic 47

The average salary increase for employees who successfully complete upskilling programs is 12%, indicating financial incentives' role in participation

Statistic 48

65% of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have started internal upskilling programs in the past two years to stay competitive

Statistic 49

50% of workers in aging economies worry about their ability to keep pace with technological change, highlighting the importance of reskilling

Statistic 50

45% of all work activities could be automated with current technology, potentially impacting 1.4 billion jobs worldwide

Statistic 51

42% of companies are actively partnering with educational institutions to facilitate upskilling

Statistic 52

By 2025, 70% of all employees are expected to undertake some form of reskilling or upskilling

Statistic 53

Women make up 40% of the workforce involved in upskilling programs, indicating gender parity efforts are improving

Statistic 54

60% of organizations see upskilling as a key strategy to diversify their workforce and reduce skills gaps among underrepresented groups

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Key Highlights

75% of employers consider reskilling and upskilling critical for their company's future success
54% of employees feel uncomfortable or unprepared for AI-driven changes in their work
The global corporate training market is projected to reach $451 billion by 2027
60% of companies have increased their reskilling budgets by more than 25% in the past year
Only 21% of employees say their company offers sufficient opportunities for upskilling
82% of company leaders believe that reskilling existing employees is more cost-effective than hiring new ones
45% of all work activities could be automated with current technology, potentially impacting 1.4 billion jobs worldwide
The average time for an employee to reskill or upskill is approximately 6 months
52% of companies consider digital skills the most critical area for upskilling efforts
68% of employees say they would stay longer at a company that invests in their upskilling
The number of skill-based training programs increased by 40% globally during the COVID-19 pandemic
By 2025, 70% of all employees are expected to undertake some form of reskilling or upskilling
84% of employers say that reskilling employees will be critical to their future workforce plans

With 75% of employers deeming upskilling and reskilling vital for their future success, and over half of employees feeling unprepared for AI-driven changes, the rapidly evolving job industry is urgently redefining workforce development through innovative training, substantial investments, and a focus on digital skills.

Automation

Nearly 60% of organizations believe that AI and automation will significantly impact their workforce within the next five years

Automation Interpretation

With nearly 60% of organizations predicting AI and automation will reshape their workforce within five years, upskilling and reskilling are no longer optional but essential to stay ahead in the digital age.

Digital Skills

52% of companies consider digital skills the most critical area for upskilling efforts
55% of organizations report difficulty in recruiting candidates with the right digital skills
The most in-demand digital skills include AI, machine learning, cloud computing, and cybersecurity
49% of workers in developing countries lack basic digital skills, hindering their employment prospects
Nearly 50% of employees report a lack of confidence in their digital skills, hindering their ability to upskill effectively
80% of new jobs created in the past decade require digital skills, emphasizing the importance of upskilling efforts
72% of employers believe that a lack of digital skills among employees is a barrier to digital transformation

Digital Skills Interpretation

With over half of companies prioritizing digital skills amid fierce recruitment challenges and nearly half of workers feeling unprepared, it’s clear that bridging the digital divide isn’t just a business perk but a critical survival skill in the modern job landscape.

Digital Skills, Technological Adoption, and Automation

54% of employees feel uncomfortable or unprepared for AI-driven changes in their work

Digital Skills, Technological Adoption, and Automation Interpretation

With over half of employees feeling unready for AI-driven shifts, the industry faces a wake-up call: embracing upskilling and reskilling isn’t just a trend—it’s the only way to ensure our workforce doesn’t get left behind in the digital dust.

Employee Engagement, Preferences, and Retention

68% of employees say they would stay longer at a company that invests in their upskilling
58% of employees prefer flexible online or blended training programs for their upskilling
Employees with access to upskilling opportunities are 30% more likely to be engaged and productive
83% of HR professionals report that reskilling initiatives have improved employee retention rates
Reskilling initiatives have led to a 23% increase in employee satisfaction scores, according to recent surveys

Employee Engagement, Preferences, and Retention Interpretation

Investing in upskilling and reskilling isn't just a savvy talent retention strategy—it's the key to transforming disengaged employees into invested advocates and boosting overall productivity, satisfaction, and company loyalty.

Market Growth, Investment Trends, and Industry Expansion

The global corporate training market is projected to reach $451 billion by 2027
The use of virtual and augmented reality tools for training grew by 180% during the pandemic period
The global upskilling market for technical skills is projected to grow at a CAGR of 14.5% from 2023 to 2030

Market Growth, Investment Trends, and Industry Expansion Interpretation

As the corporate world races toward a projected $451 billion training market by 2027, fueled by a 180% surge in virtual and augmented reality use during the pandemic, it’s clear that upskilling and reskilling are no longer optional— they’re the new job security in an ever-evolving economic landscape.

Talent Development and Reskilling Strategies

75% of employers consider reskilling and upskilling critical for their company's future success
60% of companies have increased their reskilling budgets by more than 25% in the past year
Only 21% of employees say their company offers sufficient opportunities for upskilling
82% of company leaders believe that reskilling existing employees is more cost-effective than hiring new ones
The average time for an employee to reskill or upskill is approximately 6 months
The number of skill-based training programs increased by 40% globally during the COVID-19 pandemic
84% of employers say that reskilling employees will be critical to their future workforce plans
Only 37% of employees aged 55 and above have received formal training to stay current
65% of HR managers say that identifying employee skill gaps is a top priority
78% of gig workers say they need additional training to improve their employability
The average cost for a company to reskill an employee is around $1,200, compared to $4,000 to hire and onboard a new employee
80% of learners prefer bite-sized or microlearning modules for quick upskilling
In 2022, 35% of companies increased their investment in leadership and management training programs
70% of organizations say that reskilling employees has directly contributed to increased innovation
66% of employees feel their current skills are becoming obsolete within three years, underscoring the need for ongoing upskilling
25% of companies globally plan to implement AI upskilling programs within the next year
45% of U.S. employers are currently offering online upskilling courses to their employees
The top barriers to employee upskilling include lack of time, resources, and management support, according to 70% of HR managers
65% of companies plan to increase their use of personalized learning in upskilling initiatives, to better meet individual employee needs
35% of workers in non-tech sectors expect to need significant retraining over the next five years due to automation
Companies that invest in reskilling see an average ROI of 8:1 in increased productivity and reduced turnover
78% of senior managers consider ongoing learning and upskilling as essential for organizational agility
59% of employees believe their organizations do not provide enough opportunities to learn new skills
70% of companies report a skills gap in data analytics, leading them to seek targeted upskilling programs
The percentage of employers including soft skills training in upskilling programs increased by 52% over the past five years
Employee participation in voluntary upskilling programs rose by 30% during remote work adoption in 2020
Nearly 90% of learners prefer online courses for their flexibility and convenience, impacting how companies design upskilling initiatives
The number of companies offering competency-based training increased by 60% since 2019, aligning training with specific skill outcomes
45% of employers worldwide report that their reskilling programs have directly led to improved business performance
The average salary increase for employees who successfully complete upskilling programs is 12%, indicating financial incentives' role in participation
65% of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have started internal upskilling programs in the past two years to stay competitive
50% of workers in aging economies worry about their ability to keep pace with technological change, highlighting the importance of reskilling

Talent Development and Reskilling Strategies Interpretation

With 75% of employers deeming reskilling critical yet only 21% of employees feeling adequately supported, it's clear that while investing billions and launching countless programs, the real challenge is closing the persistent gap between corporate priorities and employee opportunities—underscoring that upskilling isn’t just a strategic choice, but a pressing necessity for future survival.

Technological Adoption, and Automation

45% of all work activities could be automated with current technology, potentially impacting 1.4 billion jobs worldwide

Technological Adoption, and Automation Interpretation

With nearly half of all work activities ripe for automation and 1.4 billion jobs at risk, the urgent call for upskilling and reskilling isn't just a trend—it's a global necessity to stay relevant in the evolving job landscape.

Workforce Development and Strategic Partnerships

42% of companies are actively partnering with educational institutions to facilitate upskilling

Workforce Development and Strategic Partnerships Interpretation

With nearly half the companies teaming up with educational institutions, the job industry is clearly investing in a crash course to future-proof the workforce—because in today's economy, learning isn't just a skill, it's a survival strategy.

Workforce Development and Trends

By 2025, 70% of all employees are expected to undertake some form of reskilling or upskilling

Workforce Development and Trends Interpretation

With 70% of employees projected to reskill or upskill by 2025, organizations better prepare to embrace lifelong learning, lest they face becoming obsolete in the rapidly evolving job landscape.

Workforce Diversity, Inclusion, and Demographic Challenges

Women make up 40% of the workforce involved in upskilling programs, indicating gender parity efforts are improving
60% of organizations see upskilling as a key strategy to diversify their workforce and reduce skills gaps among underrepresented groups

Workforce Diversity, Inclusion, and Demographic Challenges Interpretation

With women comprising 40% of upskilling efforts and 60% of organizations viewing it as a strategy to diversify and bridge skills gaps, the job industry is increasingly recognizing that investing in human capital is the ultimate equalizer—though there's still room for the gender gap to close further.