GITNUXREPORT 2025

Upskilling And Reskilling In The Water Industry Statistics

Water industry upskilling reduces skills gaps, boosts efficiency, and enhances resilience.

Jannik Linder

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

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

80% of water utilities plan to incorporate AI-based predictive maintenance in their operations within the next five years

Statistic 2

The use of virtual reality training tools in water industry training programs has increased by 45% over two years

Statistic 3

40% of water utilities are using online learning platforms for employee training

Statistic 4

The use of mobile apps for training in water industry operations has increased by 50% since 2019

Statistic 5

The water industry workforce is aging, with 40% of employees projected to retire within the next decade

Statistic 6

The water industry workforce is 54% male and 46% female, highlighting ongoing diversity and inclusion upskilling efforts

Statistic 7

The average age of water industry employees is 45, underscoring the need for targeted reskilling programs for younger workers

Statistic 8

The number of women in the water sector has increased by 25% over the last decade due to targeted upskilling programs

Statistic 9

70% of water sector organizations report skills gaps affecting project delivery

Statistic 10

65% of water utilities have increased training programs in the past five years

Statistic 11

Reskilling initiatives have resulted in a 20% increase in operational efficiency among water utilities

Statistic 12

55% of water sector firms plan to implement digital transformation through upskilling

Statistic 13

Investment in AI and automation training in the water industry has grown by 30% annually since 2020

Statistic 14

48% of water utility managers believe that upskilling staff is critical to climate resilience strategies

Statistic 15

80% of new water industry hires require onboarding and basic skills training within the first three months

Statistic 16

Only 35% of water utilities currently have dedicated upskilling budgets

Statistic 17

Implementing reskilling programs has decreased safety incidents by 15% in some water treatment plants

Statistic 18

The demand for data analysis skills in water management has increased by 25% over the last three years

Statistic 19

60% of water industry employees feel unprepared for new technological advancements

Statistic 20

72% of water utility leaders cite skills shortages as a major barrier to digital adoption

Statistic 21

The global water industry workforce is estimated at 3 million people, with a projected growth rate of 5% annually

Statistic 22

Reskilling initiatives focusing on green technologies increased job retention by 18%

Statistic 23

The adoption of IoT devices in water management has created a need for 35,000 new skilled technicians worldwide

Statistic 24

58% of water sector employers believe digital literacy is essential for future staff development

Statistic 25

Investment in workforce upskilling in the water industry grew from $200 million in 2020 to over $350 million in 2023

Statistic 26

Skills in cybersecurity are increasingly prioritized, with 46% of water companies investing in cyber-resilience training

Statistic 27

77% of water utility managers see upskilling as a key factor in achieving sustainability goals

Statistic 28

The number of specialized water industry training programs has increased by 40% over the last four years

Statistic 29

The water industry’s digital skills gap is estimated to reach 25,000 workers by 2025

Statistic 30

66% of water utilities have collaborated with universities or vocational schools for workforce development

Statistic 31

The integration of smart sensors in water systems has created a demand for 15,000 new technical roles globally

Statistic 32

54% of water sector companies have dedicated innovation teams focused on upskilling employees

Statistic 33

Employee reskilling in water utilities has led to a 22% reduction in equipment downtime

Statistic 34

35% of water companies have implemented competency frameworks for skill development

Statistic 35

84% of water utilities are planning to expand digital skills training in the next three years

Statistic 36

The adoption of GIS technology has increased demand for geospatial data analysis skills by 40%

Statistic 37

Reskilling initiatives focusing on environmental sustainability have increased employee engagement scores by 15%

Statistic 38

The total global spend on water infrastructure and workforce development is projected to reach $700 billion by 2030

Statistic 39

Nearly 60% of water utilities have specific training programs for emerging technologies like desalination and wastewater reuse

Statistic 40

Investment in digital training has led to a 30% reduction in operational errors in some water utilities

Statistic 41

69% of water sector companies see data-driven decision-making as a critical component of their upskilling efforts

Statistic 42

55% of water utility employees have completed digital transformation training since 2020

Statistic 43

The global market for water industry training programs is valued at $2.5 billion and growing annually

Statistic 44

Upskilling programs that include cross-disciplinary training have improved problem-solving capabilities by 25%

Statistic 45

80% of water utilities measure the ROI of employee training programs, with an average ROI of 150%

Statistic 46

The introduction of digital twins in water infrastructure management has created demand for 10,000 new digital skills jobs worldwide

Statistic 47

43% of water industry companies have increased their investment in continuous learning platforms over the past two years

Statistic 48

Reskilling the workforce to meet climate change mitigation goals has shown a 20% increase in operational resilience

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Key Highlights

70% of water sector organizations report skills gaps affecting project delivery
65% of water utilities have increased training programs in the past five years
The water industry workforce is aging, with 40% of employees projected to retire within the next decade
Reskilling initiatives have resulted in a 20% increase in operational efficiency among water utilities
55% of water sector firms plan to implement digital transformation through upskilling
Investment in AI and automation training in the water industry has grown by 30% annually since 2020
48% of water utility managers believe that upskilling staff is critical to climate resilience strategies
The use of virtual reality training tools in water industry training programs has increased by 45% over two years
80% of new water industry hires require onboarding and basic skills training within the first three months
Only 35% of water utilities currently have dedicated upskilling budgets
Implementing reskilling programs has decreased safety incidents by 15% in some water treatment plants
The demand for data analysis skills in water management has increased by 25% over the last three years
60% of water industry employees feel unprepared for new technological advancements

With 70% of water sector organizations facing skills gaps that threaten project delivery and an industry workforce aging rapidly—with 40% nearing retirement—upskilling and reskilling have become critical drivers of innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in the water industry.

Digital Transformation and Technology Adoption

80% of water utilities plan to incorporate AI-based predictive maintenance in their operations within the next five years

Digital Transformation and Technology Adoption Interpretation

With 80% of water utilities gearing up to embrace AI-driven predictive maintenance within five years, the industry is on the verge of a smart renaissance—where machine learning and water management flow seamlessly into the future.

Training Methods and Learning Tools

The use of virtual reality training tools in water industry training programs has increased by 45% over two years
40% of water utilities are using online learning platforms for employee training
The use of mobile apps for training in water industry operations has increased by 50% since 2019

Training Methods and Learning Tools Interpretation

As the water industry flows increasingly into the digital age, with VR training up 45%, online platforms used by 40%, and mobile apps soaring by 50%, it’s clear that staying afloat now requires more than just traditional skills—it demands embracing tech to keep the taps running smoothly.

Workforce Demographics and Inclusion

The water industry workforce is aging, with 40% of employees projected to retire within the next decade
The water industry workforce is 54% male and 46% female, highlighting ongoing diversity and inclusion upskilling efforts
The average age of water industry employees is 45, underscoring the need for targeted reskilling programs for younger workers
The number of women in the water sector has increased by 25% over the last decade due to targeted upskilling programs

Workforce Demographics and Inclusion Interpretation

With nearly half the water industry's workforce approaching retirement, a 25% rise in female representation and a median age of 45 underscore the urgent need for strategic upskilling and diversity initiatives to ensure a resilient and inclusive future.

Workforce Skills Development and Reskilling Initiatives

70% of water sector organizations report skills gaps affecting project delivery
65% of water utilities have increased training programs in the past five years
Reskilling initiatives have resulted in a 20% increase in operational efficiency among water utilities
55% of water sector firms plan to implement digital transformation through upskilling
Investment in AI and automation training in the water industry has grown by 30% annually since 2020
48% of water utility managers believe that upskilling staff is critical to climate resilience strategies
80% of new water industry hires require onboarding and basic skills training within the first three months
Only 35% of water utilities currently have dedicated upskilling budgets
Implementing reskilling programs has decreased safety incidents by 15% in some water treatment plants
The demand for data analysis skills in water management has increased by 25% over the last three years
60% of water industry employees feel unprepared for new technological advancements
72% of water utility leaders cite skills shortages as a major barrier to digital adoption
The global water industry workforce is estimated at 3 million people, with a projected growth rate of 5% annually
Reskilling initiatives focusing on green technologies increased job retention by 18%
The adoption of IoT devices in water management has created a need for 35,000 new skilled technicians worldwide
58% of water sector employers believe digital literacy is essential for future staff development
Investment in workforce upskilling in the water industry grew from $200 million in 2020 to over $350 million in 2023
Skills in cybersecurity are increasingly prioritized, with 46% of water companies investing in cyber-resilience training
77% of water utility managers see upskilling as a key factor in achieving sustainability goals
The number of specialized water industry training programs has increased by 40% over the last four years
The water industry’s digital skills gap is estimated to reach 25,000 workers by 2025
66% of water utilities have collaborated with universities or vocational schools for workforce development
The integration of smart sensors in water systems has created a demand for 15,000 new technical roles globally
54% of water sector companies have dedicated innovation teams focused on upskilling employees
Employee reskilling in water utilities has led to a 22% reduction in equipment downtime
35% of water companies have implemented competency frameworks for skill development
84% of water utilities are planning to expand digital skills training in the next three years
The adoption of GIS technology has increased demand for geospatial data analysis skills by 40%
Reskilling initiatives focusing on environmental sustainability have increased employee engagement scores by 15%
The total global spend on water infrastructure and workforce development is projected to reach $700 billion by 2030
Nearly 60% of water utilities have specific training programs for emerging technologies like desalination and wastewater reuse
Investment in digital training has led to a 30% reduction in operational errors in some water utilities
69% of water sector companies see data-driven decision-making as a critical component of their upskilling efforts
55% of water utility employees have completed digital transformation training since 2020
The global market for water industry training programs is valued at $2.5 billion and growing annually
Upskilling programs that include cross-disciplinary training have improved problem-solving capabilities by 25%
80% of water utilities measure the ROI of employee training programs, with an average ROI of 150%
The introduction of digital twins in water infrastructure management has created demand for 10,000 new digital skills jobs worldwide
43% of water industry companies have increased their investment in continuous learning platforms over the past two years
Reskilling the workforce to meet climate change mitigation goals has shown a 20% increase in operational resilience

Workforce Skills Development and Reskilling Initiatives Interpretation

With 70% of water sector organizations grappling with skills gaps yet only 35% dedicating budgets to upskilling, the industry is caught in a paradox—investments in digital and green technologies are soaring, but talent development remains the water industry's weakest leak.