24 Key Upskilling Statistics Reshaping the Global Workforce

Upskilling has become inevitable when it comes to ensuring workforce stability. According to a survey by McKinsey & Company, 87% of global companies are facing skill shortages or expect them in the next few years.

Simultaneously, the Future of Jobs Report 2025 from the World Economic Forum shows that by 2025, 50% of all workers will need reskilling to meet changing job requirements. This article explores more such statistics that highlight the need for upskilling and shed light on the transformative changes redefining the global workforce.

24 Global Upskilling Statistics

Here are the top statistics that put a spotlight on the importance of upskilling:

Global Upskilling Statistics‍‍

‍85% of surveyed employers are planning to concentrate on upskilling their workforce.
Upskilling is among the top three priorities across economies and geographies at all income levels. 87% of employers are in high-income economies, 84% in upper-middle-income and 82% in lower-middle-income.
If the global workforce consisted of only 100 people, 59 would require training by 2030. Of these employees, employers believe 19 could be redeployed or upskilled elsewhere, and 29 could be upskilled in their present roles. However, 11 may not get upskilled or reskilled, risking their employment.
46% of surveyed companies plan to redeploy workers to accomplish business objectives. This is the third-most popular strategy, just behind investment in learning and training on the job (81%) and enhancing the automation of various processes. (80%).
In April 2025, ETS released a report in partnership with Harris Poll called The Human Progress Report. As per 85% of the 17,000 surveyed respondents, it was stated that reskilling and upskilling will be the new standard for employees throughout their careers.
77% of survey respondents have stated that upskilling will be either more important or more important over the next two years.
Across 138 nations, more than 118,000 people have either started or completed upskilling to earn the PwC Inclusive Mindset Badge. 92% of the learners have claimed that this journey has made them more inclusive in daily interactions.
According to some employers, 44% of employees’ skills will get disrupted over the next five years.
Before 2027, six in ten employees will need training. However, only half of them currently have access to appropriate training opportunities.

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Industry-Specific Training Needs

Information and Technology Services and Telecommunication industries, despite experiencing the largest uptake in upskilling and reskilling, still have major training requirements. 62% and 63% of their employees anticipate needing more training by 2030.
AI advancements will cause 92% of ICT jobs to undergo either moderate or high transformation.

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AI and Upskilling Statistics

55% of white collar office workers have admitted to using AI tools, while 58% of employees have upskilled in AI.
70% of workers have admitted that upskilling in AI is essential for career growth.
Over 70% of workers with experience using GenAI have agreed that these tools will create more opportunities to learn new skills, be more creative, and enhance the overall work quality.
While 39% of employees use AI in their positions, half admit that AI would benefit their jobs.

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U.S. Workforce Upskilling Statistics

Over 2025-2030, upskilling the workforce is the most common strategy for macrotrends. 85% of surveyed employers are predicting the adoption of this trend.
According to 14% of U.S. employees, learning a new skill is a common reason workers receive recognition in their companies.
26% of U.S. workers agree that their companies encourage them strongly to learn new skills.
As per a 2024 survey conducted among United States employees, 71% said they were delighted with their organization’s upskilling and reskilling training.
77% of employees agree that learning new skills fills them with a sense of purpose.
While 80% of employees want organizations to invest more in reskilling and upskilling, 71% would like to update their skills more frequently.
Where 67% of employees commend the innovation and quality of training, 65% value the variety of skills provided. The same percentage of employees are happy with the upskilling and reskilling initiatives offered by their employers.
32% of American employees feel that they don’t have the required skills, and many think that their skills are outdated.
78% of employees are interested in upskilling. Communication, AI use, management, and leadership are top learning areas.

Conclusion

The statistics indicate a worldwide need for reskilling, upskilling, and consistent talent development. Organizations need to adopt data-driven, intelligent workforce transformation strategies to remain competitive. iMocha, an AI-driven skills intelligence platform, enables organizations to do that. Using AI-enabled skills assessments, skills taxonomies, and skills analytics, iMocha allows businesses to detect skill gaps, create future-ready roles, and develop a robust talent pipeline. From internal mobility to customized learning paths, iMocha enables data-driven decisions, aligning workforce ability with business objectives.