Every few months, a new report comes out claiming we’re facing an unprecedented skills crisis. The World Economic Forum tells us 44% of workers’ skills will be disrupted. LinkedIn Learning says the skills needed for jobs have changed by 25% since 2015. McKinsey warns that 375 million workers will need to switch occupational categories.

These numbers are real. But the conclusions most organisations draw from them are wrong.

The typical response is to chase whatever technology is trending. Last year it was the metaverse. This year it’s generative AI. Next year it’ll be something else. L&D teams end up building training programs for capabilities that may or may not matter in two years.

There’s a better approach.

The Capabilities That Actually Matter

When you strip away the hype, the skills that consistently predict success aren’t technical. They’re human.

1. Learning Agility

The most future-proof skill isn’t any specific technology. It’s the ability to learn new things quickly and apply them effectively.

This sounds obvious, but most organisations don’t actively develop it. We train people on specific tools and systems, but we rarely teach them how to learn.

L&D programs should include:

• Deliberate practice techniques
• How to identify credible learning resources
• Methods for retaining new information
• Self-assessment and reflection skills

Someone with high learning agility can pick up whatever tool comes next. Someone without it will struggle even with good training.

2. Critical Thinking in an AI World

As AI tools generate more content, the ability to evaluate that content becomes essential. This isn’t about being anti-technology—it’s about being a competent user.

Workers need to:

• Recognise when AI outputs are plausible but wrong
• Understand the limitations of automated recommendations
• Apply judgment to machine-generated options
• Know when to trust technology and when to verify

This is particularly important for roles that will work alongside AI systems. The humans in the loop need to actually provide value, not just rubber-stamp whatever the algorithm suggests.

3. Communication Across Contexts

Remote work, hybrid arrangements, and global teams have made communication more complex, not less. The ability to adjust communication style for different audiences and channels is now essential.

This means:

• Writing clearly for asynchronous communication
• Presenting effectively on video
• Facilitating productive virtual meetings
• Navigating cultural differences in distributed teams

Many organisations assume their staff can already do this. They can’t. Most people have never been taught.

4. Collaboration with Technology

This is different from knowing how to use specific tools. It’s about understanding how to integrate technology into human workflows effectively.

The best performers know when to delegate to technology and when to take over. They understand that AI is a tool, not a colleague. They can articulate what they need from technical systems and work productively with technical teams.

What to Deprioritise

L&D teams have limited resources. Saying yes to the right things means saying no to others.

Deprioritise tool-specific training when tools change quickly. If a software vendor updates their interface every quarter, detailed button-by-button training is wasted effort. Teach concepts and problem-solving instead.

Deprioritise compliance training beyond what’s legally required. I know this is controversial, but the evidence is clear: most compliance training doesn’t change behaviour. It just documents that you told people the rules. Do what’s required, but don’t pretend it’s developing your workforce.

Deprioritise one-size-fits-all programs. The days of sending everyone through the same training regardless of their role are over. Invest in understanding different capability needs and tailoring accordingly.

Building a Skills Strategy That Lasts

Rather than chasing skills trends, build a framework that adapts as needs change.

Step 1: Map Current and Future Capability Needs

Start with your business strategy. What capabilities will the organisation need in three years? Five years? What do you have now?

Be specific. “Digital skills” isn’t a capability. “Ability to interpret data visualisations to inform customer service decisions” is.

Step 2: Segment Your Workforce

Not everyone needs the same development. Group roles by:

• Current capability levels
• Exposure to technological change
• Strategic importance to the organisation
• Individual career aspirations

This lets you allocate resources where they’ll have the most impact.

Step 3: Build Learning Pathways, Not Training Events

A pathway combines formal training, on-the-job practice, mentoring, and self-directed learning. It develops capabilities over months, not hours.

For each priority capability, define:

• Entry point assessment
• Core learning components
• Practice opportunities
• Progress checkpoints
• Mastery indicators

Step 4: Measure What Matters

Forget training completion rates. They tell you nothing about capability development.

Instead, measure:

• Pre and post assessments of actual capability
• Application of new skills in work contexts
• Manager observations of behaviour change
• Business outcomes linked to capability improvements

This is harder than counting who finished the e-learning. But it’s the only way to know if your investment is working.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Skills Gaps

Here’s something L&D professionals don’t like to admit: most skills gaps aren’t training problems. They’re hiring problems, role design problems, or management problems.

No amount of training fixes:

• Hiring people without foundational capabilities
• Role designs that set people up to fail
• Managers who don’t support development
• Cultures that punish learning from mistakes

Before building another training program, ask whether training is actually the solution. Sometimes it is. Often it isn’t.

Where to Focus Right Now

If I had to prioritise three things for an L&D team in 2024:

1. Build learning agility across the organisation. This is the meta-skill that makes all other learning possible.

2. Develop critical thinking for AI-augmented work. The gap between people who use AI tools well and those who use them poorly is significant and growing.

3. Invest in manager capability for hybrid environments. Managers are the primary enablers of workforce development. If they can’t lead effectively in new work models, nothing else matters.

Everything else is secondary.

The skills gap is real. But closing it isn’t about predicting the future with perfect accuracy. It’s about building a workforce that can adapt to whatever the future brings.

That’s the real work of L&D.