The Reality of 2025: Why Skills Gaps Will Matter More Than Ever.

2025 is just around the corner, and if you are leading a team, you’ve probably already felt the pressure. Skills gaps are widening, roles are evolving faster than ever, and retaining great people is harder than it used to be. So, what’s the plan?

Let’s start with a question: Do you know what skills your team will need in 12 months? What about in two years?If you’re unsure, you’re not alone. Many organisations are grappling with this same uncertainty.

The World Economic Forum predicts that 50% of employees will need reskilling by 2025. This isn’t just about technical skills like coding or data analysis. Soft skills—communication, adaptability, teamwork—are becoming just as important, if not more so.

And it’s not just future roles to think about. Right now, 72% of organisations report increased workloads on staff due to skills shortages, according to The Open University’s Business Barometer. This creates a ripple effect—reduced output, higher stress, and greater turnover.

A Clear Path Forward: Practical Steps to Take Today

The good news? Bridging skills gaps and retaining talent isn’t out of reach. Here are a few actionable steps:

1. Understand Where You Are Today: Start with a skills audit to assess your team’s strengths and identify areas for improvement. This provides the foundation for a targeted development strategy.
2. Build Personalised Pathways: Employees engage more when development feels relevant. Tailor learning opportunities to align individual goals with organisational needs.
3. Recognise What They’ve Already Achieved: Tools like Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) credit employees for the skills and experience they already bring, fast-tracking development and boosting confidence.
4. Create a Culture of Learning: Continuous development isn’t a one-time initiative. Foster an environment where learning is encouraged, supported, and celebrated.

The MyCareerPath Approach: Making It Work for You

At MyCareerPath, we understand the unique challenges organisations face. That’s why we focus on providing tools and pathways to make these steps actionable. For example:

• Skills Assessments: Our Career Pulse tool helps employees evaluate their skills and identify growth opportunities across key employability categories.
• Tailored Learning Pathways: Employees receive personalised recommendations based on their needs, ensuring that every development plan feels meaningful.
• Ongoing Support: From one-to-one career guidance to group workshops, we provide the resources teams need to thrive.

This isn’t just about closing skills gaps—it’s about empowering employees to see their value and feel invested in the future of the organisation.

Success in Action

We’ve seen first-hand how a structured approach to skills development can transform teams.

In a recent initiative, we worked with a manufacturing organisation to guide their employees through a structured career development programme. This included organised webinars, personalised support, and flexible, 24/7 access to our platform. These features were critical for a workforce operating across shifts in a fast-paced environment.

Participants were able to:

• Identify their strengths and map out clear career paths.
• Gain the motivation and confidence to pursue further education and training.
• Contribute to a more engaged, skilled, and resilient workforce.

Their feedback? They felt more equipped to meet new challenges and more connected to the organisation’s goals.

Looking Ahead to 2025: It’s Time to Act

The skills gap is here, and the businesses that succeed will be the ones that address it head-on. By investing in your team now—through skills audits, personalised pathways, and ongoing support—you can build a resilient, future-ready workforce.

Want to learn more? Join us this Thursday for our free webinar, Designing 2025 Strategies with MyCareerPath: Bridging Skills Gaps and Retaining Talent. Or, if you’d prefer a one-to-one chat, book a time that suits to explore how we can support your team.

The future of work is here. Let’s make sure your team is ready.

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