The survey found that one in three IT leaders are struggling most with finding qualified AI and ML talent. It covered more than 5,700 global IT professionals, including leaders and staff members.
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The report examines the state of the IT industry, underscoring the need for workforce upskilling and reskilling given the rapid advancement of AI and machine learning (ML) technologies.
The top driver of skill gaps is the rate of technology change outpacing training programmes. Last year, 45% of IT professionals said their managements did not see a tangible benefit from training. Just 15% now say the same, as skill building becomes a business imperative. As many as 97% of IT leaders say certified staff adds value to their organisations.
IT professionals’ top reason for skill building is to prepare their organisations for new technology, especially as Generative AI (Gen AI) becomes more advanced.
“With AI accelerating disruption at an unprecedented pace, the need for workforce training has never been more consequential,” said Orla Daly, chief information officer, Skillsoft, in a statement. “Organisations are at a critical point where they need to be deliberate and proactive about building skills and capabilities – especially related to AI – or risk falling behind in the coming year.”Thrust on training:
Skill development is critical for building a competitive organisation, though more work is needed to optimise training among technology teams, the survey found. Only 37% of IT professionals report receiving training “most of the time” when their employers invest in new technology. Additionally, compared to last year, 40% more IT leaders say their organisation is not investing enough in professional development and 80% more say their current training programmes are not effective at developing the skills they need.IT professionals who receive training report improved work quality (62%), a greater sense of engagement (47%), and faster job performance (45%). Meanwhile, 82% of IT professionals say training is extremely or very important to their careers and a lack of development was the top factor that drove respondents to change employers in the past year.