Udemy, a leading online skills marketplace and learning platform, has officially published results from its Q3 2024 Global Workplace Learning Index report, which highlights emerging professional and technical skills, as well as key learning trends across global organizations.
More on the same would reveal how the given report brings to the fore insights regarding which skills are growing in demand, and therefore, helping organizations stay ahead of the competition as they continue to navigate changing workforce dynamics, accelerated digital transformation, and evolving industry needs.
Talk about the results on a slightly deeper level, we begin from how Udemy’s report discovered a rise in personal productivity, In fact, personal productivity emerged among the top 10 in-demand professional skills this quarter, experiencing an increase of 17% in Q3.
Next up, the report digs into how more and more professionals are now embracing time management techniques. You see, with there being a broader cultural shift in which professionals are looking for ways to stay competitive while maintaining a work-life balance, time management was deemed as one of the most popular skills amongst learners this quarter, marking a 12% increase compared to Q2.
Then, the report shed light upon the fact that companies are now doubling down on strategy and leadership skills. Beyond that, topics such as Marketing Strategy (26% increase), Business Communication (19% increase), Product Management (15% increase), and Project Management (12% increase) were also found to be rising in popularity among global employees.
Alongside that, the aspect of emotional intelligence grew in prevalence by almost 12%, a rise which validates organizations’ efforts to foster better leadership skills and interpersonal dynamics.
Moving on, the report further unpacked workforce trends surrounding genAI and automation. For instance, it found that Linux Administration was the fastest-growing technical skill in Q3 with a 36% hike, highlighting the need for businesses to adopt tools enabling the shift to cloud platforms. Apart from that, GenAI (26% increase) presented itself as one of the largest areas for skills acquisition on the Udemy platform. The skills required to become AWS Certified Data Engineer (25% increase) also relayed the growing focus on data optimization AI for seamless automation.
“Today, professionals and organizations worldwide understand the need to upskill quickly to stay ahead of cutting-edge tools and topics, enabling career development and better business outcomes,” said Scott Rogers, Senior Vice President of Instructor and Content Strategy at Udemy. “SHRM’s State of the Workplace report revealed that 53% of organizations are prioritizing upskilling and reskilling employees to improve productivity, particularly in response to AI and an aging workforce.”
We referred to how professionals are now upskilling in a blend of project management and automation skills to manage projects more effectively, but what we haven’t mentioned yet is that they are also looking to learn more about emerging technical tools, such as Blazor (82% increase) and Microsoft Copilot (62% increase).
Another detail worth a mention stems from the growing adoption of enterprise technology in consulting services space. To expand upon it, Udemy’s report discovered that technical skills related to Oracle Cloud (66% increase) and Oracle Integration Cloud or OIC (65% increase) are surging in demand in the Consulting Services sector. This is because, according to AlphaSense, clients are increasingly seeking consultants who possess both strategic insight and technical expertise.
The report in question even had something for the financial sector, where it got to know that companies are prioritizing Manager Training courses (68% increase), as well as employee-centric professional skills, such as Career Development (98% increase), Conflict Management (74% increase), and Emotional Intelligence (40% increase).
“A well-crafted strategy is essential for driving business growth in today’s competitive landscape, and mastering digital marketing strategies in the era of GenAI is no longer optional,” said Anton Voroniuk, CEO of Skillsbooster. “More than 700,000 professionals are learning digital marketing and GenAI skills through my courses on Udemy to navigate the ever-evolving field of digital marketing and execute proactive marketing strategies.”
