As I was reviewing this blog about skills from 2023, it occurred to me that simultaneously, our small little world of L&D hasn’t really changed, yet somehow bears no resemblance to what it was even five years ago. When we think of the skills the L&D professional needs to be successful, we often think in tactical terms, such as improving design and development or learning engagement.
But where should our focus really be?
One thing is for certain: In 2025, staying still isn’t an option. In talking with my clients, the drumbeat is about rapidly moving forward, learning at scale, and being adaptable. Based on this, the demands on L&D professionals have only intensified. Whether mastering your latest tech of choice or crafting genuinely impactful learning experiences, upskilling ourselves is no longer just a nice-to-have; it’s an absolute must if we want to keep making a difference and stay ahead.
But let’s pause.
I don’t know how many times I have written that last sentence. “Upskilling ourselves is no longer just a nice-to-have; it’s an absolute must if we want to keep making a difference and stay ahead.”
I suppose the bigger question might be, why do we have to keep telling ourselves that upskilling is important? Not just important, but imperative. As we keep brushing aside the need for personal and professional upskilling, the world is flying past us. So don’t just read this with a passing eye. Read this and then make your learning plan for 2025. You can’t afford to be stagnant.
Okay – maybe the six skills listed here don’t resonate with you – that’s fine. Then here’s your homework – find something that resonates and build a new skill, or take a current skill and get stronger.
Just don’t sit still. Okay, enough preaching. Let’s get on with it.
Why Upskilling Continues to be Crucial
Keeping ourselves upskilled is not just a 2025 thing. It’s an all-the-time thing.
That said, as we step into 2025, it’s clear that the demands on us as L&D professionals are more intense than ever. AI has shifted from being just a fun tool to becoming a sincere co-pilot in our daily work. But what does that really mean for us? This means that the expectations have grown—not just in designing learning programs but also in designing learning ecosystems that drive personal and organizational growth.
We need to ask ourselves tough questions: Are we keeping up? Are our skills aligned with the evolving needs of our field? Upskilling isn’t just about staying sharp; it’s about taking control of our growth and defining our path in an industry that should never stand still.
The most significant shift in 2025 is not just about knowing more; it’s about understanding more deeply. We’re moving beyond training delivery and embracing the concepts of business alignment, data fluency, and true learner engagement. Here are the new (or not so new), must-have skills for L&D professionals in 2025:
1. AI Literacy
AI has continued transforming our field, but AI literacy goes beyond simply knowing how to use a language model or an image generator. The successful L&D professional in 2025 must understand AI concepts, their limitations, ethical considerations, and how to apply them to benefit learners strategically. It’s about effectively using AI as a co-creator, thinking partner, or research assistant, making sure it serves the learning experience without overshadowing the human aspect.
Upskilling in this area means gaining a deeper understanding of AI’s capabilities, when to leverage it, and how to use it ethically to enhance personalized learning experiences while maintaining human connection.
2. Learning Ecosystem Design
Forget courses in isolation—2025 is all about creating learning ecosystems that foster growth in a holistic way. These ecosystems are about so much more than content—they include formal training, informal mentoring, just-in-time resources, collaborative opportunities, and everything in between. Upskilling here means shifting from simply delivering content to intentionally designing environments where learning happens naturally and continuously. It’s about connecting learners with experts, building active communities of practice, and creating channels for peer-to-peer knowledge sharing.
It’s past time for us to move beyond just thinking about our business’s ecosystem and actually do something about it—break down silos, encourage social learning, and make learning accessible, relevant, and practical so that it truly sticks and drives impact. Quick – find JD Dillon’s book about Learning Ecosystems and build a plan to start the baby steps of your learning ecosystem.
3. Data Fluency and Storytelling
Data analysis by now, should be table stakes – and unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you know the importance of data to everything we do. But now combine data fluency with data storytelling, and you’ve got something! Back in 2019, Nancy Duarte wrote the literal book about Data Stories and how to use data stories to help people connect with the numbers.
Today, we need both fluency in understanding data and the ability to transform that data into a page-turner! Answering questions like “What’s the impact of our learning program?” or “How are we moving the business needle?” requires more than just creating a pie chart. It requires crafting a story that helps others understand the value of L&D beyond charts and graphs, and builds a shared understanding of how learning drives performance and growth.
4. Building to Improve Learning Transfer
Ensuring that learning effectively transfers to the workplace is one of the biggest challenges we all face today. And let’s be real—this is where many programs fall short. Upskilling in building to improve learning transfer means designing experiences that don’t just end when the session is over but actively reinforce learning until it turns into real, actionable skills.
We must get creative—think spaced repetition, real-world application exercises, and robust follow-ups that cement that knowledge into actual behavior.
In my ATD article, Create Drip Feeds to Revolutionize Learning Retention, I discuss how spaced learning through drip feeds can make all the difference. It’s about ensuring that learning isn’t a one-off event but continuously evolves and grows. Learning that sticks is learning that bridges the gap between training and the real world, ultimately driving behavior change that benefits both the individual and the organization.
5. Stakeholder Relationships
Okay, maybe this isn’t a new skill. But here’s the thing – we all talk a good game about stakeholder alignment, but are we really doing what it takes to strengthen our relationship-building skills?
With the rapid changes taking place in every industry, L&D professionals need more than surface-level knowledge—we need genuine expertise in change management and stakeholder alignment. This means positioning ourselves as strategic partners who deeply understand the business landscape and can lead learning initiatives that drive real behavior change. Upskilling here involves deliberately developing your ability to engage leadership, align learning initiatives with business goals, and effectively support learners through times of organizational change. This is not just a soft skill—it’s a strategic necessity.
6. Building a Playful, Experimental, and Curiosity-Driven Mindset
Okay, I know these are three different skills, but these three fit together like margaritas, chips, and guacamole. Sure, you can have the three separately – but why?
The best thing we can do for ourselves as L&D professionals in 2025 is to build a playful, experimental, and curiosity-driven mindset. It’s not just about stacking up skills—it’s about transforming the way we think about learning itself. Being playful means we’re not afraid to try new things, even if we end up falling flat on our faces. It’s that fearless attitude that fosters a culture of creativity and resilience.
Experimentation is all about diving in, getting our hands dirty, and figuring out what works (and what doesn’t). Try out an idea on small groups, if it fails – no issue. If it works, do a happy dance and then scale it up.
Curiosity is what keeps this whole thing fun—it nudges us to ask questions, step out of our comfort zones, and chase new ideas. Reflecting on what works, learning from each other, and dipping into different fields all help us bring fresh ideas to the table. This mindset is what keeps us nimble, useful, and ahead of the game. More than ever, if we model a playful, experimental approach, our learners will pick up on it too, and that’s how we build a culture that’s all about constant growth and creativity.
So, what does this really mean for us? It means we’ve got to get a little scrappy. Play around with new ideas, test out that new interesting tool you’ve heard about, and don’t be afraid to fail spectacularly every now and then. Modeling this mindset isn’t just about keeping our skills sharp—it’s about showing our learners what real growth looks like. After all, if we want our organizations to embrace a culture of learning, we need to lead by example, and that means staying curious, being bold, and having a little fun with it.
Take Charge of Your Learning Journey
Upskilling in 2025 isn’t just about keeping pace; it’s about growth and staying one step ahead. Let’s be honest—if you’re not growing, you’re falling behind. So take a good, hard look at your skills. Where are the gaps? Is AI literacy a weak spot? How about data storytelling? Pick one area that makes you squirm a little and dive in. Yeah, it’s going to take time and effort, but the payoff? Massive. Investing in yourself now means you’re not just improving your own career, you’re boosting the impact you make on your learners and your entire organization. It’s time to stop talking and start doing.
Now is not the time to be “the Cobbler’s Children”—neglecting your development while focusing on everyone else’s. Excuses like time and money are just that—excuses. As L&D professionals, we owe it to ourselves, our learners, and our organizations to do better. The best way to stay ahead is to be proactive—find learning opportunities, engage with communities of practice, and be ready to adapt. Upskilling isn’t just a career move; it’s the key to shaping the future of learning.
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