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Why EMPLOYEE AI Upskilling Can’t Wait, And How to Get It Right
AI is reshaping industries faster than we’ve ever seen before. For leaders in technology, HR, and workforce transformation, the challenge is not just integrating AI tools but also ensuring that their workforce has the skills to use them. That’s where AI upskilling comes in.
On average, 39% of employees’ skills will be outdated between 2025 and 2030. Despite this, AI upskilling courses aren’t being delivered fast enough. While 89% of organisations recognise the need for AI skills, only 6% are taking meaningful action.
The reality? The companies that invest in AI upskilling courses now will have a competitive edge, while those that hesitate will struggle to keep pace.
Why employee AI upskilling must be a priority today
1. AI Is Already Disrupting Workflows
AI is already changing the future of work. It’s automating repetitive tasks, improving decision-making, and changing how businesses operate. Businesses are seeing improvements across multiple business functions – from software development to HR, marketing, and finance Employees who utilise AI in their day-to-day are able to free up their time and focus on driving more initiatives, further improving business output and performance. Without a trained workforce, companies risk inefficiency, security vulnerabilities, and missed opportunities.
2. The AI Talent Shortage Is Real
Hiring externally isn’t a scalable solution—there simply aren’t enough AI-skilled professionals to go around. However, the good news is that the solution doesn’t just have to be about external hiring. Companies that look internally to create AI capabilities – from essential skills through to reskilling and upskilling your own AI tech employees – will be setting themselves apart from businesses that rely on a highly competitive and limited external talent pool.
3. Retention and Engagement Depend on Development Opportunities
Employees want future-proof skills. 80% of our community state that upskilling programmes would make them more likely to stay at a company long-term. Investing in AI upskilling enhances retention, engagement, and productivity. AI training and skills are becoming increasingly essential for employees and talent in the market. If you’re not providing AI training, it is likely that your top talent will seek these opportunities elsewhere.
4. AI Upskilling is a Competitive Advantage
The companies that successfully integrate AI into their workforce will lead their industries. By empowering employees with AI skills, organisations can automate mundane tasks, enhance decision-making, and drive innovation. Businesses that fail to act will find themselves losing talent to competitors who offer more opportunities for learning and growth.
How to implement AI upskilling that actually works
Many organisations fail because they rely on generic, one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, you need a targeted, structured approach tailored to your business needs.
1. Identify Key Areas for AI Integration
Not every role needs deep AI expertise, but most roles can benefit from AI literacy and practical application. Conduct an internal assessment to determine where AI upskilling can have the most impact—whether in automating data analysis, enhancing customer insights, or streamlining HR processes – tasks that are manual, take long periods to complete, or have insights that would be useful for processes are all great places to start. We recommend asking your employees directly for their ideas and insights too.
2. Provide Practical, Hands-On Training
Employees learn best when they can apply their knowledge immediately. It is important to select a training provider that provides the key knowledge elements, but also allows learners to practice their skills in a real-world environment. Providers that encourage “learning into action” where students can apply their learnings to hands-on projects are a great place to start.
3. Scalable, fast and cost-effective AI workforce transformation
The demand for AI skills is already upon us. With the fast-paced nature of change and AI’s ever-evolving capabilities, it is important that companies look for solutions that provide scalable and fast turnaround training that is equally cost-efficient. On top of this, businesses must ensure they are building AI capabilities in the right way ensuring AI is used ethically and in a way that is inclusive and representative of the global population.
4. Foster a culture of continuous learning
With AI evolving rapidly, companies should plan to continuously improve their AI capabilities across the business to remain competitive. Embedding an AI-driven innovative culture into the business is really important to maintain momentum. Establishing –ongoing AI upskilling initiatives such as AI initiatives sharing, business improvement results with AI, workshops and hackathons, additional certifications and mentorship programmes are all great places to build upon..
WE CAN HELP YOU BUILD ESSENTIAL AI SKILLS ACROSS YOUR BUSINESS
Under our Code First Teams brand, we offer a range of AI training to upskill and reskill employees across all levels and business units:
- Upskill All Employees With Essential AI Skills: unlock essential AI training and skills across multiple areas and business units across your organisation. Employees will be equipped with practical AI skills and tools that are easy to implement in as little as 4-weeks.
- Reskill Employees into AI/ML Tech Roles: look internally for your next tech hires. Reskill and redeploy employees into Software, AI or Machine Learning roles across the business. Our reskilling pipeline will have employees ready for an entry-level tech role in 16-20 weeks.
- Upskill Tech Employees & Business Leaders in Generative AI: designed for existing technologists and leaders wanting to advance their skills in Generative AI integration with practical application in their role/s in just 6- weeks.
The business case for AI upskilling: ROI you can't ignore
Investing in AI upskilling courses is not just a strategic move for staying competitive—it directly impacts your bottom line. Studies show that businesses prioritising AI training can experience significant returns. Here’s how:
- Increased Employee Retention: Code First Girls survey uncovered that 81% of career switchers would have stayed in their previous role, if given the opportunity to upskil, highlighting the critical link between training and employee retention.
- Higher Revenue Growth: Companies leveraging AI have been shown to experience faster revenue growth compared to those that don’t. A study by McKinsey found that AI adopters report up to 50% faster revenue growth than their competitors.
- Cost Savings: AI-driven automation is a proven method for reducing operational costs. According to a report by PwC, AI technologies can reduce operational costs by up to 30% through improved efficiencies and automation of routine tasks.
- Improved Decision-Making: According to a report from Accenture, AI adoption helps businesses to improve decision-making processes, reduce risk, and enhance overall business outcomes.
Overcoming common barriers to AI upskilling
Even with clear benefits, many organisations delay AI upskilling due to perceived challenges. Here’s how to address the most common concerns:
1. "We Don't Have the Budget"
The cost of not upskilling is far greater than the investment. Without AI capabilities, inefficiencies will increase, innovation will stagnate, and hiring external talent will become even more expensive. AI upskilling pays for itself through increased productivity and cost savings.
2. “Our Employees Aren’t Technical”
AI upskilling courses aren’t just for engineers. Business leaders, HR professionals, marketers, and analysts all need AI literacy. The key is working with a training provider who can provide specific training that makes AI accessible to every department.
3. “We Don’t Know Where to Start”
AI upskilling doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start with a pilot program targeting a few key teams, measure the impact, and scale up gradually. Code First Teams can help you design a structured, phased approach that aligns with your business goals.
Act now - upskilling your AI workforce
The companies that lead in AI aren’t just those implementing the latest technology. They’re the ones ensuring their people have the skills to leverage it effectively. Waiting to invest in AI upskilling is no longer an option—it’s a business imperative.
Ready to upskill your workforce in AI? Partner with us today and ensure your teams are equipped for the future.
Why Choose Code First Teams?
Companies around the world choose Code First Teams to;
- Unlock potential and create progression opportunities for internal teams
- Support retention through employee upskilling and skills development initiatives
- Close the digital skills gap within tech teams by providing comprehensive education across in-demand technical skills
Why not find out for yourself? Speak to our experts here.👇