Upskill For 2026
26 In-Demand Skills For 2026
Discover the most sought-after skills shaping the future of work in 2026. Prepare for success this year with top skills, from the latest in artificial intelligence and data, to communication and leadership, as chosen by our team of subject matter experts.
1. Agentic AI
96% of technologists agree that agentic AI innovation will accelerate at lighting speed in 2026.
If 2025 was the year when agentic AI became mainstream, 2026 will be the year when businesses truly begin to scale their agentic AI ambitions. The challenge will be doing it quickly, in a safe and compliant way, whilst also harnessing the power that complex agents have to revolutionise workflows and productivity.
Our expert says: "We will continue to see experimentation with Agentic AI systems that are tailored to an organisation’s needs, and an increase in the number of pilot agentic AI projects in the first half of the year, with roll outs likely to increase in number from late summer onwards." - Dr Vicky Crockett, Portfolio Director for Artificial Intelligence
Top Agentic AI Courses
Only 10% of organisations are scaling AI agents.
As businesses continue to expand their AI capabilities, expertise in scalability will be essential in 2026. Designing AI systems, processes, and architecture is one thing, but scaling them for performance, ROI, and user satisfaction is another matter altogether.
Our expert says: "Real scalability demands visibility into how models behave, continuous evaluation to catch failures early, and a security posture that treats AI as part of the critical infrastructure.
Because AI workloads are growing fast, sustainability will also become a strategic constraint both environmentally and operationally. The organisations that build AI with these foundations in place will be the ones that scale safely, confidently and competitively." - Ana Rojo Echeburua, Technical Learning Consultant for AI
Top AI Scaling Courses
Lack of digital skills costing the UK £23bn per year.
As AI tools become more embedded across organisations, a foundational understanding of data and AI will be essential for everyone in 2026. Closing the gap in digital and data literacy will be a critical piece of the puzzle in truly unlocking the value of AI at scale.
Our expert says: "Everyone in an organisation interacts with data. Foundational knowledge of what data is, how to read, interpret and question data is becoming a baseline skill." - Dr Vicky Crockett - Portfolio Director, Artificial Intelligence
Top AI and Data Literacy Courses
4. AI and LLM Product Management
There are now 803 million users of ChatGPT every month.
In October 2025, ChatGPT introduced its first suite of apps integrated within its chat interface. Not only will organisations need the skills to utilise existing LLMs, like ChatGPT and Gemini, they will also be looking to build their own AI products and applications.
Teams that know how to build, test and ship these AI products and features will set the pace, and everyone else will be playing catch up.
Our expert says: "By the end of 2026, LLM products will look nothing like the simple chat interfaces they started out as. We will move away from the old LLM with a wrapper approach and towards AI systems built around orchestration, tool use, evaluation and continuous learning. - Ana Rojo Echeburua, Technical Learning Consultant for AI
Top LLM Development Courses
Microsoft predict that 95% of programming code will be AI-generated by 2030.
In 2026, AI will continue to become a core part of software processes and the ability to harness its capabilities will be a key skills differentiator.
By integrating AI tools in the right way, developers will be able to produce higher-quality software faster, reduce repetitive tasks, and support complex problem-solving.
Our expert says:
Our expert says: "AI won’t replace developers, but developers who can orchestrate AI will outpace those who can’t. The keyboard is no longer the bottleneck, our ability to guide intelligent tools is." - Andy Smith, Portfolio Director, Software & DevOps
Top AI Development Courses
63% of organisations lack AI governance policies to manage AI.
Data governance is going to be one of the critical challenges that all organisations face in 2026. With an increasing amount of diverse data to manage, ensuring its quality and security will be of paramount importance. Teams will also need to stay close regulatory intelligence, ensuring they are aligned with the latest AI compliance guidelines.
Our expert says: "For one reason or many others, most organisations will be creating AI Governance structures if they haven’t already. This is likely to mean detailed AI training for leadership, governance and security teams, as well as mandatory AI literacy training for all staff" - Dr Vicky Crockett - Portfolio Director, Artificial Intelligence
Top AI Governance Courses
7. AI Prompting
66% of workers have never used generative AI at work.
LLM adoption accelerated rapidly in 2025, but 2026 will be about making it even more effective. As organisations deepen their use of AI, equipping teams with the skills to create more advanced prompts and AI agents will lead to improved productivity in content creation, automation and data analysis. 2026 will see effective. prompting become a critical digital skill.
Our expert says: "Generative AI tools are cropping up everywhere and becoming everyday productivity companions. To get the best out of these tools, prompting is becoming a fundamental skill, the next step on from searching on the web"- Jane Atkinson-Weller, Portfolio Director, Data and Office Applications
Top Prompting Courses
By 2028, 25% of KPI reporting will be powered by generative AI.
2026 will see businesses truly starting to harness the power of AI in their supply chains. As supply chains become more interconnected and data-driven, AI-powered auditing will be a key tool for reducing disruption and ensuring accountability.
Professionals who can apply AI to track compliance, detect anomalies, and predict risks will help organisations maintain efficiency, transparency, and resilience.
Our expert says: "It’s no longer enough to just warn of potential disruption due to a cyber-attack, and log cyber risk in an annual report. Executives must have the courage and make the time to challenge security leaders for concreate answers to some of the most difficult questions, that underpin business resilience today."
- Richard Beck, Portfolio Director of Cyber Security
Top AI Supply Chain courses
Less than 37% say companies disclose enough about AI strategies and policies to investors.
With AI becoming deeply embedded in numerous products and services, robust assurances practices will be essential to main trust and reduce risk. Organisations will need specialist teams who verify AI systems and prove without doubt that they are safe, reliable and compliant with constantly evolving regulations.
Our expert says:
Our expert says: AI systems, such as large language models (LLM) do not break in the same way traditional software does. They’re not defined as just static lines of code but by learned behaviors, emergent properties, and training data that is often as unclear as the models themselves. - Richard Beck, Portfolio Director for Cyber Security
Top AI systems courses
1m A jobs in London could be changed by AI.
Change management will remain crucial in 2026 as businesses navigate the organisational, cultural, and operational shifts caused by widespread AI adoption. With AI transforming job design and business strategy, effective change management will be key to achieving sustainable, people-centred implementation.
Our expert says: At no time in history have we witnessed the current pace, complexity, and interconnectedness of organisational change. The ability to thrive (or indeed survive) will depend on the organisation's ability to implement new business systems and ways of working. - Jackie Hewett, Portfolio Director for Project Management
Top Change Management Courses
11. Cloud Native Engineering
The global cloud native market is projected to reach $30.24 billion by 2030.
As AI and digital transformation accelerates, cloud native engineering will be an essential skill for cloud professionals. This will allow businesses to full harness their ever complex data pipelines, setting up the foundations for success in the future world of machine learning and data engineering.
Our expert says: "Data and AI workloads are exploding, and cloud platforms are now the backbone of modern analytics and AI operations.."
— Stuart Scott, Portfolio Director for Cloud
Top Cloud Native Courses of 2026
81% of organisations experienced a cloud security incident in the past year.
As cloud adoption grows, and security threats become more complex, protecting cloud environments has never been more important. Designing and maintaining secure cloud environments will be essential for maintaining trust and proving operational resilience - in the face of increasing data threats.
Our expert says: "Security failures are the biggest organisational risk, and talent that can implement protective controls is in highest demand." Stuart Scott, Portfolio Director for Cloud
Top Cloud Security Courses 2026
Only 50% of users trust answers from AI.
As AI automation ramps up, it's important not to forget that human creativity and ingenuity is still an essential skill. In fact, it may be even more important than ever at present. Unique solutions, imaginations and innovation will drive success in 2026, and it's hoped that AI automation in other areas will allow teams more time to do this kind of thinking.
Our expert says: Automation and AI are increasingly taking care of routine work, freeing up human headspace to imagine, connect ideas, and reframe problems. That shift unlocks real potential, turning constant change into opportunity, fueling innovation, and helping us approach challenges with fresh perspectives rather than fixed answers. - Megan Sutton, Portfolio Director for Leadership
Top Creativity Courses
14. Data Engineering
Data generation, capture, copying, and consumption will reach a record 221 zettabytes in 2026.
Data collection and management is set to explode even further in 2026, and businesses will need increasingly sophisticated capability in data processing and management. The sheer amount of data produced will make it a real challenge to deliver secure and clean data, and data engineers will need specialist knowledge in cloud and AI to deliver bespoke solutions.
Our expert says: "AI is becoming embedded in every organisation and behind every AI system, is Data. Professionals who can manage large datasets will help drive innovation and efficiency". - Jane Atkinson-Weller, Portfolio Director for Data and Office Applications
Top Data Engineering Courses of 2026
Demand for skilled analysts and data scientists will rise, with UK employer demand up 25% in 2026.
With organisations collecting more data than ever, one of the key challenges they have is extracting meaningful insights. This means an increased demand for data analysts and those with the analytical thinking skills required to utilise the huge amount data at their fingertips.
Our expert says: "Organisations are drowning in data and struggling for insight. The ability to first analyse data and then extract meaningful actionable insights will support with the move towards more data informed decisions and strategies."
- Jane Atkinson-Weller, Portfolio Director for Data and Office Apps
Top Data Analytics Courses of 2026
More than 11.5 million new data-related jobs will be created globally by the year 2026
With more and more data available to organisations, data scientists will be critical in boiling down vast data sets into data-driven decisions. It's also a role that's evolving, with more focus on utilising AI for productivity and the delivery of high-value insights. Data scientists that can adapt their skill set to these new demands will be the ones that thrive in 2026.
Our expert says: "In 2026, data science will hit a turning point, as AI frameworks mature, demanding real business ROI from their AI investments instead. This shift will increase the value of data scientists who can combine deep technical skills, causal inference and MLOps with the ability to drive concrete outcomes." - Hazar Tez, Principal Learning Specialist, Data Science
Top Data Science Courses 2026
Nearly as many adults say that AI products and services them nervous (52%) as say they are excited about them (54%)
As AI systems become more widespread, they will have a greater impact on customers and wider society. Having professionals who understand the ethical consequences of AI systems, and the regularly frameworks behind them, will become increasingly important. This will help to ensure AI tools are built in a safe, fair and bias free way.
Our expert says: An all-staff training approach is key to implementing AI Governance successfully, so that employees are aware whenever a system needs to follow your AI policy and procedures.’ - Dr Vicky Crockett, Portfolio Director for Artificial Intelligence
Top Ethical AI Courses for 2026
The Cloud FinOps Market is projected to reach USD $10.8bn by 2032
As cloud adoption grows, FinOps expertise will be critical for maintaining financial control while maximising the benefits of digital transformation. Professionals skilled in FinOps will bridge finance, technology, and operations, ensuring that cloud investments are efficient, transparent, and scalable.
Our expert says: "In 2026 cloud cost isn’t an afterthought, it’s a design constraint. FinOps turns guesswork into governance, making engineering accountable for value, not just velocity."
— Andy Smith, Portfolio Director for Software & DevOps
Top FinOps Courses of 2026
By the end of 2033, the GitOps platform market is forecasted to surpass USD 11.35 billion.
GitOps will be important in 2026 as organisations seek to streamline cloud-native application deployment and infrastructure management through version-controlled, automated workflows.
Our expert says: "GitOps is the bridge between intent and reality. When Git becomes the single source of truth, deployments stop being events and start being a continuous, convergent process." - Andy Smith, Portfolio Director for Software & Devops
Top GitOps Courses 2026
92% of organisations now operate in hybrid or multi-cloud environments
As cloud strategies become increasingly complex, having capabilities in managing, integrating and optimising resources across cloud environments will be critical in reducing risk, controlling cost and ensuring seamless operations.
Having teams with the skills to manage and maintain multi-cloud ecosystems will be vital, especially as AI adoption continues to accelerate.
Our expert says: Enterprises increasingly run workloads across AWS, Azure, GCP and on-premises, requiring engineers who can design portable, resilient, vendor-agnostic solutions. - Stuart Scott, Portfolio Director for Cloud
Top Multi-Cloud Courses For 2026
21. Observability and AI Ops
By 2026, over 60% of large enterprises will have moved toward self-healing systems powered by AIOps
In 2026, organisations will increasingly rely on AI-driven monitoring to manage complex IT environments. With cloud and IT infrastructures growing in complexity, building more expertise in AI-powered observability will be essential for ensuring reliability, resilience and operational efficiency.
Our expert says: "In modern systems, failure is not a question of if but when. Observability and AI Ops turn noise into narrative, giving teams the insight to prevent incidents before they happen."
— Andy Smith, Director of Software & DevOps
Top Testing Courses of 2026
Employers will need approximately 25 million new project professionals through 2030 to fill critical roles.
It's increasingly important for project managers to blend tech and human skills in delivering their projects. The pace of change, caused by AI, means project managers are more in demand than ever, but they also need to possess a much wider skillset. They need literacy in key AI and digital concepts, and the people skills to bring together hybrid and remote workers.
Our expert says: Far from replacing the role of the project manager, the goal is for AI to automate and augment routine and repetitive tasks, allowing the project manager to focus on higher value tasks such as leading the team, engaging stakeholders, and strategic decision-making. - Gerry McCafferty, Senior Learning Design Consultant, Project Management
Top Project Management Courses of 2026
84% of product teams worry their current products won’t succeed in the market
AI is making it easier to create new products and concepts. This also means many products will be released too soon, and suffer from a lack of quality checking and full consideration. This means skilled product professionals, who can navigate development risk, user experience and fast-paced innovation, will be well placed to lead successful launches.
Our expert says: As it becomes faster to build products with AI, we will also see a rise in AI slop. Therefore, product professionals should look to hone their discovery skills to better understand their user needs. - Paddy Dhanda, Director of Agile and Product Discovery
Top Product Discovery Courses for 2026
24. Quantum Computing
Surging investment could propel the quantum market to $100 billion in a decade
Although still emerging, we are closer than ever to quantum computing reaching the mainstream. Professionals who understand the principles and potential applications of quantum computing will help businesses prepare for future breakthroughs and identify strategic opportunities.
Our expert says: "It's estimated that 20 billion digital devices will have to be upgraded or replaced with new quantum-safe encrypted communications. Many organisations are watching and waiting. After all quantum doesn’t offer tangible ROI today."
- Richard Beck, Portfolio Director for Cyber Security
Top Quantum Computing Courses of 2026
Overall, employers expect 39% of workers’ core skills to change by 2030
As AI transformation continues to accelerate across all industries, it will be important for businesses, teams and individuals to remain resilient in the face of change. Being able to adapt, recover from setbacks, and capitalise on the latest innovations, will be crucial in sustaining growth and unlocking innovation.
Our expert says: "In 2026, resilience won’t be a soft skill – it will be a strategic advantage. As AI reshapes roles, workflows and entire business models, the organisations that thrive will be those that can adapt quickly, recover from disruption, and turn constant change into momentum." - Megan Sutton, Portfolio Director for Leadership and Business
Top Resilience Courses of 2026
83% of consumers believe companies should actively shape ESG practices.
This trend carries over from 2025, with organisations still facing a range of complex technological, ethical and regulatory challenges. From securing sensitive data, to protecting business continuity and key decision making, understanding the risks and mitigating against challenges, will still be incredibly important.
Our expert says: "Effective risk management will protect organisations from financial, operational, and reputational threats in an increasingly volatile business environment" - Carl Karshagen, Learning Consultant for Project Management
Top Risk Management Courses
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