Until a few years ago, doctors boasted of being the only professionals who could never afford to stop studying. Medicine was advancing so rapidly that even the most seasoned practitioner had to stay permanently up to date with new techniques and treatments in order to do their job competently. Today, doctors no longer hold that prerogative exclusively. The need for lifelong learning beyond a degree or a master’s is now inescapable across virtually every discipline. Work environments change at such a pace that no formula for employability remains valid for long. Whatever brought us professional success in the past is almost certainly insufficient today—and likely useless tomorrow. Obsolescence of skills is guaranteed in dynamic contexts where the only certainty is change.
What will I read about in this article?
According to the Future of Jobs Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum, around 39% of workers’ core skills will change or become obsolete by 2030. In this context, continuous training—whether in the form of upskilling (learning to perform one’s current job better or in an updated way) or reskilling (training to move into a different professional field)—is non-negotiable if we want to remain attractive in the labour market.
This need for lifelong learning, driven by market forces and technological transformation, can be seen either as a curse or a blessing. A curse, in that it demands a relentless effort to keep up. A blessing, for exactly the same reason. “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself,” John Dewey said.
Entering the cycle of continuous learning gives us the chance to reinvent ourselves again and again, to nurture our curiosity for new professional territories, and to continue growing—personally and professionally—through exploration and discovery. Learning simply makes life more interesting.
One of the greatest barriers facing those who take on the challenge of learning after a long career is the dread of going back to square one—the vertigo of having to start from scratch in a new speciality. From that perspective, retraining feels like a step backwards, and training sessions look like a steep, insurmountable mountain. Yet this is rarely the case. Total reinvention almost never happens, and when it does it’s usually a personal choice rather than a cruel demand of the market.
In reality, most professionals already possess a solid foundation of technical knowledge and skills built up throughout their careers, which can be perfectly applied to their new stage. All they need to do is to build on those foundations: updating themselves, filling gaps, and adding the specific elements required by their new role.
In reality, most professionals already possess a solid foundation of technical knowledge and skills built up throughout their careers, which can be perfectly applied to their new stage.
A clear example: many workers who lost their jobs when the construction boom collapsed have successfully retrained in professions linked to installing renewable energy systems and infrastructure. From this perspective, the daunting mountain begins to resemble a hill, and the titanic effort promised by the climb becomes the springboard to an exciting new career full of possibilities.
So, what does this new kind of training demanded by companies look like? Reskilling represents a deep shift in the very essence of education. It is eminently practical, closely tied to real jobs, and with almost immediate transfer to workplace performance. This philosophy of learning by doing and last-mile training ensures high levels of retention and application, since workers adapt the learning directly through their own experiences.
This philosophy of learning by doing and last-mile training ensures high levels of retention and application, since workers adapt the learning directly through their own experiences.
Formats are also changing, or rather, expanding and blending: face-to-face courses coexist with online sessions; webinars, videos and podcasts with conventional book reading; expert talks with hackathons, digital twins, augmented reality or generative AI-based learning platforms; mentoring and shadowing with a working session with colleagues over pizza and soft drinks. Pure flexibility, without red lines or preconceived ideas.
One of these growing trends that’s paradigmatic of the reskilling universe is the so-called bootcamps. These are high-intensity programmes aimed at facilitating the accelerated learning of specific skills and knowledge highly focused on areas with high labour demand, such as renewable energy, digital marketing or AI. They prioritise practice and give students the opportunity to test their knowledge in real projects, blurring the boundaries between learning and innovation.
Transversality is another defining trait of reskilling. The much-feared digital divide loses meaning once we accept that technology is already embedded in all areas of life and work—and therefore must also be naturally integrated into training. Whether in purely tech subjects such as AI, or in any other discipline—from cookery to new forms of journalism—digitalisation is always present.
Whatever comes through the door of the future, training will be our strongest card to face it with confidence in our abilities.
Technology is not the only factor shaping new corporate training. Sustainability, in its broadest sense (environmental, social, economic, and ethical), also clearly defines the latest training programmes, giving them a more responsible, inclusive, and diverse focus. Not to mention the growing importance of soft skills: communication, organisational abilities, stress tolerance, leadership, social influence, critical thinking, customer orientation, teamwork, and resilience. These tools are fundamental to employability in any field.In fact, according to a TestGorilla report, 81% of hiring decisions already prioritise soft skills over degrees or technical expertise.
That’s the picture today. As for tomorrow? No one knows. What’s certain is that—whatever the future brings—training will be our greatest asset to face it with confidence. To turn any potential threat into an exciting opportunity.
Eso, por lo que se refiere al hoy. ¿Qué nos deparará el mañana? Quién sabe. Lo que es seguro es, que sea lo que sea lo que salga por la puerta del futuro, la formación será nuestra mejor baza para enfrentarnos a ello con confianza en nuestras posibilidades. Para transformar cualquier potencial amenaza en una ilusionante oportunidad.
Ramón Oliver is a journalist specialising in employment, economics and sustainability, topics he has covered for outlets such as El País, El Economista, OK Diario and Capital Humano. He currently contributes to Vozpópuli, La Vanguardia and Ethic Magazine, and is the editor of the specialist website MetaEmpleo.