Analytical thinking remains top core skill for employers

Globally, employers expect 39% of workers’ core skills to change by 2030, according to a World Economic Forum report.

Nearly 70% of employers globally consider analytical thinking an essential core skill for their workforce, according to the latest Future of Jobs report from the World Economic Forum.

Analytical thinking remains the top core skill needed in 2025, unchanged from the WEF’s previous findings. Other leading skills included resilience, flexibility, and agility (67%); leadership and social influence (61%); and creative thinking (57%).

Globally, employers expect 39% of workers’ core skills to change by 2030. Five macrotrends are expected to drive “skill disruption”, the report said, naming technological change, geoeconomic fragmentation, green transition, demographic shifts, and economic uncertainty as catalysts to labour-market transformation.

Looking ahead to 2030, skills such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data; analytical thinking; creative thinking; resilience, flexibility, and agility; and technological literacy are considered critical now and projected to become even more important, the report said.

Technological changes, part of the five identified macrotrends predicted to influence a skill evolution by 2030, are also responsible for an increased interest in problem-solving abilities.

“These trends are not only seen as responsible for the growth of [AI and big data, networks and cybersecurity, and technological literacy] but also for the rising importance of analytical thinking and systems thinking,” the report said.

Human skills are critical for transformation

While technology is a dominant focus across industries, human-centric skills are still viewed as essential, the report said. Motivation and self-awareness (52%), empathy and active listening (50%), curiosity and lifelong learning (50%), and customer service (47%) are in the top ten of core skills needed in 2025.

Moreover, most employers expect human-centric skills to become even more important in 2030.

Although technology is expected to magnify the relevance of various skillsets, some skills may become less applicable as advancements increase across sectors, the report said. Skills such as manual dexterity, endurance, precision, reading, writing, and mathematics are expected to diminish in relevance as those tasks become easier to automate.

“These findings underscore an urgent need for appropriate reskilling and upskilling strategies to bridge emerging divides,” the report said.

New research from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, underscores the need for companies to do more to bridge the skills gap to stay competitive.

— To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Steph Brown at Stephanie.Brown@aicpa-cima.com.

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