According to , prepared by the World Economic Forum, nearly 40% of the skills workers use today will change before the end of the decade, and six out of ten professionals will need to update their skills before 2030. With this data in hand, the question is no longer whether artificial intelligence will transform employment, but how we can prepare to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving labor market.
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Because these changes already affect practically all sectors, not just technology. And the question that arises in the face of this challenge is: “What can we do?”. Increasingly, the answer lies in a word that is much more than a trend: ‘reskilling’ or professional retraining and upskilling.
Silvia Leal’s advice
Expert in artificial intelligence and future trends
“Observe how your sector is changing and ask yourself which tasks are being automated, what new tools are emerging, and what new roles are needed. Identify what you need to learn to move towards those new areas and use free digital platforms like Santander Open Academy”
We are talking about acquiring new skills to adapt to changes and access new professional opportunities, whether inside or outside our company. And as Silvia Leal, expert in artificial intelligence and future trends, explains, it is not about starting from scratch, but about “changing direction when the work map changes.”
It happens that this map – as we see daily – is already modifying its routes and paths towards new options. And it does so at a dizzying speed. Silvia Leal assures that professions related to artificial intelligence, data science, big data, programming, and cybersecurity already concentrate most of the job opportunities.
Employment is transforming
The debate about artificial intelligence in recent years has focused on which professions are most likely to disappear. However, studies and experts agree that this is not the real issue.
Six out of ten professionals will need to update their skills before 2030
Because what is happening is something deeper and full of nuances. AI is taking over the most repetitive tasks of many jobs, allowing professionals to focus on adding value in those functions where human judgment, creativity, information interpretation, or adaptability remain essential.
Perhaps this is the most important point. Many jobs will remain, but they will be different. Those who develop the necessary skills and incorporate new tools into their professional lives earlier will have a great advantage.
Companies are already seeking new skills
As expected, these new needs are also reflected in selection processes. This is confirmed by the recent study Most Demanded Global Skills by Randstad Enterprise, which warns that talent scarcity can already be considered a structural phenomenon, resulting in a shift in focus in the processes themselves. Organizations are beginning to value candidates’ skills and their ability to keep learning more than accumulated experience in a specific position.
The study points out that capabilities related to artificial intelligence and automation lead the demand for professionals, with continuous growth confirming that these technologies are no longer reserved for specialized profiles but are becoming tools present in practically all sectors.
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But the transformation does not only affect technical skills. The more machines advance, the more value those deeply human skills that enable collaboration, problem-solving, and adaptation to changing scenarios acquire.
According to the OECD report Empowering the Workforce in the Context of a Skills-First Approach, many companies are modifying their hiring practices to place more emphasis on candidates’ skills rather than formal qualifications. LinkedIn data analyzed by the OECD reflects this trend: in the organization’s countries, around 15% of candidate searches conducted by recruiters are filtered by skills, compared to less than 2% filtered only by degree.
AI is taking over the most repetitive tasks of many jobs, allowing value to be added in those functions where human judgment is essential
What is increasingly defined are the growth areas. Because there is already a significant shortage of specialized professionals in certain sectors. According to Silvia Leal, profiles linked to artificial intelligence and data analysis are among the hardest to fill, with vacancy rates close to 17% in data science and 16% in artificial intelligence.
Learning to learn will be the most important skill
In this new context, one of the most valuable skills is not just mastering a specific tool, but developing the ability to learn, unlearn, and continuously update knowledge throughout one’s professional life. In fact, according to the Randstad report, around 80% of leaders prioritize the ability to learn and unlearn over static technical knowledge. In other words, companies seek professionals capable of evolving at the pace of technology and society itself.
Democratization of learning
Just a few years ago, retraining required taking a new degree, master’s, or any other formal training through traditional channels. Today, there are many flexible and accessible alternatives that allow training and learning progressively and compatible with work.
Santander Open Academy, from Banco Santander, facilitates free access to training focused on the skills and knowledge most demanded by the labor market
In this regard, platforms like Santander Open Academy, from Banco Santander, facilitate free access to training precisely focused on the skills and knowledge most demanded by the labor market. It is an online platform, free and open to anyone without needing to be a bank client, that brings together courses, scholarships, and content centered on improving employability.
Among its offerings stand out courses on Data, AI, and Technology, along with studies on programming or cybersecurity, offering an accessible way to start or deepen knowledge in areas especially demanded by the labor market.
The future belongs to those who keep learning
Employment transformation will continue in the coming years, and AI will accelerate the emergence of new profiles and modify the way of working in practically all sectors.
In the face of this scenario, professional retraining is a strategy for the present and the future. As we saw, it is not about accumulating knowledge but maintaining an open attitude to lifelong learning. Silvia Leal puts it much better: “The future of work is not about enduring change. It’s about learning to move before change moves you.” Because the best way to protect our employability is not to compete against technology but to continue developing the capabilities that will allow us to grow alongside it.
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