Udemy–Indeed Study Reveals Disconnect Between Upskilling and Hiring Priorities
A new joint study by Udemy and Indeed has uncovered a striking gap in the global skills landscape: while only 4% of job postings mention AI skills, nearly 67.5% of employee learning is already focused on AI. The findings point to what researchers call a “future-proofing instinct” among workers, even as employers remain focused on immediate hiring needs.
The report, The Future-Proofing Instinct, analyzed job posting data from Indeed and employee upskilling patterns from Udemy Business across Australia, India, the UK, and the US between September 2023 and September 2025. It highlights how employees are proactively building technical capabilities, while employers continue to emphasize soft skills such as communication, leadership, and critical thinking.
“Professionals are accelerating their skills journeys faster than ever before to prepare for what’s ahead.”
— Hugo Sarrazin, CEO, Udemy
Key insights include:
- Workers upskill for tomorrow, employers hire for today. Tech workers dedicate 95% of their learning to AI, yet only 17.5% of fast-growing tech job postings mention AI. In manufacturing, 60% of employee learning focuses on AI, but none of the sector’s top job postings list AI skills.
- Soft skills remain critical. Employers consistently rank communication and leadership among the fastest-growing skills, but these barely appear in Udemy’s top learning topics.
- Industries adopt AI at different speeds. Professional services employers actively hire for AI skills, while manufacturing workers are moving faster than their employers. Tech leads the way, with strong AI demand in the US (30%) and UK (20%).
- Regional shifts. AI skills in job postings surged in Australia (from 3.2% to 22.3%) and the US (from 5.8% to 21.9%) over two years.
“Employees who pair technical expertise with strong soft skills will be best positioned to thrive.”
— Laura Ullrich, Director of Economic Research, Indeed
“AI fluency is becoming essential, but it must be paired with adaptive skills that help teams collaborate and navigate transformation,” said Hugo Sarrazin, Udemy’s CEO. Laura Ullrich of Indeed added, “Employees who combine technical expertise with strong soft skills will be best positioned to thrive.”