Why Closing the Skills Gap Requires More Than Training Programs

Skills gaps are not a new challenge, but the conversation around them is changing. 
For years, workforce development efforts were often framed around filling vacancies, responding to emerging technologies, or delivering training programs at scale. Today, many organizations are realizing that those activities alone are not enough.

During a recent CompTIA-hosted discussion, Seth Robinson, Vice President of Research at CompTIA, and Carrie Spalding, Lead Technical Program Manager for Cyber Talent at Mastercard, explored how organizations are rethinking workforce development in response to rapid technological change, evolving business priorities, and mounting pressure to build sustainable talent pipelines. Their conversation highlighted a broader shift underway: moving from reactive skills training to a more intentional, skills-based talent strategy focused on workforce readiness, employee retention, and long-term business outcomes.

That shift raises important questions. Which skills matter most? How should organizations balance technical training with foundational workplace capabilities? And how can employers build talent pipelines that remain effective as technology continues to evolve?

“You can't just hire your way out of skills gaps.”

Why skills-based talent strategies require more than training

Most organizations would agree that skills matter. The harder question is how to operationalize that belief.

Robinson noted that organizations increasingly view addressing skills gaps as a business priority but translating that priority into measurable action remains difficult. While many organizations have elevated workforce development as a strategic concern, execution often lags. 

Spalding emphasized that a possible explanation is that workforce development is frequently viewed as the responsibility of learning and development teams rather than a shared organizational effort. Skills influence hiring decisions, performance management, internal mobility, succession planning, and day-to-day work. As a result, effective programs require participation from business leaders, managers, HR teams, subject matter experts, and employees themselves. 

This perspective reflects the broader movement toward skills-based talent strategies. Rather than relying primarily on job titles, tenure, or educational credentials, organizations are placing greater emphasis on understanding what employees can do today, what capabilities they need to develop next, and how those skills align with business outcomes.

The appeal is obvious. A skills-based approach can improve hiring decisions, create more targeted development pathways, and help organizations identify talent they already possess.

When implemented effectively, these workforce development programs can strengthen internal mobility, support succession planning, and create clearer career pathways that support both employee growth and business objectives.
The reality, however, is more complicated.

Organizations must define skills consistently, map those skills to roles, establish fair proficiency measurements, and continuously update their frameworks as technologies evolve. Spalding also emphasized the importance of employee engagement in the process. Even the best-designed program will struggle if employees don’t see how the effort benefits their career mobility, professional growth, and long-term career development.

The organizations making meaningful progress tend to start small. Rather than attempting enterprise-wide transformation immediately, they focus on priority roles, establish frameworks and feedback loops, measure results, and expand incrementally over time. 

AI may be the newest layer, but it isn't the foundation

Generative AI has accelerated conversations about workforce readiness. Yet, one of the most valuable observations from the discussion was that rather than treating AI skills as a standalone priority, many organizations are building layered workforce development programs that combine AI literacy, technical skills, and professional capabilities.

Research highlighted during the conversation found that while organizations increasingly seek AI fluency across the workforce, many still report that skills gaps are driven by a combination of AI-related needs and broader technology shortcomings. 
Spalding repeatedly stressed that AI must be understood as an enhancement layer rather than a standalone capability. Employees still need digital literacy, technical fundamentals, role-specific expertise, and critical thinking skills. AI can strengthen those capabilities, but it cannot replace them. 

To illustrate the point, she compared today's AI adoption curve to earlier waves of technological change. Organizations once had to help employees learn how to safely use personal computers, navigate the internet, and adapt to mobile technologies. AI represents the next stage in that evolution, creating a need for a new baseline of understanding across the workforce. 

Spalding described a workforce development approach that begins with basic AI literacy and responsible use, expands to role-specific applications that support productivity and decision-making, and ultimately extends to deeper technical expertise in governance, implementation, security, and integration. 

That layered approach also helps explain why foundational certifications continue to play an important role in workforce development. Credentials such as CompTIA Tech+, A+, Network+, Security+, and AI Essentials can provide a common baseline of validated knowledge that employers can build upon through additional training and experience. These credentials can also support career mobility by giving employers and employees a shared framework for validating workforce readiness and applied skills.

The larger lesson is that organizations should resist treating AI as the only skills priority. Building AI capabilities on top of established technical and professional competencies creates greater opportunity and supports sustainable workforce readiness as technology continues to evolve.

The skills conversation is still about people

For all the attention given to AI and technical skills, one theme surfaced repeatedly throughout the discussion: organizations continue to struggle with communication and other professional skills. 

Spalding emphasized that technical expertise alone is rarely enough to create business value. Professionals must also be able to communicate clearly, collaborate effectively, and connect technical work to larger organizational goals. As she noted, technology itself does not drive transformation. People do. 

This is not simply a leadership challenge.

Many employers assume that communication, collaboration, and presentation skills become important later in a career. At Mastercard, Spalding noted that early-career development includes a focus on workplace communication, feedback, and stakeholder engagement.

The implication is significant. Organizations that separate technical development from professional development may inadvertently limit the impact of both.

Technical expertise allows employees to solve problems. Communication skills enable those solutions to gain traction within an organization. Together, they create the foundation for leadership, collaboration, career mobility, and long-term workforce success.

Growing talent may be more sustainable than chasing it

Many organizations facing skills shortages default to recruiting. While hiring remains important, Spalding noted that it cannot serve as the sole workforce strategy.

Instead, she advocates for a "grow your own employee" mindset that emphasizes career pathways, learning opportunities, and long-term development. Employees are more likely to stay when organizations invest in their growth, making upskilling and career development not only workforce strategies but also employee retention strategies. 

This perspective is especially relevant in fields such as cybersecurity, where employers often prioritize experienced talent but struggle to establish effective entry-level pathways. Sustainable workforce development requires organizations to think beyond immediate vacancies and focus on building talent pipelines that support continuous learning, upskilling, and career progression over time.

Credentials play an important role within that framework. Spalding described certifications as one component of a broader portfolio that demonstrates capability and commitment to continuous learning. Academic degrees remain a foundational indicator of knowledge and preparation, while certifications, targeted training, and ongoing skills development can provide additional evidence of applied expertise, current competencies, and professional growth.

For nonprofits, workforce development organizations, educators, and employer partners, this shift presents an opportunity. Talent pipelines begin long before a position is posted. They’re built through education, mentorship, skills validation, experiential learning, and clear pathways into technology careers.

Looking beyond today's skills gaps

The conversation around workforce development is becoming more sophisticated.
Organizations are moving beyond questions about which skills are most in demand. Instead, they’re focusing on building scalable, skills-based talent strategies that support continuous learning, validated competencies, workforce readiness, and long-term talent development. AI fluency will matter. Technical skills will continue to evolve. Communication and other professional capabilities will remain essential. But the organizations best positioned for the future may be those that view workforce development not as a collection of training events, but as an integrated strategy for building talent over time. 

For nonprofits, educators, workforce partners, and employers, that shift creates an opportunity to strengthen pathways into technology careers while helping individuals build skills that remain relevant as the workplace evolves.

Watch the full recording to hear the complete discussion and explore the research behind these insights. Then continue the conversation with CompTIA's team to learn how we can help you build stronger talent pipelines and a more resilient workforce.