Top Tech Skills Your Team Needs in 2025: Straight from the Source

Key Takeaways

• Networking, AI, Cloud, and Cybersecurity top the list of urgent upskilling priorities for 2025

• Investing in training now yields long-term ROI through retention, productivity, and reduced outsourcing

• 93% of leaders who prioritize upskilling report stronger performance and resilience (PwC)

• Skills gaps exist at every level—teams need structured, flexible training to grow

Where These Priorities Came From

When ACI Learning surveyed B2B decision-makers about what they need to train for most in 2025, four categories consistently rose to the top:
➡ Networking
➡ Artificial Intelligence (AI)
➡ Cloud
➡ Cybersecurity

These aren’t niche skills anymore. They’re foundational to running secure, scalable, and future-ready operations—and gaps in these areas come at a cost. According to The ROI of IT Training, failure to train can result in:

• Security risks

• Increased employee turnover

• Productivity slowdowns

• Budget overruns due to outsourcing

1. Networking: Powering Modern Infrastructure

What It Covers

Networking is the backbone of IT: routing, switching, VPNs, SD-WAN, VLANs, DNS, and more.

Why It Matters

With cloud systems and hybrid work becoming standard, resilient network design is critical. Gaps here slow down entire teams and increase risk. Trained teams reduce downtime and ensure data flow, device connectivity, and application uptime.

How to Upskill

• Start with CompTIA Network+ to cover the essentials

• Use virtual labs to safely build real-world troubleshooting skills

• Progress into Cisco CCNA for deeper enterprise design

🔗 Related Reading: 9 Employee Development Strategies → Cross-functional upskilling boosts productivity across departments.

2. Artificial Intelligence: Practical, Not Just Theoretical

What It Covers

AI includes process automation, intelligent system monitoring, predictive analytics, and large-scale data interpretation.

Why It Matters

AI is already transforming roles. Help desk tickets, patch management, security alerts—these are now AI-assisted. But if teams don’t understand how to work with or apply AI, productivity suffers and innovation stalls.

How to Upskill

• Start with AI fundamentals for IT professionals

• Explore tools like Power Automate, Python scripting, and AI Ops frameworks

• Focus on ethics and responsible AI use to guide adoption

🔗 Related Reading: The ROI of IT Training → Strategic upskilling reduces long-term costs and futureproofs your workforce.

3. Cloud: Critical, Yet Still Undertrained

What It Covers

Platforms like AWS, Microsoft Azure, GCP; identity and access management; automation; and cost governance.

Why It Matters

According to the survey and industry research, cloud skills remain a significant gap. Poor training can lead to misconfigurations, compliance failures, and runaway spend.

How to Upskill

• Start with AWS Cloud Practitioner or Azure Fundamentals

• Practice configurations with hands-on labs

• Use cost monitoring tools and case studies to train for optimization

🔗 Related Reading: 9 Strategies to Future-Proof Your Workforce → Personalized learning plans create clearer career pathways in emerging tech roles.

4. Cybersecurity: The Never-Optional Skill

What It Covers

Threat detection, security architecture, incident response, and frameworks like NIST, ISO 27001/27701.

Why It Matters

Cyber threats are evolving faster than most teams can keep up. Trained staff are your first line of defense, but without continuous development, even experienced teams fall behind.

How to Upskill

• Baseline every employee with cybersecurity awareness training

• Skill up core security roles with CompTIA Security+, CEH, or CISA

• Reinforce with realistic attack simulations and incident response labs

🔗 Related Reading: The ROI of IT Training → Security breaches cost more than training—especially when preventable with updated skills.

🙋‍♀️ FAQ: Your 2025 Upskilling Questions, Answered

Q: How do I calculate ROI on tech training?
A: Track indicators like reduced outsourcing, faster incident resolution, higher retention, and certification completions. myACI Learn includes tools to monitor these KPIs.

Q: What certifications offer the most value for IT teams?
A: Based on hiring trends and feedback from leaders:

• CompTIA Network+, Security+

• CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker)

• CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor)

• AWS and Azure certifications

Q: What if my team has mixed skill levels?
A: No problem—myACI is built to support both:

• Different starting levels across the team. From foundational to intermediate and advanced courses, ACI Learning covers the full spectrum of IT and cybersecurity skills.

• Varying strengths within the same role. Tiered learning paths and built-in assessments help identify knowledge gaps and personalize each learner’s journey based on their current skill profile.

Q: How quickly can we expect to see results?
A: Many organizations cite improved team performance as a top benefit of upskilling initiatives. While specific timeframes vary, leaders commonly report noticeable gains in project efficiency, engagement, and retention shortly after structured training programs begin.

Q: What’s the best format—online or in-person?
A: Survey responses indicate that blended learning models—which combine on-demand content with instructor-led options—are frequently used as part of strategic training plans. This flexible format helps align learning with real-world goals and lets teams train in ways that fit their schedules and roles.