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Coursera launched its third Annual Global Skills Report, detailing the competencies most sought by employers worldwide.
Coursera launched for the third consecutive year, the Coursera Global Skills Report 2021. This report aims to take an in-depth look at the state of skills globally and help governments and employers assess their workforce skills gaps, identify positions to fill with diverse, non-traditional candidates, and detail the specific skills needed for these roles.
This year’s report draws on performance data from more than 77 million Coursera users in over 100 countries since the start of the pandemic (including the more than 30 million new users who joined in 2020) to compare their mastery of business, technological, and data skills. In addition, for the first time, the report includes the skills required for entry to high-demand jobs and the hours needed to develop them, according to an official announcement by Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera.
Global Skills
Coursera reports regional sections where the competencies demanded by each country are listed (more than 100 countries are registered). The most trending employees’ characteristics sought in business, technology, and data sciences are:
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Innovative
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Competitive
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Emergent
In addition, the report describes other skills that have been seen as a trend in the last year, among which are problem-solving, communication, and computer literacy. Similarly, the report offers a description of other skills that have been seen as trends in the last year, among which are:
Technology management
One of the most critical skills mentioned in the report is technology management. Ninety percent of businesses in the United States accelerated their digitalization plans in 2020; however, the staff skills required for these plans have not transformed as quickly.
This past year saw global unemployment increase, thanks to the pandemic. However, it is reported that 97 million new digital jobs are expected globally by 2025. McKinsey estimates that more than half of low-wage employees will need to develop new skills to transition to higher-wage roles and remain employed in the new digital economy; this would represent 4.9 million workers in the United States. Relevant credentialing for high-wage jobs and entry into digital positions will be essential for accelerated economic growth.
Soft skills (transversal) and technical skills
Apprentices must invest in soft and technical skills to remain relevant for work in a rapidly evolving labor market. The example is given of an employee starting work as a Computer Support Specialist. This job requires soft skills such as problem-solving and organizational development and technical skills such as security engineering and installing and maintaining computer networks.
Human skills
The most transferable skills for any job are human skills, such as problem-solving, communication, computer literacy, and career management. Skills such as business communication and literacy enable workers to participate in increasingly technological work environments worldwide. As people change jobs, job search and career planning skills will become critical to maintaining employment and transitioning to new roles.
Coursera has secured one of the world’s largest databases for identifying and measuring skills trends. This year’s Coursera Annual Global Skills Report was boosted by pandemic-influenced changes, with at least 30 thousand new students contributing their skills to creating this year’s trends.
Thus, it can be concluded that companies are making long-term decisions aligned with technology and digitalization to achieve independence from the resources used in recent years. Also, it is expected that people today will be motivated to pursue postgraduate studies to elevate their skills, that is, to study for a master’s degree or doctorate to obtain a higher position. Finally, employers and employees must emphasize social skills because they are equally valuable as technical or “employable” skills and should be practiced and perfected to balance professional profiles.
Translation by Daniel Wetta.
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This article from Observatory of the Institute for the Future of Education may be shared under the terms of the license CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 
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