Self-Directed Skills Development: Navigating the Future of Work

In any workplace, change is inevitable, and self-improvement is vital. No matter where you are in your career or what industry you work in, it is crucial to stay up to date on evolving technological advancements and the latest business strategies and tactics. When training opportunities are offered, take them. If not offered, ask to attend. If that fails, educate yourself. 

Taking ownership of your learning requires knowing how to find, advocate for, and pursue ongoing training and upskilling or reskilling as needed. If employer or external sponsorship is not forthcoming, consider some of the many free resources available for self-directed, self-paced training and skills development to help fill your knowledge gaps. 

Research underscores the global challenge of skills disruption

The World Economic Forum’s Skills Outlook in The Future of Jobs Report 2025 reveals that overall, employers expect 39% of workers’ core skills to change by 2030. “This is reflected in an increasing share of the workforce (50%) having completing training as part of long-term learning strategies compared to 2023 (41%) — a finding that is consistent across almost all industries.”

Meanwhile, the 2025 EY US Generation Survey finds that while learning and development is a priority for all generations, only 36% of all respondents feel their company is investing in their professional growth. That means nearly two-thirds are not getting the guidance and resources they desire. Gen Z is most likely to say they feel their employer is investing in them (41%), while baby boomers are least likely to say the same (29%). 

Free, self-directed training options exist

Internal and external mobility, as well as personal growth, are closely tied to your skills and abilities. Consider yourself fortunate if your organization utilizes clear career progression paths to attract and retain top talent — or at least prioritizes continuous learning and upskilling.

Look into employer-provided or sponsored options such as training, learning resources, certification programs, tuition assistance, conference attendance, professional or trade organization memberships, and mentoring or shadowing. Some of the offerings may surprise you (e.g., Amazon’s free employee upskilling programs and EY’s free Tech MBA program for all employees). Tips for Writing a Training Request Letter (With Example) by Jennifer Herrity, career coach at Indeed, may come in handy.

In addition, use the following free learning sources and example offerings for inspiration to start mapping out your own best path to economical continuous learning. 

Massive online open courses (MOOCs): 

• Udemy offers free personal, professional, and technical courses to anyone, and is expected to combine with Coursera later in 2026.
• edX free courses cover a vast array of topics.
• OpenLearn free courses encompass nine subject categories.
• Udacity offers free technical and business courses.
• Alison offers free IT and computing courses.

University offerings: 

• Stanford University courses on edX and Purdue University courses on edX are free to audit and cover wide-ranging topics. (A certificate option is available for a small fee.)
• Stanford Online offers free educational videos, content, and courses available to anyone.
• MIT OpenCourseWare is a free and open collection of materials such as lecture notes, assignments, exams, and videos from courses across MIT’s curriculum.
• The University System of Georgia’s 62 and Older Program covers college tuition and certain fees for eligible state residents aged 62+ at any of its institutions, on a space-available basis.

YouTube videos: 

• The Microsoft AI Skills channel offers free video playlists, including AI Fluency, AI Trainer 2.0 and The Great Copilot Journey.
• The Columbia Data Science Institute’s YouTube channel offers free videos to help train the next generation of data scientists.
• Purdue University Online’s YouTube channel provides free course videos on topics ranging from IT Quality Management and Reliability in Engineering Design to Fundamentals of Current Flow.

State programs: 

• SkillUp NJ provides New Jersey jobseekers, employed or not, access to thousands of free online courses, allowing them to earn certifications and upgrade their skills.
• ReSkill Arkansas provides free IT training and career development services to Arkansans wanting a career in the IT industry.
• WorkSource Oregon Workshops partners with LinkedIn Learning to provide primarily to Oregon residents thousands of free courses to enhance their skills and employability.

Corporate programs:

• The Home Depot Path to Pro Skills Program offers free, web-based trades training and entry-level certificates for anyone seeking a skilled trades career, and a free Network allowing jobseekers in construction to connect with hiring Home Depot Pros.
• IBM SkillsBuild’s free online courses allow adult learners to develop technical and workplace skills and earn digital credentials in areas such as AI, cybersecurity, user experience, and IT fundamentals.
• Microsoft Learn offers to anyone free, online, self-paced training to prepare for Microsoft Certification exams and other free exam readiness resources.
• The EY Microsoft AI Skills Passport (AISP) is a free online program that helps students aged 16+ learn about AI and includes a certificate of completion.

Mentors: 

• If a formal mentorship program is unavailable to you, consider asking a respected, recognized leader if you can come to them occasionally for guidance. 

Professional, industry, trade, analyst, academic and vendor organizations: 

• Request sponsorship to attend key conferences. Some conference organizers offer template request letters.
• Volunteer to share your expertise as a presenter or panelist, as they often get free or heavily discounted registration and other perks.
• Review conference agendas, presentation abstracts and press releases for hot topics, and any related conference videos, podcasts or articles published afterward.
• Run for office in an organization to build your network and leadership skills and gain free perks or discounts.

Read, watch and listen: 

• Seek out topical articles, e-newsletters, press releases, podcasts and videos for the latest product announcements, strategy successes, case studies, how-to instructions, plant tours, webinars and more. 
• Update your list of preferred industry, trade or technology sites, publications, organizations and thought leaders to follow.
• Look up unfamiliar terms and acronyms as you encounter them, and keep your keywords for favored learning topics up to date. 

Ginnie Carlier, EY Americas vice chair of talent, makes an excellent point: “As the workplace continues to evolve, success will depend on more than adapting to change. It will require building environments where people feel valued, have their needs met, and are empowered to grow.”

Jobseekers, employees, and employers all have a responsibility to improve the methods and tools used for continuous learning and career progression to combat knowledge decay. Though the risk of roles and skills becoming obsolete has never been greater, opportunities to stay relevant with self-directed learning are increasingly plentiful, affordable and on point.