Industry News | Gen-Z, skills-based uncertainty, & the crucial human connection: Reflections from Udemy's London Leaders Luncheon

On Thursday November 7, leading online skills marketplace and learning platform, Udemy, hosted its third annual ‘London Leaders Luncheon’, an event in which prominent experts came together to discuss the major trends impacting the learning and development landscape.

Hosted at the iconic Searcy’s restaurant in the Gherkin, London, Udemy put together a series of sessions that centred on three core themes identified in its 2025 Global Learning & Skills Trends Report, set for release on November 14: shifting demographics, the impact of AI and the rapid pace of change, and the shift to becoming a skills-based organisation.

“We know that each industry has different use cases; different challenges,” began Genefa Murphy, Chief Marketing Officer at Udemy. But Murphy also revealed that the company’s research found the issues were pervasive across all sectors and sizes.

The impact of demographic shifts on L&D

By 2030, 30% of our workforce will made of Gen-Z. This statistic was repeated through the afternoon by Murphy and Bill O’Shea, Vice President, EMEA, Udemy, to highlight how shifting demographics will bring (and are already bringing) a change in expectations from employees about their learning experience.