'Two-track workforce' | Workers confident they can learn new skills, but many lack support to do so, PwC finds

Six in ten UK workers are confident they can learn new skills, but only half of those workers believe they have access to the learning and development resources they need at work, according to new PwC research.

The gap comes as employers adapt to technological change and AI. Fewer than half of workers (48%) said they understood the skills they would need in the future, although only 13% identified a lack of skills or training as a barrier to their productivity.

PwC’s latest UK Hopes & Fears survey, which questioned more than 2,000 UK workers, also found a sharp divide between those who felt their skills were in demand and those who did not. The former were more confident about their job security (74% versus 30%) and their ability to find another suitable job (58% versus 19%). They were also nearly twice as likely to be satisfied in their current role (80% versus 42%).

Sarah Moore, head of workforce transformation consulting at PwC UK, said: “The findings point to the risk of a two-track workforce emerging. Workers who feel confident about their future are more likely to understand the skills they need, access learning opportunities and see clear pathways for progression. In a rapidly changing world of work, employers cannot afford to take a reactive approach to skills.”