The world of work is shifting faster than most companies can keep up. By 2026, the employers who thrive won’t always be the ones with the biggest budgets or the flashiest perks. They’ll be the ones who see these changes coming and adapt their hiring strategies before their competitors do.

Here’s what’s driving the change: five interconnected trends that are fundamentally reshaping how companies find, train, and retain talent. Miss even one of these shifts, and you risk falling behind. Master them, and you’ll build a workforce that’s resilient, skilled, and ready for whatever comes next.

Trend #1: AI Adoption Across All Roles

AI isn’t just for tech companies anymore. It’s everywhere—from customer service chatbots to healthcare diagnostics to manufacturing quality control. Recent research shows that 62% of organizations have adopted AI in at least one business function.

But here’s the catch: most workers don’t have the skills to use these tools effectively. You can’t just hand someone an AI platform and expect magic. They need training on prompt engineering, data interpretation, and how to work alongside automated systems.

This creates a massive opportunity for employers who invest in skills-based training programs. Generation’s model addresses this head-on by integrating AI literacy into technical training across all of our programs. Our graduates don’t just learn a job—they learn how to adapt as that job evolves. According to our 2025 Global Alumni Survey, 79% of employed alumni are working in roles related to their Generation training, and 83% are in high-quality jobs that require continuous learning and adaptation.

Trend #2: The Midcareer Moment

The traditional career path is dead. Workers no longer expect to stay in one field for 40 years. Instead, they’re pivoting—sometimes multiple times—to find roles that offer better pay, more flexibility, or simply more meaning.

This “midcareer moment” is especially pronounced among workers in their 30s and 40s who feel stuck or who are facing unemployment due to shifts in their industries. They have bills to pay and families to support, but their current skills aren’t opening doors to better opportunities. These aren’t entry-level workers who need hand-holding. They’re motivated, experienced adults who just need a bridge to a new career.

Smart employers are tapping into this demographic. Generation specifically targets midcareer learners, with 73% of their learners aged 18-24 in lower-middle-income countries and a broader age range in high-income countries. The results speak for themselves: 76% of Generation alumni globally are employed 2-5 years after graduation, with 71% advancing beyond entry-level roles by year five.

When you hire someone who’s made a deliberate career change, you’re getting someone who knows what they want and is willing to work for it.

Related to this topic:
Beyond age: The value of employing older workers

Trend #3: Skills-Based Hiring Replacing Degree Requirements

College degrees used to be the golden ticket to a good job. Not anymore. Employers are finally realizing that a four-year degree doesn’t guarantee someone can do the work—and requiring one unnecessarily shrinks your talent pool.

Skills-based hiring focuses on what candidates can actually do, not where they went to school. Can they troubleshoot a network issue? Can they close a sale? Can they manage a patient care plan? That’s what matters.

This shift opens doors for millions of workers who have the ability but not the credentials. Generation’s model proves this works. Six months after completing training, 83% of graduates are employed, with 79% working in roles directly related to their training. But the impact extends beyond initial placement: 73% of employed alumni earn above a living wage, and many advance into intermediate and managerial roles—demonstrating that accessible upskilling creates lasting career mobility, not just a first job.

The employers who embrace skills-based hiring first will access talent their competitors are still overlooking.

Trend #4: Remote Work Expanding Talent Pools

Remote work isn’t going away. Even as some companies push for return-to-office mandates, the genie is out of the bottle. Workers have experienced flexibility, and many are reluctant to give it up.

For employers, this creates both challenges and opportunities. The challenge: managing distributed teams and maintaining culture across time zones. The opportunity: accessing talent anywhere in the world.

Think about it. If you’re only hiring people who can commute to your office, you’re limiting yourself to a tiny fraction of the available workforce. Open up remote roles, and suddenly you can hire the best person for the job—regardless of where they live.

Generation prepares learners for this reality by emphasizing digital literacy and remote collaboration skills. Our alumni work across industries and geographies, with strong representation in tech, customer service and sales, healthcare, and skilled trades. This geographic and industry diversity means Generation graduates are ready to work in whatever environment you need.

Trend #5: Employer-Led Training as a Competitive Differentiator

Here’s a truth most companies are starting to realize: you can’t hire your way out of a talent shortage. The most successful organizations aren’t just competing for existing talent—they’re creating it.

With 40% of employers citing skills shortages as their biggest hiring challenge, traditional recruiting isn’t working. Smart employers are shifting their approach—building partnerships with training providers and developing custom talent pipelines that deliver job-ready workers on demand.

Why employer partnerships work:

• Better retention and cultural fit – Workers trained specifically for your needs, not generic degree programs
• Proven results – 79% of Generation’s employed alumni are hired by repeat employers who come back for more
• Long-term impact – 83% of graduates are employed within six months, with 73% of graduates 2-5 years post-program earning above a living wage

The companies attracting top talent aren’t necessarily those with the biggest recruiting budgets—they’re the ones forging partnerships that help build the workforce they need.

The Integrated Solution

These five trends aren’t separate problems requiring five separate solutions. They’re interconnected pieces of a larger puzzle. AI adoption requires skills-based hiring. Remote work expands your talent pool but requires training. Midcareer workers benefit from employer-led programs to make successful transitions.

The employers who win in 2026 will be the ones who see the whole picture and act on it now. That means rethinking your hiring strategy from the ground up. It means partnering with training organizations like Generation that can deliver job-ready talent at scale. And it means committing to ongoing development so your workforce can adapt as these trends continue to evolve.

Get Ahead Now

The workforce is changing, whether you’re ready or not. The question is: will you lead the change or scramble to catch up?

Start by auditing your current hiring practices. Are you still requiring degrees for roles where skills matter more? Are you limiting your search to local candidates when remote work could expand your options? Are you investing in training, or just hoping the perfect candidate walks through the door?

Then, take action. Partner with Generation to build a talent pipeline that addresses all five of these trends simultaneously. Our model works—well-trained, motivated graduates ready to work and achieve economic mobility for graduates. That’s not just good for workers. It’s good for your business.

The future of work is already here. Will you be part of shaping it?