IT reskilling: the pressing CIO imperative

Keeping up with new technologies, and recalibrating existing ones, can seem almost impossible as they seem to appear every month. But innovation breeds necessity, so knowledge updates within the enterprise are essential to successful reskilling, and CIOs are the pacesetters.

“In our profession, training is a given, like courage in soldiers,” says Gracia Sánchez-Vizcaíno, CIO of Securitas for Iberia and Latin America. “Without continuous training, teams become obsolete.

Disruption is also proportionate to the speed of change, leaving organizations usually a step behind technology. But speed isn’t the only challenge facing IT departments. The range of people themselves who need training has also changed. New technologies have become so intricate in corporate activity that staff training, as well as training of external teams, need to be more targeted.

So seeing which key knowledge areas dominate the concerns of CIOs and training experts helps visualize the scope of this challenge. Sánchez-Vizcaíno is focused on the particular speed of agentic AI. “We need a change in mindset, but also in knowledge,” she says.

Gen AI and cybersecurity are equally front of mind in developing new skills and knowledge, as are data analytics and automation. But the list also includes soft skills like communication, negotiation, and leadership since having critical thinking skills is equally important, says David González, business director of IT permanent recruitment at Hays Spain.

Develop or hire?

The need for staff to be adroit in emerging tech also raises another the question of upskilling internally or hiring externally those already skilled. While the latter can bring benefits, the general consensus among IT leaders is strengthening an established team is more advantageous to yield significant returns.

“Within the technology market, reskilling shouldn’t be an option but an advantage,” González says, adding that it’s not so much about pitting one model against the other, but seeing what each one offers and valuing it on findings. The IT job market is no longer dominated by a kind of recruitment race, however. “Attracting talent is very difficult,” Sánchez-Vizcaíno says, whereas training is another form of compensation that increases commitment, broadens the staff skill base, and reduces dependence on external resources that can be expensive and noncommittal.

“The cost of hiring a new employee can be three times that of a proper reskilling program,” says Magalí Riera, director of the master’s degree in people management, talent, and digital transformation at UNIE University. “Skills development isn’t just a simple corporate wellness option, it’s a vital strategy for staying competitive.”

Similarly, when there’s already a well-oiled, functioning team in place with diverse profiles and talents, it may be more worthwhile to update rather than try to fit new people in. 

“The team gives you something that goes beyond the technological aspect,” adds Álvaro Ontañón, CIO of Merlin Properties. But he, in turn, needs a team to deliver. “For me, within that context, trust is very important,” he says. “Once you have that, if the limitation is technology — unless it’s something very disruptive, requiring starting from scratch, or is expensive and requires hiring — we dedicate time to it.”

What reskilling should look like

Reskilling must be approached from a business perspective, says González, not just a technological one or with generic certifications. And a successful process must begin by understanding what will happen in the short, medium, and long term, promoting key market areas, and providing continuous but applied training.

And while industry experts acknowledge that video-based courses can be useful for routine tasks like safety training, they’re ineffective when it comes to developing new skills. Riera recommends project-based learning and avoiding purely passive learning methods.

Sánchez-Vizcaíno sees it firsthand as well. “The way we share and process information has also changed, and for all of this to work, it’s about moving from theoretical knowledge to adaptable, practical skills,” she says. Learning happens by sharing in Teams channels, talking with colleagues, and even listening to other companies. These are more multidirectional processes, compared to the unidirectional or bidirectional training of the past. “More than ever, it’s about learning by doing,” she adds.

Above all, it’s about creating a supportive and motivating environment, and fostering a fertile ground for learning and acquiring new skills. “If you want to benefit from learning, you must have an affinity for the training you’re going to receive,” Ontañón says. In his team, staff are involved in the preliminary process since if there aren’t interested people, there’s no training. It’s a pragmatic decision that avoids the feeling of seeing a course as a burden, and reinforces the desire to participate. But that’s almost the default state in the IT world, being constantly on the cusp of change, even outside of work hours, and needing to learn. 

Similarly, working with interests and needs in mind helps foster flexibility. “We dedicate a lot of time to this, because it’s what can guarantee its effectiveness,” says Ontañón, adding that it’s not about training for the sake of training, but responding to those concerns.

In a world where information is much more accessible than in the past, there are many more sources of knowledge. “The downside is because there’s so much, you have to find what really interests you and adapt to it,” he says.

Reskilling incorporated in the corporate vision

Equally important in the reskilling processes is monitoring its impact on the workforce. When change occurs, González says, productivity will initially drop before it rises. “Companies that fail are those that demand senior-level performance from the outset,” he says.

An adjustment period has to be factored in, which may even involve temporarily supplementing the workforce with external or temporary staff. “This learning process is a necessity,” Riera adds. “It’s not extra training or a reward for the employee, so it must be part of the work schedule.” She recommends not filling the entire workday with courses, but rather dedicate a small portion of the day to them so as not to hinder daily operations. Also, maintain clear communication with the team about what’s being done, why it’s being done, and what will be gained.