The reality of skills half-life in IT  

In the IT world, skills don’t age gracefully. What was cutting-edge just a few years ago can quickly become outdated. Technologies like cloud computing, AI, cybersecurity, and modern software architectures evolve at a pace that makes it hard for individuals  (and organizations) to keep up. Add to these new ways of working, such as agile at scale or distributed teams, and it becomes clear that the skills needed today are not the same as those needed yesterday. 

Consider a software engineer who built strong expertise in on-premise systems and monolithic architectures. For years, this skill set was highly valuable and in demand. Today, however, many client environments are shifting toward cloud-native platforms, microservices, and DevOps practices. Without continuous upskilling in areas such as containerization, CI/CD pipelines, or cloud security, that same engineer may struggle to contribute at the same level, not because their foundation is weak, but because the context has changed. 

Upskilling vs. reskilling: A strategic distinction 

From an L&D perspective, this highlights why learning cannot be treated as a one-off response to change. Instead, organizations need to anticipate skill shifts and support engineers in progressively expanding or redirecting their expertise, before gaps become critical to delivery or client value. 

When talking about learning in IT, two terms often come up: upskilling and reskilling. Let’s see the differences: 

• Upskilling: deepening expertise to stay current and excellent in a role
• Reskilling: enabling transitions into new roles or skills as technology and client needs evolve 

As technology, delivery models, and client expectations continue to evolve, career paths in IT are becoming more dynamic than ever. Christa Zimmerli’s journey reflects this transformation. Starting as a Business Analyst at Viacar, she expanded into program manager and agile coaching and today serves amongst other as a SAFe trainer at ELCA, a progression that shows how continuous upskilling and reskilling enable professionals to grow across domains while driving meaningful client impact:  

“To remain relevant and deliver value to clients, learning needs to be part of everyday work. The question is no longer whether to upskill or reskill, but whether companies are doing it fast enough and in the right way”

Christa Zimmerli, Senior Project Manager

The real value of upskilling and reskilling emerges when organizations move beyond optimizing individuals for a single role and start designing teams for mobility. In fast-changing IT environments, depth of expertise remains essential but it is no longer sufficient on its own. Organizations that thrive are those that intentionally create pathways for people to move across domains, apply their skills in new contexts, and combine technical knowledge with broader system, process, or people perspectives. 

From an L&D standpoint, this requires a shift in how learning is framed. Instead of asking “How do we train people for their current role?”, the more strategic question becomes “How do we enable people to grow across roles as needs evolve?” This means supporting learning journeys that are progressive, experiential, and closely tied to real work allowing individuals to build on their existing strengths while gradually expanding their impact. 

Learning as a shared responsibility  

One of the key lessons we have learned is that sustainable upskilling cannot sit with one function alone. The Learning & Developing department does not “own” learning, it enables it. Real learning happens at the intersection of business needs, leadership, team dynamics, and individual motivation.  

This means leaders play a critical role in creating space for growth, teams must foster psychological safety to experiment and learn, and individuals must take ownership of their own development. L&D provides the frameworks, learning pathways, and opportunities  but it is the organization as a whole that activates them. Upskilling becomes sustainable only when it is connected directly to client value, evolving technology, and real delivery challenges. 

Learning builds competence. Multiplying builds capability. 

Christa’s journey shows us what happens when knowledge stops being individual and starts becoming systemic:  

“Becoming a Leading SAFe trainer wasn’t just about certification, it changed how I support teams internally and help clients scale agility sustainably.”  

Christa Zimmerli, Senior Project Manager - ELCA 

What this means for the future of IT service companies

In a fast-changing IT landscape, the most future-proof technology is a workforce that never stops learning. This means continuing to invest not only in technical excellence, but in the systems, culture, and leadership practices that make continuous learning possible at scale. A great example of this is all the AI emerging possibilities: 

“Artificial intelligence is reshaping our industry at speed. By investing in AI-focused reskilling, we are enabling our colleagues to transition into emerging roles and work confidently alongside new technologies. This is how we unlock both individual growth and organizational advantage” 

Ferruccio Lagutaine, Chief Operating Officer - ELCA 

To summarize, upskilling and reskilling are not side initiatives or isolated training programs. Ultimately, IT companies’ ability to adapt will depend less on any single technology choice and more on its capacity to learn faster than the change around it. By treating skills as a living system (continuously evolving, shared, and renewed) positions itself to meet the future with confidence, curiosity, and collective strength.