Skills Gap Hits Nine In Ten Organizations As AI And Trade Pressures Mount

SKILLS GAP HITS NINE IN TEN ORGANIZATIONS AS AI AND TRADE PRESSURES MOUNT

Over 90% of organizations surveyed report at least one critical skills gap, with AI and automation cited as the number one capability shortfall
60% of organizations surveyed have already experienced moderate to severe operational and financial impact from tariffs and trade disruption

Reading, April 27, 2026: New research from digital learning provider Skill Dynamics reveals that just over nine in ten (92%) of organizations surveyed are operating with at least one critical skills gap, as procurement and supply chain teams face mounting pressure from AI disruption, geopolitical instability, and shifting global trade policy.

The Skill Dynamics Skills Report 2026, based on insights from senior decision-makers across the US and the UK, highlights an industry increasingly aware of the challenges it faces, but not yet moving fast enough to meet them.

Cost pressure remains the primary concern for almost half (47%) of leaders. Followed by supply resilience (42%). AI and digital readiness across employees (31%), now ranks as a top three concern for the first time – sitting above skills shortage (26%), employee retention (25%) and recruitment challenges (24%) as a strategic priority.

On the surface, the data around AI adoption looks encouraging, with 83% of leaders surveyed saying their organisations are at least somewhat prepared to leverage AI and automation, and one in four describing themselves as highly prepared. Yet AI and automation simultaneously represent the single biggest skills gap, cited by 47% of respondents. A further 45% either expect significant job displacement or say they don't yet understand what AI will mean for their workforce.

This disconnect reflects a broader trend in many organisations, where readiness is measured at the technology level rather than the people level. Equipping teams with AI tools is not the same as building a workforce that can confidently apply, challenge, and govern them.

Sam Pemberton, CEO of Skill Dynamics said: "The findings from this year's report are a clear signal to the industry that disruption is not slowing down, and the organisations that will come through strongest are those investing in their people right now. We consistently see that organisations with structured, measurable training programmes are better placed to absorb shocks, whether that is navigating new tariff regimes, managing AI adoption, or building the compliance capability their teams need. The data clearly shows that the cost of doing nothing is rising, and the organisations that act now will be in a far stronger position than those that wait."

For many organizations, tariff changes and global trade disruption are not future risks. They are already hitting the bottom line. 60% report at least moderate financial and operational

impact over the last 12-24 months, and more than one in four describe the impact as significant or severe.

The challenge is also structural, as compliance decisions that traditionally sat with a small group of specialists now touch procurement, logistics, IT, finance, sales, and senior leadership teams, yet only 7% of organizations believe compliance knowledge is distributed at the right level across the board. A further 5% admit that no one in their business currently holds adequate trade compliance skills.

Despite the scale of the challenge, training investment is falling short. One in seven (14%) organizations surveyed have no dedicated training budget. For those that do invest, the mean annual spend is approximately $87,000 (£69,000) – a modest figure when set against tariff losses running into the hundreds of thousands.

Measurement is equally lacking, with fewer than half of organizations (48%) tracking training success through performance improvements or KPIs, over a quarter (27%) relying on anecdotal feedback alone, and almost 5% not measuring training outcomes at all. Without evidence of impact, budgets stagnate, skills gaps persist, and the costs compound.

The 2026 Skills Report offers a clear path forward: build compliance knowledge across the whole organization, close the gap between AI investment and capability, and put measurement systems in place that make the case for sustained training investment. The full report is available to download here .

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About Skill Dynamics

Skill Dynamics empowers procurement, supply chain, and trade compliance professionals with role-based, practical eLearning that delivers measurable business impact. Trusted by more than 520 global companies and over 350,000 learners worldwide, Skill Dynamics helps organizations upskill and reskill their teams, support digital transformation, and drive down carbon output through cost-effective online training aligned to corporate and learner goals.

Through its specialized Supply Chain, Procurement, and Trade Compliance Academies, Skill Dynamics combines practitioner-built content, advanced platform technology, and learning science to deliver personalized learning journeys tailored by role and skill level. Its sophisticated skills assessment tool maps learners across more than 1,000 role and level combinations, creating targeted development plans and supporting certification pathways.

With scalable, high-impact programs designed for today's fast-changing, AI-enabled environment, Skill Dynamics equips teams with the practical skills, judgment, and confidence needed to perform today and adapt for tomorrow. https://skilldynamics.com/

Research methodology: The 2026 Skills Report is based on research conducted by Censuswide in February and March 2026, surveying 200 senior professionals across supply chain, procurement, trade compliance and learning and development functions in the United States and the United Kingdom.