Why 1 in 3 Job Skills Are Already Obsolete (And What HR Must Do Now) | Cole Napper

This episode is sponsored by ‘Deel: Your Forever People Platform’. Managing a global team is complex. Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance—all in one place. That’s why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage teams worldwide. See how Deel works: https://www.deel.com/nickday/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=nickday&utm_campaign=emea-t1a-gb_aware_branding_nickday_podcast_hr-nickday-h125_all_all&utm_content=aware_all_podcast_hr-preroll-h125script_en What if one-third of the skills in your job description are already outdated? In this episode, Nick Day sits down with Cole Napper, VP at Lightcast, to explore how AI, shifting demographics, and rapid skill disruption are reshaping the workforce. They dive into what HR and L&D leaders must do now to stay ahead, why degrees are losing ground to skills, and how proactive companies are gaining the upper hand. If you’re serious about future-proofing your talent strategy, this conversation is essential. Connect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/ Connect with Cole Napper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colenapper Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9ea Sign up to the HR L&D Newsletter - https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7 Resources: The Rising Storm Report: https://lightcast.io/resources/research/the-rising-storm The Speed of Skill Change Report: https://lightcast.io/resources/research/speed-of-skill-change The Risk Outlook Reporthttps://lightcast.io/why-lightcast/risk-outlook Thanks for listening folks – I look forward to bringing you the next episode of the HR L&D Podcast real soon! (00:00) Preview and Intro (02:29) Skill Change Since 2021 (05:58) The AI Job Boom (07:13) Green & Cyber Skills Rise (08:25) STEM Disruption Explained (11:20) Trade Skills in Decline (13:17) Rethinking Workforce Strategy (15:53) Degrees vs Vocational Paths (18:52) Skills vs Credentials (21:50) Cutting Through Talent Noise (23:39) Two Labor Markets (25:01) Smarter Job Descriptions (27:29) Why Workers Fear AI (30:56) Building Learning Cultures (33:43) Workforce Risk Outlook (36:11) Industries Most at Risk (39:51) How Lightcast Helps (42:18) Cole’s Bold Prediction