LISLE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 23, 2025--
Today, DeVry University released its third annual report on upskilling and reskilling the U.S. workforce amid various dynamic shifts, including the rapid adoption of AI and an increasingly volatile economy. In partnership with independent research firm Reputation Leaders, the research reveals a growing gap between employers and workers on the skills needed to deploy a future-ready workforce.
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The report, Bridging the Gap: Overcoming a Silent Standoff in America’s Talent Economy, surveyed more than 1,500 workers and over 500 hiring decision-makers from a mix of industries to uncover current gaps and opportunities in upskilling and reskilling.
“This year’s research reveals an interesting dynamic we’re calling a ‘silent standoff’ in the workplace,” said Elise Awwad, president and CEO of DeVry University. “While both workers and employers feel equipped for the present, many doubt their readiness for the future. When workers assume they’re prepared and employers fear they are not, the result is paralysis. Now more than ever, it’s critical to bridge this gap and create a roadmap for upskilling, reskilling and long-term workforce readiness.”
The research identified the following points of tension with actionable takeaways for employers and workers to help bridge divergent perspectives and foster long-term growth:
When it comes to skills development, employers and workers have misaligned needs—and perceptions.
Despite economic uncertainty and rapid technological change, 85% of workers feel confident they don’t need further qualifications to stay employable within the next five years, while 69% of employers worry that their workforce lacks the skills needed for future success. This dynamic creates an environment where workers feel disengaged, while employers are anxious but unclear about how to move forward. As hiring slows and upskilling lags, both sides must collaborate to bridge this gap, otherwise, progress will remain out of reach.
Amid the rapid global adoption of AI, durable—or soft skills—are becoming the new job security.
As AI transforms the workplace, durable skills like critical thinking, communication and adaptability are emerging as the true drivers of job security and career advancement, with 78% of employers and 63% of workers agreeing on their importance. Employers are increasingly prioritizing these human-centric skills over technical expertise, noting them as decisive in promotions and layoffs, yet 66% remain concerned about their workforce’s ability to keep up with AI. While workers highly value AI skills, they lack clarity on how to use them effectively, underscoring the need to nurture durable skills and offer practical guidance and training for workers to unlock their full potential.
Amid a shift in valued credentials and without a clear path for skills development, a growth gridlock is emerging.
Both workers (71%) and employers (81%) say investing time and money in education is worthwhile in today’s economy, reflecting a shared belief in the value of lifelong learning. Recent and skill-specific credentials are now essential, with 86% of employers saying staying current with industry developments is key. However, while 90% of employers claim to offer upskilling benefits, workers report declining access and question whether employers are doing enough to help them build currency.
The silent standoff between employers and workers will continue to accelerate if both groups do not proactively work to bridge the gap.
Today, 75% of employers say they’re doing enough to make workers’ skills resilient in today’s economy, yet 1 in 3 workers disagree, uncovering an emerging skills gap. To overcome this gap and build a resilient workforce, both sides must engage in open dialogue and commit to lifelong learning. Workers should proactively ask employers about talent expectations and pursue flexible, skill-specific learning opportunities, while employers must offer clear guidance, structured training and transparent growth pathways.
“Collaboration is the unlock,” commented Awwad. “That means employers providing clearer pathways and workers embracing lifelong learning, while together aligning on key skills, embracing AI responsibly, and mapping out future competencies. Upskilling must be treated as a national priority. The resilience of our workforce and the vitality of our economy depend on it.”
To view all the findings, click here.
About the Survey
DeVry University engaged Reputation Leaders, an independent research firm, to survey workers and employers about their attitudes and perceptions surrounding upskilling and reskilling between June 17 and July 28, 2025. The worker sample consisted of a total of 1,511 American adults between the ages of 21 and 60. The respondents were employed, underemployed or unemployed but expecting to start work in the next 12 months. The employer sample consisted of 533 hiring decision-makers from a mix of industries, with a particular focus on the technology sector.
About DeVry University
DeVry University strives to close society’s opportunity gap and address emerging talent needs by preparing learners to thrive in careers shaped by continuous technological change. Founded in 1931, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs onsite and online in Business, Healthcare and Technology. DeVry University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC, www.hlcommission.org/ ). The university’s Keller Graduate School of Management is included in this accreditation. To learn more, visit devry.edu
Today, DeVry University released its third annual report on upskilling and reskilling the U.S. workforce amid various dynamic shifts, including the rapid adoption of AI and an increasingly volatile economy.
The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss Iran's deadly protests at the request of the United States, even as President Donald Trump left unclear what actions he would take against the Islamic state.
Tehran appeared to make conciliatory statements in an effort to defuse the situation after Trump threatened to take action to stop further killing of protesters, including the execution of anyone detained in Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests.
Iran’s crackdown on the demonstrations has killed at least 2,615, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported. The death toll exceeds any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Iran closed its airspace to commercial flights for hours without explanation early Thursday and some personnel at a key U.S. military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate. The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait also ordered its personnel to “temporary halt” travel to the multiple military bases in the small Gulf Arab country.
Iran previously closed its airspace during the 12-day war against Israel in June.
Here is the latest:
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union’s main foreign policy chief said the G7 members were “gravely concerned” by the developments surrounding the protests, and that they “strongly oppose the intensification of the Iranian authorities’ brutal repression of the Iranian people.”
The statement, published on the EU’s website Thursday, said the G7 were “deeply alarmed at the high level of reported deaths and injuries” and condemned “the deliberate use of violence” by Iranian security forces against protesters.
The G7 members “remain prepared to impose additional restrictive measures if Iran continues to crack down on protests and dissent in violation of international human rights obligations,” the statement said.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has spoken with his counterpart in Iran, who said the situation was “now stable,” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Abbas Araghchi said “he hoped China will play a greater role in regional peace and stability” during the talks, according to the statement from the ministry.
“China opposes imposing its will on other countries, and opposes a return to the ‘law of the jungle’,” Wang said.
“China believes that the Iranian government and people will unite, overcome difficulties, maintain national stability, and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests,” he added. “China hopes all parties will cherish peace, exercise restraint, and resolve differences through dialogue. China is willing to play a constructive role in this regard.”
“We are against military intervention in Iran,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told journalists in Istanbul on Thursday. “Iran must address its own internal problems… They must address their problems with the region and in global terms through diplomacy so that certain structural problems that cause economic problems can be addressed.”
Ankara and Tehran enjoy warm relations despite often holding divergent interests in the region.
Fidan said the unrest in Iran was rooted in economic conditions caused by sanctions, rather than ideological opposition to the government.
Iranians have been largely absent from an annual pilgrimage to Baghdad, Iraq, to commemorate the death of Imam Musa al-Kadhim, one of the twelve Shiite imams.
Many Iranian pilgrims typically make the journey every year for the annual religious rituals.
Streets across Baghdad were crowded with pilgrims Thursday. Most had arrived on foot from central and southern provinces of Iraq, heading toward the shrine of Imam al-Kadhim in the Kadhimiya district in northern Baghdad,
Adel Zaidan, who owns a hotel near the shrine, said the number of Iranian visitors this year compared to previous years was very small. Other residents agreed.
“This visit is different from previous ones. It lacks the large numbers of Iranian pilgrims, especially in terms of providing food and accommodation,” said Haider Al-Obaidi.
Europe’s largest airline group said Thursday it would halt night flights to and from Tel Aviv and Jordan's capital Amman for five days, citing security concerns as fears grow that unrest in Iran could spiral into wider regional violence.
Lufthansa — which operates Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings — said flights would run only during daytime hours from Thursday through Monday “due to the current situation in the Middle East.” It said the change would ensure its staff — which includes unionized cabin crews and pilots -- would not be required to stay overnight in the region.
The airline group also said its planes would bypass Iranian and Iraqi airspace, key corridors for air travel between the Middle East and Asia.
Iran closed its airspace to commercial flights for several hours early Thursday without explanation.
A spokesperson for Israel’s Airport Authority, which oversees Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, said the airport was operating as usual.
Iranian state media has denied claims that a young man arrested during Iran’s recent protests was condemned to death. The statement from Iran’s judicial authorities on Thursday contradicted what it said were “opposition media abroad” which claimed the young man had been quickly sentenced to death during a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in the country.
State television didn’t immediately give any details beyond his name, Erfan Soltani. Iranian judicial authorities said Soltani was being held in a detention facility outside of the capital. Alongside other protesters, he has been accused of “propaganda activities against the regime,” state media said.
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Thursday that his government was “appalled by the escalation of violence and repression” in Iran.
“We condemn the brutal crackdown being carried out by Iran’s security forces, including the killing of protesters,” Peters posted on X.
“Iranians have the right to peaceful protest, freedom of expression, and access to information – and that right is currently being brutally repressed,” he said.
Peters said his government had expressed serious concerns to the Iranian Embassy in Wellington.
A demonstrator lights a cigarette with a burning poster depicting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a rally in support of Iran's anti-government protests, in Holon, Israel, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Protesters participate in a demonstration in support of the nationwide mass protests in Iran against the government, in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Protesters participate in a demonstration in support of the nationwide mass protests in Iran against the government, in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
