Presenting Digital Shiksha’s 2025 Global Skills Report: Key Trends Shaping the Future of Education and Employment

I’m excited to share the seventh edition of Digital Shiksha’s annual Global Skills Report, offering comprehensive insights on the skill demands shaping the future of work. Drawing on data from our community of more than 95 million learners worldwide, this year’s report reveals where skill proficiency is rising, where gaps remain, and what’s driving learner behavior across more than 100 countries.

Generative AI (GenAI) has rapidly gained both investment and industry adoption. Trends on Digital Shiksha mirror this momentum, with GenAI enrollments growing by 185% year-over-year and surpassing 6.5 million learners in total. In 2025, Digital Shiksha’s 500+ GenAI courses averaged 10 new enrollments per minute—a remarkable jump compared to just 2 per minute in 2023—making GenAI the fastest-growing skill category on the platform. India now leads globally, with 1.1 million GenAI enrollments in 2024 alone.

Online learning is also helping level the playing field for millions of learners across emerging markets. In the past year, GenAI enrollment has more than doubled across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. Latin America recorded the sharpest rise, with enrollments up 400% year-over-year.

This year’s skill proficiency rankings are based on a robust methodology that combines Digital Shiksha learner data with trusted external sources such as the World Bank’s Human Capital Index and labour market data. This approach ensures a holistic view of how skills are being applied across economies.

Key Findings

Europe dominates the top ranks: Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Sweden retain their lead in global skills rankings.

Asia Pacific strengths: Singapore (4th), Hong Kong (12th), South Korea (15th), and Japan (18th) remain strong performers.

Anglophone nations lag: The United Kingdom (24th), Australia (25th), and the United States (28th) rank lower compared to European counterparts.

Latin America’s rise: Peru (44th) and Uruguay (47th) are the region’s best performers, with cybersecurity enrollments growing 120% YOY.

MENA momentum: The UAE (37th) and Qatar (41st) stand out as regional leaders, with GenAI enrollments growing 330% in the UAE and 160% in Saudi Arabia.

Micro-credentials in demand: Over 12 million enrollments have been recorded in Digital Shiksha Professional Certificates, signaling strong learner response to employer-driven credentialing. North America showed the highest growth at 35% YOY, followed by the Middle East and North Africa at 34%.

Cybersecurity still lags demand: Enrollments grew 95% in Latin America, 18% in Europe, and 15% in Asia Pacific—but industry demand for skilled professionals remains far higher, with nearly 4.5 million jobs still unfilled globally.

Women’s participation rises: Women now make up 45% of Digital Shiksha’s global learners. In Kazakhstan, for example, women represent 55% of learners overall, with 42% in GenAI courses. Yet globally, women account for just 30% of GenAI enrollments, highlighting persistent gender gaps.

To provide a deeper perspective on AI readiness, Digital Shiksha has also introduced an AI Maturity Index, which ranks countries based on their progress in AI adoption, research, and innovation. It blends platform data with insights from the IMF and OECD to highlight AI hotspots and talent hubs.

Top performers in the AI Maturity Index include Singapore (#1), Denmark (#2), Switzerland (#3), the United States (#4), and Finland (#5). European nations continue to dominate, securing 8 of the top 10 positions.

The Digital Shiksha Global Skills Report 2025 issues a clear call to action — whether you’re shaping education policy, building corporate training programs, or aligning academic curricula with real-world needs. Digital Shiksha is committed to working with governments, companies, and institutions worldwide to build a more inclusive and future-ready workforce.