The marketing industry has a dilemma: skills gaps are widening, while training budgets continue to shrink. But what if upskilling your team didn't have to come with a hefty price tag? With the right strategy, a learning-focused culture, and a sprinkle of creativity, teams can upskill without overspending.

So, what skills are in demand in 2025? How can we support early-career talent, and how do we bring learning into everyday operations without adding pressure or cost?

The skills every marketer needs in 2025

1. AI fluency and prompt engineering

AI continues to change how marketing teams operate. According to Canva's 2025 Marketing and AI Report, 92% of marketing leaders now see AI literacy as essential. Meanwhile, 75% of teams are increasing their AI budgets, but many still lack the practical skills to apply this tech effectively.

That's where prompt engineering comes into play. Ndeshi Shipanga, head of people and culture at Anything is Possible, calls it "a new core skill," explaining that "getting better outputs from AI starts with smarter inputs."

2. Data fluency and storytelling

Data skills remain in high demand. According to another Canva report, 90% of professionals interact with data every week, two-thirds feel anxious doing so, and 30% avoid it altogether. Yet when handled well, data storytelling can improve business results by up to 20%.

Laura Overton, founder of Learning Changemakers and author of The L&D Leader, highlights this as one of the biggest shifts in marketing capability: "Emerging skills that are game changers for the profession include advanced data analysis capabilities," she notes — especially when those insights are turned into stories that persuade, not just inform.

3. ESG and inclusive design

Consumers don't want empty promises, they want brands to take action. That means marketers need to go beyond slogans and master Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) insight and inclusive design.

According to Deloitte's 2024 global consumer survey, nearly half (47%) of respondents reported buying a sustainable product in the past month. Sustainability is no longer a niche trend; it's shaping buying decisions every day.

To rise to that challenge, marketers need more than a surface-level understanding. They need to be able to communicate ESG work clearly and credibly. As Shipanga notes: "Neurodiversity-aware design is reshaping how we communicate and create, for the better."

Reaching a wider, more diverse audience means thinking about how we design, write, and present ourselves as brands. And this isn't a nice-to-have; it's a core part of what modern marketing now looks like.

4. Communication and leadership

Even with all this technology at our disposal, strong communication remains one of the most powerful skills a leader can have. 61% of employees say communication is one of the most important human skills, ranking alongside leadership and teamwork. But many companies still overlook it in favour of more technical development.

"The most urgent gap we see isn't AI or analytics. It's communication. How people show up, lead, and listen, especially in high-pressure, high-change environments," says Francesca O'Connor, founder of Litmus Communications and co-founder of culture consultancy HappyHQ.

5. Commercial agility and agency management

As AI speeds up production timelines and automates previously complex tasks, marketers must adjust their agency relationships accordingly. Outputs that used to take weeks can now be generated in minutes, calling into question traditional pricing models.

Robin Bonn, CEO of Co:definery, believes marketers will need to sharpen their commercial skills in response: "Marketers will need to be even better at discerning the right partners," he explains.

"Embracing new agency remuneration models will also be a core competency for modern clients in an AI-powered world. Now that outputs are delivered in seconds, not weeks, it's no longer viable to base pricing on time spent," he explains.

Building a culture of self-led learning

Upskilling shouldn't be a reactive process; it should be an integral part of how teams work on a day-to-day basis. This culture starts with curiosity. Shipanga has seen the difference first-hand: "The most resilient marketers aren't waiting for job specs to change," she says. "They're already learning out of curiosity, not obligation."

This kind of self-starting behaviour can be encouraged through some simple but powerful approaches:

Microlearning via platforms like LinkedIn Learning or Udemy: Bite-sized, targeted lessons help keep learning manageable and relevant. "Short, sharp and targeted" is how Shipanga describes it; perfect for busy schedules and building momentum over time.

CIM Specialist Awards provide you with an in-depth understanding and expertise in core areas of digital marketing: AI, Content, Social, Search and Ecommerce. These awards allow you to focus on developing your skillset to suit your career goals, particularly for those in specialist roles.

Reverse mentoring between Gen Z and senior leaders: This two-way exchange unlocks not just new skills but new perspectives. Overton highlights an example: "Post what knowledge you can 'give' and what help you need to 'ask' for — fostering the reverse mentoring Sarah Ellis implemented at Sainsbury's."

When senior and junior team members openly share what they know and what they need, it creates a stronger, more connected team. Reverse mentoring isn’t just about passing down knowledge — it’s also about building mutual respect and helping everyone become more empathetic and adaptable together.

Dedicated "sandbox" time to explore tools like ChatGPT: Creating space to experiment with new tech is key. Shipanga explains how her team approaches it: "AI Labs or 'sandbox time' to explore tools like ChatGPT and Adobe Firefly, without fear of failure."

These sessions give teams room to try things out, make mistakes, and build up their confidence using new tools, all without the pressure of getting everything right the first time.

Cross-functional projects: Involving marketing in projects across product, UX, or data teams encourages collaboration and helps everyone see the bigger picture. It's not just about learning new skills — it's about understanding how marketing supports and is supported by the wider business.

Budget-smart tactics that actually work: Tight budgets don't have to mean limited learning. In fact, many of the most effective learning strategies are also the most cost-efficient.

Overton, who has spent more than 20 years studying high-performing learning teams, believes marketing managers can make a big impact without incurring major expenses by drawing on their own discipline.

"The most successful learning teams treat skill development like a marketing campaign — they test, iterate, and optimise based on results," she explains. Here's how that might look in action:

• Link learning to short-term business goals

Don't wait for a formal training cycle. Start with what your team needs to succeed this quarter. "Make it matter," says Overton. Learning becomes far more effective when it's tied directly to live challenges.

• Encourage team-led curation of relevant content

With so much learning content out there, filtering becomes a skill in itself. Encourage your team to source, share, and recommend content that addresses their needs and interests.

• Hold monthly "ask and give" sessions

Create a simple forum where team members can offer expertise and ask for support. This kind of internal knowledge exchange used by teams like Sainsbury's is a low-cost, high-trust approach to building both skills and confidence.

• Create safe spaces for experimentation

Learning only sticks when it's applied. Overton recommends structured, low-stakes opportunities to test new tools, tactics or behaviours, paired with immediate feedback. "Permission to practise" is more powerful than perfection. "Your biggest responsibility isn't finding budget," Overton says. "It's creating an environment where learning thrives through work, not separate from it."

Turning communication into action

Despite all the focus on digital tools and automation, the most important skill for marketing leaders remains the same: effective communication.

Grammarly's 2024 State of Business Communication Report found that over half of employees (51%) report experiencing increased stress at work due to poor communication. Yet, it's still underdeveloped in many marketing teams.

O'Connor believes the shift starts with intentional listening: "Pick one thing and do it properly," she says. "Start with listening: stay interviews, eNPS, feedback tools that help you understand what's really going on."

But listening alone isn't enough. O'Connor emphasises the importance of structure and follow-through: "Look for training with built-in momentum. Not a one-off workshop, but something that shifts behaviour over time."

Make time for learning

In high-performing and productive organisations, managers encourage and make time for social and informal learning almost five times more often than the average, and twenty-six times more often than in low-performing organisations. That means culture and structure matter just as much as content. As Overton highlights: "Lead by example, embed learning in daily work, and watch as your team develops the expensive skills you can't afford to hire."

Final thoughts

Upskilling doesn't need to drain your budget or burn out your team. Instead, the key lies in being strategic, bringing learning into the everyday, creating space to be curious, and supporting managers to lead by example. Doing so makes it possible to spend less while achieving so much more. As Shipanga says, "Learning isn't a luxury. It's how we stay energised, relevant, and ready. When we invest in people with purpose we unlock excellence, and anything really is possible."

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