The UK was ranked ahead of the US (27th) and China (39th) this year and climbed from 45th place in 2024. The global skills leaderboard is part of the online learning platform Coursera’s Global Skills Report.
Compared to other European countries, the UK ranked less highly though; Sweden claimed the top spot as a global leader in skills proficiency, followed by the Netherlands, which ranked second. Germany ranked ninth.
The rise in artificial intelligence (AI) may have contributed to a rise in skills proficiency across the UK, according to Matt Weston, recruitment firm Robert Half's senior managing director for UK and Ireland.
He told HR magazine: “A growing number of employers are actively investing in AI-related training programmes in order to mitigate against the mismatch between demand and workforce knowledge.
"But what is perhaps propelling this further is the interest in and commitment to self-driven AI skills development across the majority of the population. People are intrigued by artificial intelligence and are investing in their own knowledge linked to this, which is accelerating the skills proficiency in the country.”
Read more: The skills mismatch problem
The UK’s ranking in skills proficiency could also be attributed to government initiatives implemented across the country, added Rico Wyder, head of EMEA at skills and training provider Skillable.
Speaking to HR magazine, he said: “The UK's rise in skills proficiency rankings is due to a combination of government initiatives, private sector investment and educational reforms all beginning to show results. The launch of Skills England in summer 2024 is likely having an impact on educating employers on effective training options, and leveraging apprenticeships and the apprenticeship levy to develop skills in-house."
Although higher skills proficiency may ease the burden on HR leaders when sourcing skills, they must still look at how to apply specific skills across the workforce, he added.
Wyder said: “The truth is that proficiency is one side of the skill-supply equation. The other part, skill application, is as important as training people to acquire necessary business skills. You can have all of the knowledge in the world, but without knowing how to apply them to work, that knowledge doesn’t benefit the business.
“It is vital that HR leaders work with managers, department heads and learning and development teams to understand how a skill needs to be applied at work.”
The UK has markedly improved in skills proficiency, according to Coursera's research findings, year on year.
The UK has climbed to 16th place from 52nd for business skills, 46th to 28th place for tech skills, and from 32nd to 22nd place for data science skills.
Read more: Relationship building tops LinkedIn's fastest growing skills list
Coursera’s Global Skills Report also investigated the AI Maturity Index, which highlighted countries best equipped to harness AI innovation and translate skills into real-world applications.
In this index, the UK ranked 13th globally, ahead of Canada (16th) and Germany (14th). Singapore claimed the top spot in the AI Maturity Index, with Denmark claiming second place and Switzerland third.
However, analysis led by jobs platform CVGenius of 2,000 UK hiring managers has shown that there is a continuing skills gap in UK workforces.
Three quarters (76%) of hiring managers are struggling to fill roles due to skill shortages.
This may be down to a disconnect between the skills that are taught to job seekers and what employers require, said Charlotte Schaller, partner and head of assessment for UK and EMEA at management consultancy Aon.
Schaller told HR magazine: “The pace of technological advancement can outstrip the ability of workers to keep up, leading to gaps in specific areas. HR and business leaders can work with educational providers to ensure curricula aligns with industry needs. Companies can invest in targeted training programmes to develop specific skills within their workforce. Encouraging a culture of continuous learning can help employees stay current with evolving skill requirements.
“HR leaders may need to adjust their recruitment strategies to focus on candidates with emerging skills and competencies. There is an opportunity to rethink internal training programmes to further develop employees' skills. They also need to think about engagement and retention: when employees feel more competent and valued, this will improve; when they don’t, there could be a risk, so getting the balance is key.”
Coursera analysed data from its community of 170m learners and 350 university and industry partners between March 2024 and February 2025. CVGenius surveyed 2,000 hiring managers across the UK in May 2025.
