What skills are the most important for employees and job seekers to develop? How have those skills changed over recent history? Since 2016 the World Economic Forum (WEF) -- the group behind the annual conference of leaders in business, politics, and more in Davos, Switzerland -- has published a list of the Top 10 work skills people will need to thrive in the future economy. Here are the 10 most important skills the WEF said employees and job seekers should have by the year 2025, in order of importance, with a note on how each skill rated in their 2015 list.

# 1 - Problem-Solving / Analytical Thinking & Innovation - (This skill also showed up as # 1 on the WEF’s 2015 list as “Complex Problem-Solving.” Analytical thinking is the ability to logically and systematically break down larger issues to understand them. Innovation is the ability to find new ways to do things. People who combine these two skills will be in the highest demand in the workplace of 2025. They will be the drivers of the economy who determine business strategy, develop new products, improve processes, create technological innovations, and more.

How to Prepare -> Get training in analytical thinking and innovation for yourself and your team.

# 2 -Self Management / Active Learning and Learning Strategies - (This skill was not mentioned in the WEF’s 2015 list.) Technological innovation will continue to change the workplace. To benefit from, or at least keep up with, those innovations, people must continually retool their own skills to succeed in the new workplace. This metaskill in learning new skills will become a skill in itself.

How to Prepare -> Get the most out of tools like LinkedIn Learning to continually educate yourself in new skills.

# 3 - Problem-Solving / Complex Problem-Solving - (This skill was # 1 as ”Complex Problem-Solving” in the WEF’s 2015 list.) Artificial intelligence technologies likely will increasingly take over simple problem solving activities at work - e.g., looking up account information or setting up appointments on a calendar. The most complex problems will be left for the people at work to solve.

How to Prepare -> Get training in complex problem-solving for yourself and your team.

4 - Problem-Solving / Critical Thinking and Analysis - (This skill was # 4 in the WEF’s 2015 list as ”Critical Thinking.” - This is the ability to use logic and reasoning (i.e., analytical thinking) to come up with, and critically assess, alternative solutions to an issue to come up with a conclusion. As more and more data and information is made available by technology, people will need critical thinking skills to digest that firehose of information to make good decisions.

How to Prepare -> Get training in critical thinking and analysis for yourself and your team.

5 - Problem-Solving / Creativity, Originality and Initiative - (This was # 10 on the 2015 WEF list as “Creativity.” This is the ability to come up with original new ideas about issues or to find new ways to solve problems. Not everyone is born as a Picasso, but everyone can work to grow their own creative skills. One way to offer more creative ideas at work is to find creative ideas in other areas that may apply.

How to Prepare -> Get training in innovation for you and your team.

6 - Working with People / Leadership and Social Influence - (This showed up in the 2015 list as # 2 “Coordinating with Others” and as # 3 as “People Management.” People in the workplace need leadership, and they aren’t going to take it from machines. You can't outsource people management to computers. Since customers and stakeholders are people, people will also be needed to help influence them. People who have the skills to lead and influence other people will always be needed in any workplace.

How to Prepare -> Get training in leadership for yourself and your team.

7 - Technology Use and Development / Technology Use, Monitoring, and Control - (This was not specifically mentioned in the WEF’s 2015 list.) Workplaces everywhere will continue to adopt more technology. People in those workplaces will need to learn to work with that technology.

How to Prepare -> Take advantage of training your employer provides in specific new technologies brought into your workplace. Add certifications of your completion of trainings you have taken on your resume / CV. Find other training and certification options on places like LinkedIn Learning to continually educate yourself in new technologies relevant to your career goals.

8 - Technology Use and Development / Technology Design and Programming - (This was not specifically mentioned in the WEF’s 2015 list.) Since the demand for new technology will continue to grow, people who create new technology will also be in demand. Not everyone can be a programmer or engineer, but everyone should at least think about it when choosing career paths.

How to Prepare -> Find other training and certification options on places like LinkedIn Learning to continually educate yourself in new technologies relevant to your career goals.

9 - Self-Management / Resilience, Stress Tolerance, and Flexibility - (This was not specifically mentioned in the 2015 WEF list.) As the workplace continues to change and innovate with new technology, the people in those workplaces will need to change too. The ability to embrace and manage change will be a key skill required in the future.

How to Prepare -> Get training in resilience for yourself and your team.

10 - Problem-Solving / Reasoning, Problem-Solving, and Ideation - (These showed up in the 2015 WEF list as # 8 as “Judgment and Decision-Making” and as # 10 as “Creativity.” This is the fifth of the top 10 skills that are in the Problem-Solving category. It is very similar to elements of the other four skills. The message from the WEF is clear - problem solving skills should a top priority for learning agendas over the next several years.

How to Prepare -> Get training in problem-solving for yourself and your team.

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