Future Skills Tracker 2026

Future Skills Tracker 2026

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Insights from our Future skills tracker tool show that telcos remain behind technology companies (techcos) in the penetration of the key role types that would enable them to compete and add value like technology companies. The tracker provides direction on where telcos should learn from techcos and build capabilities to increase operational efficiency and enable new revenue streams going forward.

Description

Format: PDF file
Pages: 40
Author: Nicola Warren
Publication date: April 2026

Building internal capabilities

As in previous years, our third edition of the Future skills tracker compares the workforce structures of a sample of telcos and technology companies as of March 2026 to determine the penetration of roles with key ‘future skill’ expertise. The data for this report can be explored in our Future skills tracker tool.

Many telcos have ambitions to be more like technology companies (techcos): customer-centric, innovative, efficient and agile. Techcos leverage skills like artificial intelligence, data, automation and cloud to this end.

This telco aspiration requires not only new technology/tools – but also new expertise and roles. STL Partners has identified nine key skills (‘future skills’) for a successful telco-to-techco transition:

  • Artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI and ML)
  • Automation
  • Cloud
  • Cybersecurity
  • Data analytics
  • Innovation
  • Network
  • Software
  • User experience (UX)

The sample for comparison in our tool – and this report – includes 20 telcos and 9 techcos.

Telcos: AT&T, Bell Canada, BT Group, Deutsche Telekom, e&, Elisa, KPN, Orange, Singtel, Spark NZ, STC, Swisscom, Telefónica, Telstra, Telenor Group, Telus, T-Mobile US, Turkcell, Verizon, Vodafone 

Techcos: Apple, AWS, Google, IBM, Intel, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Rakuten.

Scope and limitations

All graphs in the report are based on data from our Future skills tracker which relies on LinkedIn profiles. We do not account for workers that are not on the platform and assume that skill categories are equally affected. The data in our tracker may skew towards LinkedIn profiles in English.

Our insight covers the following key points:

  • Recommendations for telcos
  • Executive summary
  • Future skills trends
  • Skill-specific insights
  • Top telcos’ recent focus on skills

Technologies and industry terms referenced include: apple, AT&T, automation, AWS, Bell Canada, BT Group, Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data analytics, Deutsche Telekom, e&, Elisa, google, IBM, Innovation, Intel, KPN, Meta, microsoft, network, nvidia, Orange, Rakuten., Singtel, skills, software, Spark NZ, STC, Swisscom, T-Mobile US, Telefónica, Telenor Group, Telstra, TELUS, transformation, Turkcell, User experience (UX), ux, Verizon, Vodafone