Industry preparedness highlighted: World Skills Café renews for IBC2025 event
The World Skills Café is set to return to IBC on September 11th, 2025, with a mission to future-proof the media and broadcast industry amid rapid technological change. This year's event aims to discuss skills, education, and training for a more resilient workforce, with a focus on mid-career development and fostering diversity and inclusion.
Key speakers at the event include Hannah Barnhardt from TMT Insights, who will share her experiences of finding "unicorn" applicants, and Nina Walsh from AWS, who will deliver a keynote on the critical skills gap and its impact on innovation. Walsh will also discuss the AWS Media & Entertainment Tech Alliance UK, a collaboration between educators, broadcasters, and vendors.
Walsh will explore whether the lack of skills is holding companies back and discuss strategies for sourcing the right expertise. The conversation is urgent due to the rapid evolution of technology such as cloud, IP, and AI, and the session will examine if these roles are disappearing or evolving.
AI and automation are changing job roles, with entry-level roles and certain key roles being affected. The event will feature a session discussing the impact of AI on entry-level roles, and Matt Stagg and Dushi Thangarajah will join the discussion on the future of these roles.
Black Women in Post Production will be included in the discussion on talent pipeline diversity, while Jazz Singh, Mark Coleman, and Jasmin John will discuss creating a fair, diverse, and equitable talent pipeline.
The event will also focus on mid-career development, a topic that was a big theme at last year's Café. Organizations like SMPTE and RTS have addressed mid-career development issues over the past year, and the event will provide leadership development focusing on strategic, cross-functional capabilities and change management skills, alongside soft skills like communication, problem-solving, and creativity.
The World Skills Café aims to provide attendees with new ideas, meaningful connections, and a sense of collaboration. The event will feature keynote talks, panel debates, and real-world insights, and is open to educators, CEOs, freelancers, students, and anyone interested in shaping a stronger, more inclusive industry.
By taking these multifaceted steps, the media and broadcast industry can build a skilled, adaptable, and innovative workforce that thrives in an AI-driven future while retaining talent across career levels and backgrounds.
[1] Developing AI and digital fluency: Regularly upskill employees in AI, robotic process automation (RPA), advanced analytics, and related technologies to keep pace with evolving tools impacting media production and distribution.
[2] Supporting entry-level talent: Invest early in high-potential employees through structured programs, encouraging curiosity and experimentation to build adaptable, resilient teams with growth opportunities.
[3] Fostering continuous learning culture: Embed learning into daily workflows via modular, just-in-time microlearning and on-demand content that matches real-time business needs and role-specific skill gaps.
[4] Emphasizing soft skills: Prioritize traits such as critical thinking, collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, and creativity alongside technical skills to equip employees for AI-augmented environments and teamwork dynamics.
[5] Succession planning and flexibility: Identify critical roles at risk, cross-train staff, document key knowledge, and develop stretch assignments to build internal bench strength and operational flexibility, mitigating risk from turnover or layoffs.
[Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5] Angeliki Megariti from Caretta Research will outline market data, shifting workforce trends, and the evolution of AI during the event.
Register for the World Skills Café 2025 today to join the conversation and help shape the future of the media and broadcast industry.
- In light of the rapid advancements in technology such as AI and automation, it's crucial for the media and broadcast industry to develop AI and digital fluency among their employees by regularly upskilling them in AI, robotic process automation (RPA), advanced analytics, and related technologies to keep pace with evolving tools impacting media production and distribution.
- To foster a more resilient and adaptable workforce, the media and broadcast industry should support entry-level talent by investing early in high-potential employees through structured programs that encourage curiosity and experimentation to build adaptable teams with growth opportunities.
