Skills-based organisations: promise versus practice at Learning Technologies
Learning Technologies 2026 will examine why many skills initiatives stall and what it actually takes to move beyond roles with Koreen Pagano this April in London.
Many organizations talk about becoming skills-based, but far fewer understand what that shift actually requires. Moving beyond job titles and credentials is not a simple change to learning programs or hiring practices. It represents a fundamental rethink of how work is defined, how people are developed, and how decisions are made across the organization. This session explores what it truly means to operate as a skills-based organization and why many well-intentioned efforts stall before delivering impact.
What It Really Takes to Become a Skills-Based Organization - Koreen Pagano
As work evolves faster than job roles can keep up, organizations are under pressure to make better decisions about hiring, development, mobility, and workforce planning. In response, skills-based approaches have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional, role-centered models. Yet many initiatives struggle to move beyond pilots, taxonomies, or disconnected skills data.
Learning Technologies Conference Chair, Donald H Taylor, said: “Koreen Pagano draws on extensive research and hands-on experience working with organizations at different stages of maturity to unpack what separates meaningful progress from surface-level adoption.”
Rather than treating skills as another framework or technology implementation, the session reframes skills as a shared language that connects people, processes, and systems.Attendees will explore how skills data can improve visibility into workforce capabilities, support more equitable and informed decisions, and enable organizations to adapt as work continues to change.
The session also addresses common obstacles, including unclear definitions, trust in skills data, organizational readiness, and the temptation to overinvest before establishing purpose. The result is a grounded, practical perspective on how learning and talent teams can help their organizations move toward a skills-based future with intention and clarity.
Key Topics Include:
- Why traditional role- and credential-based models no longer reflect how work gets done
- What defines a skills-based organization beyond learning and hiring initiatives
- How skills data can support better decisions across hiring, development, and mobility
- Common pitfalls that cause skills efforts to stall or lose credibility
- The role of learning and talent teams in building skills-based systems and culture
- How to start small while keeping a long-term vision for transformation
From Roles to Skills: What It Really Takes to Become a Skills-Based Organization takes place on day one, 29 April at 13:55.
The full programme is available on the event website: Learning Technologies 2026 Conference. Conference passes are on sale, with a £100 saving for bookings before 13 March: Learning Technologies 2026 Conference Conference Passes.
Save £100 when you book before 13 March
Your Conference Pass includes all conference tracks and theatres, networking lunch and drinks and full access to both days of the exhibition. There are two ticket types, including our premium option for those looking to get the most out of your experience at Learning Technologies.
Speakers include: David Kelly, Dani Johnson, Lori Niles-Hofmann, Laura Overton, Michelle Ockers, Egle Vinauskaite, Nigel Paine, Kelsey Kates, Serena Gonsalves-Fersch and Simon Gibson; just a few of the 70+ speakers on the programme.
More information
Learning professionals can keep informed of the conference’s developments and announcements by registering for the Learning Technologies Newsletter.
Learning Technologies 2026
29-30 April 2026, London Excel
#LT26UK
learningtechnologies.co.uk
Koreen Pagano
Co-Founder, Rising Tide Cooperative
Koreen Pagano, Co-Founder of Rising Tide Cooperative, is a globally recognized executive with deep expertise in skills strategy, AI transformation, analytics, learning technology, and immersive experiences. Koreen has held product leadership roles at Lynda.com, LinkedIn, D2L, Degreed, and Wiley. Koreen previously founded Tandem Learning, where she pioneered immersive learning through virtual worlds, games, and simulations. In her current role at Rising Tide Cooperative, she serves as an advisor, consultant, and executive coach to a range of companies, supporting their transformation initiatives.