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HOBOKEN, N.J., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Organizations facing persistent IT and AI skills gaps are increasingly turning to professional certification as a core workforce strategy and are seeing measurable business returns, according to a new report from Pearsonย (FTSE: PSON.L).ย Pearson'sย 2026 Value of IT Certification Employer Report finds employersย prioritize upskilling to close skills gaps, with 78%ย choosingย professionalย certification as the leading upskilling investment.ย This focus on validated skills reflects a broader understanding that AI creates the most value when paired with a workforceย equippedย to use it effectively.ย
The largest skills gaps are found in high-risk, high-impact areas such as AI, machine learning, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. Employers don't expect the pressure to ease: nine in ten leaders believe certifications will be more important within the next 3โ5 years. Employees echo this sentiment withย 84% planningย to pursueย additionalย certifications in the next 12 months.ย
The reportย alsoย findsย thatย employersย estimate an average ofโฏUSDย 17,646ย inย additionalย annual value for every certified ITโฏemployee,ย rising toย nearlyโฏUSDโฏ20,000โฏinย IT workforces that are fully equipped with upโtoโdate skills.ย That value is reflected in outcomes employers track closely, including employee performance and retention, cost savings, issueโresolution time, and customer satisfaction.ย
Additionalย findingsย from the report:โฏย
"Employers overwhelmingly value certification as a way to build and validate theย skills their IT teams need today, and they expect those credentials to matter even more as AI and other technologies continue to reshape roles,"ย said Art Valentine, President of Pearson Assessment and Qualification.ย "But our research shows that employers see the benefits of certification extending well beyond skills development alone, highlighting its growing importance as a broader workforceย investment."ย
Organizations report that supporting and investing in IT certification contributes to multiple business outcomes:
Together, the findings in Pearson's 2026 Value of IT Certification Employer Report makeย a strong caseย for certification's growing strategic importance โ helping employers build stronger teams and realize broader business benefits, while giving employees clearer pathways to grow,ย demonstrateย their skills, and prepare forย what'sย next.ย ย ย
"The value organizations realize from AI and other advanced technologiesย ultimately dependsย on the skills of the people applying them. Certification helps ensure their workforce is prepared to unlock that value," concluded Valentine.ย
The full report is available at:โฏhttps://go.pearsonvue.com/voc.โฏโฏย ย
To learn more aboutย professional certifications andย Pearson Professional Assessment visit:ย https://www.pearsonvue.com/.ย
About the reportโฏ
The 2026 Value of IT Certification Employer Report is the tenthโฏedition in Pearson's ongoing research series examining the business and workforce impact of professional certification. The study is based on surveys of 505 IT and HR leaders across the United States, United Kingdom, China, Brazil, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and India, supported by qualitative interviews with senior IT executives. It builds on the 2025 Value of IT Certification Candidate Report toโฏprovideโฏa comprehensive view of how certification creates value for both employers and employees.โฏโฏย
Relatedย Pearson Newsโฏโฏย
โฏAbout Pearsonโฏ
At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough.โฏThat'sโฏwhy our c. 18,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the world's lifelong learning company, serving customers inโฏnearly 200โฏcountries with digital content, assessments, qualifications, and data. For us, learningโฏisn'tโฏjust what we do.โฏIt'sโฏwho we are. Visit us atโฏplc.pearson.com.โฏโฏโฏโฏย
Media Contactsโฏโฏ
Greg.Forbes@pearson.comโฏย
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/employers-use-it-certification-to-close-highrisk-skills-gaps-and-gain-competitive-advantage-pearson-study-finds-302749455.html
SOURCE Pearson
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