Navigating a Shifting L&D Jobs Market with Nick Jones

About this episode

David James and Nick Jones discuss the current state of the L&D jobs market and the impact of global shifts on employment.

In this episode of The Learning & Development Podcast, David James is joined by Nick Jones of Blue Eskimo to discuss the state of the industry following the launch of the 2026 Blue Eskimo Work & Salary Report. Nick dives into the current market reality, exploring what is actually happening on the ground and how global shifts are impacting the jobs market. The conversation addresses the significant rise in redundancies and identifies which specific roles are being hit hardest as organisations restructure. They look at the disconnect between "strategic" job descriptions and the "hands-on" reality of recruitment, while tackling the question of whether AI is truly replacing jobs or simply forcing the profession to evolve. They look into why many L&D professionals are currently finding themselves unprepared for the job market, the increasing importance of personal branding, and the specific skills needed to remain accountable and valued in 2026. Take your L&D to the next level Take advantage of thousands of hours of analysis. Hundreds of conversations with industry innovators and 25+ years of hands-on global L&D leadership. It's all distilled into one framework to help you…

People in this episode

Host: David James

Guest: Nick Jones

Topics covered

• L&D jobs market
• AI impact on jobs
• personal branding
• redundancies
• skills for 2026

Keywords

• L&D
• jobs market
• AI
• redundancies
• personal branding
• skills
• 2026

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Blue Eskimo, 360learning

Books & works: 2026 Blue Eskimo Work & Salary Report

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