Bauer Academy launches Future Capabilities Lens to help employers thrive in a changing world

Bauer Media’s award-winning Bauer Academy unveiled its new Future Capabilities Lens at Learning Live 2026. It is a suite of development solutions designed to strengthen the human capabilities people need to succeed in an increasingly digital and AI-enabled workplace.

Inspired by industry and informed by research, the Lens moves beyond traditional approaches to skills training by focusing on broader, transferable capabilities. It develops eight interconnected areas: communication, critical thinking, problem solving, adaptability, collaboration, creativity, connection and continuous learning.

At the centre of the Lens are three capabilities that Bauer Academy believes are particularly important for navigating workplace change: Adaptability, Idea Generation and Communication. Together, they enable people to respond constructively to change, generate new possibilities and translate ideas into collaborative action.

The launch comes at a time of significant transformation in the workplace. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 found that employers expect 39% of workers’ existing skill sets to change or become outdated by 2030. While AI, big data and technological literacy are among the fastest-growing skills, employers also expect human capabilities including creative thinking, resilience, flexibility and agility to increase in importance. LinkedIn’s Work Change Report similarly estimates that 70% of the skills used in most jobs will change by 2030, with AI acting as a major catalyst for that transformation.

The Future Capabilities Lens responds to this challenge by combining self-directed digital learning with facilitated, experiential development. Participants receive access to Bauer Academy’s Human Skills for a Digital World, comprising approximately 15 hours of online learning, alongside three live, two-hour interactive workshops led by Bauer Academy specialists focusing on Idea Generation, Communication and Adaptability.

Rather than treating these capabilities independently, the programme explores how they interact. Adaptability helps people navigate uncertainty and change; idea generation supports creativity, innovation and problem solving; and communication enables people to articulate ideas, collaborate and influence others. This approach reflects wider evidence that the future workforce will require a combination of technological expertise and distinctly human capabilities. The World Economic Forum identifies analytical thinking, resilience, flexibility and agility, leadership and social influence, and creative thinking among employers' most important core skills. Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index similarly argues that emerging organisational models will combine machine intelligence with human judgement, creativity and ingenuity.

Part of a wider Future Capabilities Framework

The Future Capabilities Lens forms part of a broader Bauer Academy Future Capabilities Framework, launching in 2027. The framework will bring together human capabilities, leadership, AI and data development through increasingly interdisciplinary approaches to learning.

This will include a new Transformation Lab, where senior leaders develop capabilities through experience rather than traditional learning methods. Participants will work alongside Bauer Transformation Squads to tackle complex, real-world organisational challenges, combining expertise from different disciplines to explore problems, generate ideas and translate learning into practical solutions. Currently employers can book onto leadership courses at three levels: Ignite (build awareness) Elevate (develop capabilities) and Impact (deliver results). There is limited availability for 2026 start dates.

The Future Capabilities Framework forms part of Bauer Academy’s wider commitment to helping organisations navigate technological and organisational change by developing both individual capability and the learning cultures required for continuous adaptation.

Courtnay McLeod, Managing Director, Bauer Academy, said:
“We have spent months researching, developing and testing the Future Capabilities Lens. As AI transforms how work is done, the evidence suggests that we need to invest not only in technological skills, but also in the human capabilities that enable people to adapt, think creatively and work effectively with others."

“The Future Capabilities Lens provides an accessible and practical way for individuals to develop these capabilities and for employers to upskill and reskill their workforce. Ultimately, it is about helping people become more confident navigating change and creating the conditions for individuals and organisations to thrive.”

Bauer Academy is an award winning learning and development business within Bauer Media, one of the world’s largest privately owned media businesses. Combining real-world industry expertise with innovative learning design, it helps organisations build the skills, capabilities and confidence to thrive in a changing world. From leadership to AI, digital, content creation and future capabilities, Bauer Academy creates learning that lasts and impact that grows. Bauer Academy are Ofsted awarded 'Outstanding' for Quality of Education and Apprenticeship Provision (Jun2025).

Mel Webb
Commercial Communications Manager
melanie.webb@bauermedia.co.uk
baueracademy.co.uk