Transformation doesn’t have to pause for the skills shortage

According to IDC, 39% of global enterprises struggle to find and retain network engineering skills. Downtime, cyber threats, and business transformation are (understandably) high priorities for enterprises, but more needs to be done to solve the market-wide network engineering talent shortage or even the best digital initiatives can’t deliver the results you need.

As a Chief People Officer in the telco space, I’ve seen the impact network engineering talent shortages can have. It’s a critical area where HR and IT leaders need to work together to find a solution. But using external partners for networking solves more than a staffing issue. It also future-proofs your business, your network and your workforce. Ultimately, allowing you to adapt to future market demands.

IT skills gap statistics CIOs should know

IDC surveyed 650 global enterprise IT leaders to understand where they see the challenges and opportunities for the coming 12 months. 

The data tells a clear story:

• 42% say it’s moderately to extremely difficult to attract IT talent and even harder to keep them.
• Cybersecurity (41%), networking (39%), and data/AI/automation (33%) are the top areas where organizations struggle to find talent.
• 19% of tech leaders say a “lack of resources, skills, or development capabilities” is getting in the way of digital projects.

Source: IDC’s Technology Leaders Survey, 2025, January 2025 (N = 650)

For more information on IT leaders’ priorities this year, check out Enterprise Horizons 2025 here.

The overall impression is that enterprise technology leaders are struggling with the IT skills shortage. However, a lack of networking engineering skills is exposing more risks and challenges than ever before.

And unlike a temporary hiring slowdown, the networking engineering skills shortage is structural. Rapid tech evolution, complex architectures, and fierce competition for a limited pool of talent are driving it.

The networking skills gap is impacting your organization

It’s easy to forget that the infrastructure powering your business isn’t just made of cables and code. Instead, it’s powered by people. And those people need to have the right skills.

Being unable to find and retain network engineering talent means increased pressure on the rest of your IT team. Picking up the slack while also handling their areas of expertise means higher rates of stress and burnout and brain drain. Morale can be impacted, and you could face an even bigger skill gap as more IT team members leave.

Additionally, without the right expertise high-value IT projects will stall before they even get off the ground. In networking specifically, gaps in skills can mean:

1. Slower rollouts for critical infrastructure upgrades.
2. Increased downtime due to a lack of specialized troubleshooting expertise.
3. Security vulnerabilities from misconfigured or poorly monitored systems.
4. Missed innovation windows because your network can’t support advanced workloads.
5. Increased support tickets from poor user experiences.

Can your IT team deliver tomorrow’s network? 

Recognizing a network engineering skills gap before it becomes a crisis is key. That means moving beyond annual reviews and staying responsive to day-to-day issues. You need to respond to day-to-day issues, listen to feedback, and provide real-time feedback and support.

In an article for informationweek.com, Jean-Philippe Avelange, CIO at Expereo, summed it up: 

How to identify network engineering skills gaps:

To help you further understand your team’s capabilities, here’s how to identify skill gaps in your networking team:

1. Map capabilities against business goals: If you’re planning a shift to SASE or expanding cloud connectivity, do you have the in-house network engineer skills to design, implement, and manage it?
2. Use skills assessment tools: Not just for technical ability, but for adaptability, problem-solving, and collaboration.
3. Monitor project outcomes: Delays, recurring outages, or high numbers of support tickets can mean there's an issue.

Closing the network engineering skills gap with external providers

However, recruitment alone won’t solve this problem. Even if you could hire the perfect candidate(s) tomorrow, it would take months to onboard and integrate them. Unfortunately, your transformation projects can’t wait that long.

Research shows that enterprises are turning to three approaches to close the gap:

• Strategic partnerships: Working with managed service providers (MSPs) who can bring deep network engineering skills on-demand.
• Reskilling programs: Investing in training your existing IT staff in next-gen networking technologies.
• Cross-functional exposure: Letting networking staff shadow or rotate into adjacent areas like cybersecurity or cloud engineering to build broader capability.

Interestingly, almost half of enterprise tech leaders are turning to MSPs to bridge the skills gap. Only 8% are focused on upskilling their in-house network engineer skills. 

This is because MSPs, like Expereo, provide access to the skills, deep insights, and expertise you need to execute on your network transformation needs. They allow you to plug the network engineering skills gap short-term, and provide ongoing access to the right strategic vision that can support your long-term business goals too.

Jean-Philippe Avelange notes,

Transform faster and outpace the network skills gap with Expereo

To solve this challenge, start by asking one question: Do we have the skills today to deliver the network we’ll need tomorrow?

If the answer is “no”, get in touch with Expereo today. We act as an extension of your teams, and your transformation goals become our goals. With over 20 years of experience, we ensure you gain fit-for-purpose networks wherever you need them. And our digital-first mindset means we can guide you toward your digital future. Ultimately enabling you to transform your business without needing to hire. All backed by expert support, available 24/7 around the globe.