General RMI Trends & Insights
The Top Risk Management and Insurance Skills Shaping the 2025 Landscape
The Top Risk Management and Insurance Skills Shaping the 2025 Landscape
Today’s workforce needs to continuously upskill and reskill to remain effective in their roles. Last year's cutting-edge advancements may become today’s essential knowledge, especially in risk management and insurance where AI, cyber threats, and Predict & Prevent® approaches are transforming traditional approaches to risk management.
The data is compelling: organizations that invest in their employees and empower them to develop in-demand skills see more retention and engagement in the long term. Plus, professional development opportunities and clear pathways for advancement are non-negotiables for job seekers. Read on for more details about the top skill areas over the past year, and our predictions for upcoming trends!
How We Identified the Most In-Demand Risk Management and Insurance Skills in 2025
Each year, risk management and insurance professionals from around the world engage with leading education resources from The Institutes Knowledge Group. In the past year alone, our community of learners completed over 182,000 courses and earned more than 13,000 designations across 55 countries.
We compiled that data into our 2025 Skills Report, which identifies the top designations earned, courses completed, and skills utilized in the past year. The report groups those essential skills into broader categories to identify trends and patterns and give insights into the state of RMI skills development. Below, we dive into three of the top skill areas and our predictions for how demand will continue to trend.
In-Demand Skill Area: Insurance Fundamentals
When your employees have a strong understanding of core risk management and insurance principles, it establishes the foundation for the rest of their career. There are so many nuances in RMI fields that those who can master the basics quickly and learn how to navigate complex concepts will stand out among their peers and provide more value to their organization.
In the past year, there was an exceptionally high demand for foundational insurance knowledge, which indicated that new learners are eager to get up to speed in their roles. Organizations should incorporate foundational learning into their onboarding programs and connect the basics of insurance with the operations of their business
A few great designations and courses to grow these fundamental skills include:
In-Demand Skill Area: Risk Management
Risk is constantly evolving, which means the way your employees identify, analyze, and evaluate potential risks needs to adapt to the current landscape. If their risk assessment is flawed or incomplete, there can be serious consequences for both your organization and the insured.
In particular, our Skills Report shows an increasing focus on cyber risk management skills. Risk professionals recognize that cybersecurity expertise is crucial to mitigating threats. Problem solving skills like the ability to think critically, analyze data, and make strategic decisions are more valuable than ever, especially with the growing prevalence of AI and complex cyber threats. Encourage your employees to develop their risk management skills through popular designations like:
- Associate in Risk Management (ARM™)
- Associate in Cyber Risk Management™ (ACRM™)
- Associate in Insurance Data Analytics® (AIDA™)
In-Demand Skill Area: Leadership & Strategy
Learners are investing in more leadership-driven courses, which indicates that there’s a growing pool of emerging leaders your organization should seek to further develop now. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, an estimated half of the current insurance workforce will retire in the next 15 years. There is a critical need to fill the talent pipeline and transfer knowledge and soft skills to the new generation.
As the leadership standard in risk management and insurance, The Institutes Designations' CPCU® provides employees with practical leadership expertise, credibility, and holistic risk management and insurance skills. There’s no better way to support the talent who will lead the future!
Explore CPCU and everything your employees need to get started today.
Predictions for Future Skill Trends
Now that we understand learner trends over the past year, let's use those insights to look to the future. Here are our predictions for how skills will continue to trend:
Learning how to leverage AI in your day-to-day is crucial to remain effective in your role. As artificial intelligence continues to transform workflows, professionals who can effectively incorporate AI tools into their work will have a significant advantage.
Predictive analytics are transforming risk management from a reactive approach to proactive loss prevention. Proactive risk management will become increasingly valuable as organizations focus on prevention rather than reacting after a loss occurs.
There are more opportunities for new leaders to emerge and thrive, leading to a greater emphasis on leadership skills. With many current leaders approaching retirement, RMI organizations need to actively develop the next generation of leaders.
Professionals who can safeguard their own organization and their clients from cyber threats are trusted and invaluable resources. As these risks increase, cybersecurity expertise will be among the most valued skills in the RMI landscape.
Risk Management and Insurance Skills to Future-Proof Your Organization
In this ever-evolving space, the benefits of continuous learning and skill development for RMI professionals can’t be overstated. Organizations that empower employees to grow their knowledge in key skill areas like insurance fundamentals, risk management, and strategic leadership will stay competitive. And those are just a few of the top skill areas—explore our full 2025 Skills Report for more.