This article is based on insights shared by Abigail Sorrell, Head of Financial Services Curriculum at Kaplan, during a panel discussion hosted by the Lifelong Education Institute on the future of skills in financial services.

The financial services sector has never stood still. New regulations, changing customer expectations, and technological innovation have always shaped the way organisations work.

But the pace of change we're seeing today is unprecedented.

Artificial intelligence is transforming how work gets done, automating routine tasks, and creating demand for entirely new skills. For employers, the challenge isn't simply adopting new technology. It's ensuring people have the knowledge, confidence, and adaptability to use it effectively.

If we're serious about closing the skills gap, we need to rethink how we approach learning.

It's no longer enough to prepare people for the jobs of today. We need a skills system that evolves as quickly as the workplace itself.

Learning doesn't end when your career begins

Apprenticeships have long demonstrated that learning and employment don't need to be separate. They show the value of developing knowledge and skills while contributing in the workplace. But as technology continues to reshape financial services, that mindset needs to extend thoughout someone's career.

No qualification, apprenticeship, or training programme can provide everything someone will need throughout a 40-year career. Technology is evolving too quickly. Skills that are valuable today may look very different in five years' time, while entirely new roles continue to emerge.

That's why lifelong learning has become essential.

Learning shouldn't stop once a qualification or apprenticeship is complete. It should be woven throughout a person's career, giving people the opportunity to build new skills, adapt to changing technologies, and continue developing as industries evolve.

That also means starting career conversations earlier. Schools, employers, education providers, and government all have a role to play in helping young people understand the opportunities available and develop skills that will remain valuable as the workplace changes.

AI is changing jobs - not removing the need for people

Discussions about AI often focus on what technology might replace.

A more useful question is: what will people spend more time doing?

Across financial services, AI is increasingly taking on routine, repetitive tasks such as analysing data, producing reports, and processing information. But rather than removing people from the equation, this allows them to focus on the work that creates the greatest value.

A relationship manager might spend less time preparing reports and more time helping clients interpret AI-generated insights to make informed decisions. A compliance professional might use AI to review large volumes of information while relying on their own judgement to assess risk and determine the appropriate course of action.

In other words, work is being redesigned rather than eliminated.

As technology takes on more operational tasks, the skills that become even more valuable are those AI can't easily replicate: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, ethical decision-making, empathy, and sound professional judgement.

Technology may be changing how we work, but people remain at the heart of financial services.

Learning needs to move at the speed of change

If the workplace is changing faster than ever before, learning needs to keep pace.

Traditional qualifications and structured apprenticeship programmes remain incredibly important, but they shouldn't be the only route to developing skills. Employers also need access to shorter, more flexible learning that helps existing teams respond quickly to new technologies and evolving business needs.

That's where modular learning, micro-credentials, and targeted professional development can make a real difference.

We're already seeing encouraging progress through initiatives such as modular AI learning and the exploration of skills passports, which could make it easier for individuals to demonstrate their capabilities across different roles and sectors.

However, there's still work to do.

Training frameworks need to become more responsive so that curriculum updates can keep pace with technological change. When industries evolve in months rather than years, our approach to learning has to evolve too.

The future belongs to hybrid professionals

The most valuable professionals of the future won't simply be AI specialists or financial experts.

They'll be people who can combine technical confidence with deep industry knowledge, commercial awareness, and strong interpersonal skills.

Financial services will always need people who understand customers, exercise sound judgement, navigate regulation, and build trusted relationships. Increasingly, those same people will also need to feel comfortable working alongside AI and other emerging technologies.

These hybrid professionals will become one of the UK's greatest competitive advantages.

Developing them won't happen through education alone, or through employers working in isolation. It requires genuine collaboration between businesses, education providers, policymakers, and industry bodies to create learning opportunities that reflect how work is changing.

Creating new pathways into financial services

Supporting today's workforce is only part of the challenge. We also need to think differently about tomorrow.

As automation changes traditional entry-level roles, we have an opportunity to create new pathways into financial services that recognise potential, transferable skills, and practical experience alongside formal qualifications.

Ideas such as skills passports could help make skills more portable across sectors, making it easier for employers to identify talent while helping individuals demonstrate the value of what they already know.

This is particularly important when so many people are looking for opportunities to enter education or employment. By creating more flexible routes into the profession, we can widen participation while helping employers access the skills they need.

Investing in people is the real competitive advantage

Technology will continue to evolve. AI capabilities will improve. New tools will emerge.

The organisations that succeed won't simply be those that invest in the latest technology.

They'll be the ones that invest just as much in helping their people adapt alongside it.

Closing the financial services skills gap isn't about solving today's recruitment challenges. It's about creating a culture of continuous learning that gives people the confidence to embrace change throughout their careers.

When employers, education providers, and policymakers work together, we don't just prepare people for the future of work - we give them the opportunity to shape it.

Build the skills your organisation needs for tomorrow

The future of financial services will be built by organisations that invest in both technology and people.

Kaplan partners with employers to develop future-ready talent through apprenticeships and professional learning programmes in AI, data, and technology. From introducing AI into the workplace to building advanced digital capabilities, we help organisations develop the skills they need to stay competitive in a rapidly changing industry.

Explore our AI and Data and Technology courses and apprenticeship programmes to discover how Kaplan can help you build a workforce that's ready for what's next.

Watch the Skills For Financial Services panel discussion to hear everything that came out of the session.