Interplay Learning

2025 State of Skilled Trades Training Report

The 2025 State of Skilled Trades Training report reveals that immersive, technology-driven training methods like digital learning, simulations, and VR significantly reduce technician ramp-up time by over four months, address critical skill gaps identified by more than one-third of organizations, and enhance retention, confidence, and safety, providing leaders with actionable insights to modernize training and build a highly skilled, job-ready workforce amid industry challenges such as an aging workforce and labor shortages.

A Sneak Peek

  • 70% of leaders say this strategy gives them unmatched visibility into technician skills, helping them pinpoint exactly where to focus training.
  • More than two-thirds of companies report saving over 4 months ramping technicians using this type of training compared to traditional methods.
  • Over one-third of organizations point to this skill as their biggest gap – and the data shows how top teams are closing it.

The skilled trades are at a critical crossroads. An aging workforce, labor shortages, and outdated training methods are creating challenges that impact productivity, safety, and retention. Companies can no longer rely on slow, one-size-fits-all approaches to prepare technicians for today’s demands. The right training strategy isn’t just about checking a box — it’s about equipping workers with the skills, confidence, and hands-on experience to excel in the field from day one.

The 2025 State of Skilled Trades Training report explores how immersive, technology-driven learning is transforming the industry. Drawing on real-world data from hundreds of companies and learners, this first-of-its-kind report provides actionable insights for leaders who want to train faster, close critical skills gaps, and retain top talent.

Whether you’re modernizing your training program or evaluating new approaches, this report shows how digital learning, simulations, and VR-based training are helping organizations build a highly skilled, job-ready workforce.

You’ll gain insights into:

  • How immersive, on-demand training is reducing ramp time and accelerating technician productivity
  • The most in-demand skills and critical gaps in the skilled trades workforce
  • How flexible, hands-on learning improves retention, confidence, and safety on the job
  • Real-world metrics showing the measurable impact of immersive training on business outcomes

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