Ericsson’s big bet on skills

How they upskilled 30,000+ employees in AI—and why it paid off

What does a 148-year-old company do when it wants to act like a startup? Ericsson's answer: build a future-ready workforce by putting skills at the center.
It started with 300 scientists learning AI.

Now, over 30,000 employees are AI-proficient—and climbing. Their secret? A company-wide commitment to out-learning the competition, driven by a repeatable, measurable skills strategy.

And the results? Faster innovation. Higher retention. Lower costs. And a workforce equipped to handle whatever’s next.

We’ve taken the lessons learned by Ericsson and developed a guide to help you create your own skills-first strategies.

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Let’s be honest: It’s messy out there

HR leaders today are under pressure from every angle: shrinking budgets, ballooning tech stacks, and increasing demands to show impact fast.

You’re being asked to:

  • Build agility in the face of AI disruption

  • Close skill gaps without hiring sprees

  • Cut tools, not capabilities

  • Prove talent ROI without slowing down

The people we have must continually become the people we need

Ericsson faced the same pressures. But they didn’t panic—they got strategic.

Ericsson’s approach: Systematic, not just programmatic

Instead of adding another learning initiative, Ericsson shifted its foundation.

Vidya Krishnan, their Chief Learning Officer, said it best: “We refuse to act our age.”

Their team built a skill-first operating model anchored by three core principles:

  • Clarity on which future-critical skills matter most (like AI, data, and systems thinking)

  • Consistency in developing those skills across roles, regions, and platforms

  • Confidence that every learning activity was measurable and tied to real outcomes

With Degreed’s ecosystem, they didn’t just push courses—they orchestrated learning. Nudges, pathways, AI-powered recommendations, and real-time data all worked together to scale skills without overloading L&D.

   

   

   

What happened next? Numbers worth repeating.

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reduction in learning spend

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increase in learning completions

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boost in total learning hours

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expansion of AI upskilling—from 300 scientists to over 30,000 employees

All while maintaining enterprise-level compliance, integrations, and data governance.

See how Ericsson did it—step by step. Download the Executive Guide to Skills.

What’s in it for you?

Ericsson’s story proves a simple but powerful truth: workforce transformation isn’t about adding more—it’s about getting smarter with what you’ve got.

And that’s exactly what Degreed helps HR and L&D leaders do. Whether you’re navigating mergers, evolving business models, or preparing for AI reshaping your org, a skills-based strategy gives you options. The kind that matter to your CEO, your board, and your people.

Degreed connects to your existing systems (like Workday or SAP), scales globally, and supports everything from onboarding to deep leadership development. You can personalize learning, automate engagement, and measure what’s working—without adding more complexity to your stack.

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