82% of Procurement Leaders Say AI and Digital Fluency Will Be the Most Needed Skill in 2030. Only 28% Say Their Teams Are Ready

Procurious research finds over half of procurement teams have no structured, future-focused training plan -- and two thirds say their current training budget is insufficient

NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Procurement teams are facing a critical training and capability gap that threatens businesses' ability to reduce costs, drive productivity and mitigate supply disruptions, according to new research released today by Procurious. According to the research - The Procurement Skills and Training Gap - over 90% of procurement leaders say skills shortfalls are already impacting their ability to deliver on business objectives.

"The procurement function has a generational opportunity to shape the business and economic decisions of the next decade, but businesses must invest in the people expected to lead it. Too often, capability development prioritises sales and revenue growth, leaving those managing cost, risk and compliance under-resourced and under-skilled," said Tania Seary, Founder of Procurious. "Closing the gap requires more than static curricula and occasional training. Procurement professionals need ongoing learning that keeps pace with changing markets, supply chains and technology, informed by what peers are trying and which approaches are delivering results."

Procurious' research highlights three issues CPOs can't afford to ignore:

• The future procurement professional will need more than technical fluency. Behind AI and digital fluency, respondents rank stakeholder engagement and influence (42%) and commercial acumen (39%) as the next priority skills for 2030.
• Capability gaps are affecting the bottom line and increasing supply chain risk. If procurement's current skill gaps are left unaddressed over the next 12 to 24 months, respondents expect a negative impact on cost savings and cost avoidance, procurement team productivity and output per FTE, regulatory compliance and audit risk and supply chain disruptions.
• Training systems and investment have not kept up with procurement's elevated role. Almost 60% have no formal procurement capability or skills framework. Sixty-six percent say their current training budget is insufficient.

"As AI takes over more of our transactional work, procurement's critical role in the business will only grow," said Seary. "Procurement leaders will have to make tough commercial calls on supplier strategy, markets and risk, and those are the calls that keep a company competitive. Procurement can't build that capability on its own. The business has to put time and money behind it."

Making matters more challenging, procurement teams are being asked to take on more responsibility while operating with limited resources. More than half of respondents lack either the budget or the time and resources to develop and maintain training programs. When development opportunities exist, 52% of respondents say they don't actively participate due to workload issues.

"Procurement is a profession built on relationships, judgement and influence," said Jade Cusworth, Global L&D Director, Procurious+. "People develop those by pulling in outside expertise, working through real problems and comparing notes with peers who are facing the same ones. And it has to be constant, because the job keeps changing while teams wait for next year's training program."

To read the full Procurement Skills and Training Gap Report, visit https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0zm_fk0.

FAQ:

Q: How do procurement capability gaps show up in the business?
A: Beyond cost and productivity, 30% of respondents say regulatory compliance and audit risk reduction would suffer if capability is not strengthened, 22% point to revenue outcomes including time to market and supplier innovation, and 21% say supply disruptions would be harder to mitigate.

Q: How much should organisations invest in procurement skills development?
A: Nine percent invest nothing per employee and 40% have no defined per-employee training budget at all. Asked what the right spend would be, 36% say $2,000 or more and a further 21% say between $1,500 and $2,000.

Q: Does procurement's capability gap look different in larger organisations?
A: It looks bigger. Forty-five percent of respondents at companies above $5 billion in revenue say capability gaps create noticeable or significant challenges, against 36% across all respondents.

Q: How can CPOs upskill and more effectively train their workforce?
A: CPOs need a clearer view of the capabilities their function requires, where the most consequential gaps sit and which investments will have the greatest impact on performance. That means looking beyond the leadership team: tapping outside expertise, learning from peers, listening across levels of the organisation and giving employees consistent access to development that evolves as quickly as the function itself.

Q: What is Procurious+?
A: Procurious+ is an always-on, 12-month learning and development platform built specifically for procurement and supply chain teams. Rather than relying on occasional courses, static curricula, sporadic events or generic corporate training, Procurious+ helps professionals continuously build the proficiency, perspective and passion they need to perform in a profession that is changing in real time.

About Procurious

Procurious is an online business network for a new generation of procurement and supply chain professionals, bringing networking, learning, events and collaborative discussions together in one place. With 50,000 members across over 100 countries, Procurious encourages professionals to develop their skills and take control of their careers.

To learn more or become a member, visit us at Procurious.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Procurious+

Procurious+ is an always-on, 12-month learning and development platform from Procurious that gives procurement and supply chain teams access to more than 80 live and on-demand learning experiences each year, delivered by experienced practitioners, CPOs, trainers and subject-matter experts. Sessions cover the capabilities that matter now, from AI and commercial acumen to negotiation, risk, leadership and geopolitical disruption. Procurious+ is built on a global community of 50,000 procurement and supply chain professionals across more than 100 countries who share what is working and give members a window into how their peers are responding to the same issues they face. That community builds the proficiency, perspective and passion to perform in a profession that is changing in real time. More than 80% of participants report improved performance after taking part, while 90% say Procurious+ has been valuable to their development.

One membership covers every level of the procurement team. Sign your team up for Procurious+ today.

SOURCE Procurious