10,000 Future Skills: Lessons Learned From an Amazing Journey with Klaus Scheile

Following iVentiv's Learning Futures Cologne, Richard Parfitt (Marketing Manager, iVentiv) spoke to Klaus Scheile (VP of Learning & Development, T-Systems) to delve into the T-Systems approach to skills and talent development.

Watch the full interview and read our blog below to understand more about how T-Systems fosters a learning-centric culture, empowers personal development, and champions learning at every organisational level.

The Skills Journey at T-Systems, and the Role of Certification

Klaus detailed the strategic approach that T-Systems has taken to addressing the scarcity of skills in the market by centralising Learning & Development to plan effectively for future needs. 

Specifically, Klaus tells us that T-Systems aims to certify 10,000 employees in future-oriented tech skills like Docker, Kubernetes, and AI by the end of 2024, with the company close to achieving this goal seven months early.

Why is the certification process at T-Systems so crucial?

  1. Firstly, it verifies that employees have effectively learned the skills taught in training programs. Klaus mentions that only about one-third of participants achieve certification on average, highlighting the challenge and the rigorous learning required. 
  2. Secondly, obtaining certifications allows individuals to enhance their resumes, reflecting personal investment and accomplishment in skill acquisition. 
  3. Lastly, certifications are vital for maintaining partnerships, as they demonstrate T-Systems' capability and expertise to external stakeholders.

Klaus also discusses operational aspects, noting that T-Systems maintains skill inventories for all 27,000 global employees, tracking each skill and certification which, he stresses, helps to support strategic planning and highlights areas needing focus in skill development and certification efforts. 

How Important is Cultivating a Personal Learning Ethos at T-Systems?

Klaus highlighted that Learning & Development are deeply personal choices that each individual must prioritise. He likens it to deciding how much one wants to exercise to stay fit, underscoring that while the company cannot impose learning top-down, it can foster an environment that empowers employees to make those choices for themselves. 

T-Systems, he continues, encourages an understanding that there are no limits to what can be learned. 

How is T-Systems supporting personal development? 

Klaus explains that T-Systems has implemented a dual management structure for its employees: one manager focuses on project-related tasks, while another is dedicated solely to personal development – a structure that underscores the company's commitment to learning.

It's no small wonder that time spent learning at T-Systems has doubled over the past two years.

Doubling-Down on Learning Time: How Important is Senior Leadership in Making That Happen?

Klaus believes that effective learning initiatives require strong support from the top levels of management, including the CEO who, at T-Systems, personally advocates for learning with enthusiasm, quoting a German phrase that translates to "knowledge is power” – a philosophy that is integral to the company's culture.

Building on this, Klaus highlighted the practical measures T-Systems takes to promote learning, such as the annual Learning Hero Award. The winners of this prestigious award are not only recognised for their efforts but are also rewarded to show real appreciation from the top - an approach that not only honours individual achievements but also serves as motivation for others within the organisation.

Skills-Based Organisations, Recruitment, and Klaus’s Own Skills Portfolio 

Klaus strongly believes that having a skills-based organisation is foundational for T-Systems, driving much of what they do, especially in connecting learning to skill mobility, talent mobility, and recruitment. 

This, he says, is an approach that has enabled T-Systems to be more flexible in staffing and managing talent within the company. 

Klaus also shared a significant impact of this strategy on recruitment: initially struggling to attract candidates, they shifted to a "right skilling" approach, offering to train applicants in necessary skills regardless of their background. This strategy led to an overwhelming response, particularly from graduates, with around 4,000 applications for their program.

Why?

Because, he says, candidates were attracted by the company's commitment to invest in their personal and professional development.

From his personal perspective, Klaus is committed to continuous learning and the pursuit knowledge in areas relevant to his professional and personal life. His personal commitment to learning exemplifies the leadership behaviour he advocates within T-Systems, emphasising the importance of senior leaders actively engaging in their own development to lead by example.

Learning Futures Cologne, and the Vital Importance of Collaboration

Klaus took some time to reflect on his experiences at our Learning Futures Cologne event last month (April, 2024), saying that he believes it is extremely important for leaders, particularly in the Learning & Development sector, to come together for networking and sharing experiences. 

Why?

  • They allow for the honest, open exchange of practical solutions and insights.
  • L&D challenges are commonly shared across organisations, and discussing these can lead to immediate and practical solutions.

Klaus highlighted that he found the discussions on reskilling at the event particularly enlightening, illustrating the dual nature of AI's impact on the workforce, and noting that while AI offers significant opportunities, it also poses risks that increase the need for reskilling. 

He also highlighted the challenges and responsibilities facing Learning & Development teams as they navigate these changes, underscoring in particular the ongoing efforts to assess the impact of AI, determine which skills will be essential in the future, and understand how to effectively implement reskilling initiatives. 

What Advice do you Have for Someone Starting on their Skills Journey?

Klaus offered two main pieces of advice for someone starting on their skills journey:

  1. Assemble a Passionate Team: he emphasised the importance of having a team that is enthusiastic and passionate about learning. This passion, he says, is crucial as it drives the team forward and sustains them through challenges.
  2. Engage Senior Leadership: Klaus advised that leaders should start with a strategic workshop involving the board of management. The purpose of this workshop is to set a clear direction and goals for where the organisation wants to be in three years. This engagement, he says, will not only provide a strong foundation and direction but will also empower the team with the necessary support and authority to execute their plans effectively.

Klaus acknowledged that the journey might be tough and tiring at times but stressed that it is ultimately rewarding. His satisfaction, he says, comes from seeing employees develop new skills, possibly moving into new job areas they hadn’t considered before, and embarking on new career paths. 

Klaus Scheile is on a mission to make people remarkable, growing the skills and the talent T-Systems needs. As a partner to the business, he reimagines learning strategies from upskilling, re-skilling, career mobility, talent acquisition to the self-learning organisation.

Klaus is passionate about the experience of learning, creating learning journeys that are amazing – and deliver on their promise. Such as the digitise program – a program that delivered over 9.000 future skills for T-Systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the significance of certification processes in tech-based Learning & Development initiatives?

Certification processes are crucial because they validate the skills employees learn during training, boost individual resumes, and demonstrate a company's competency to external stakeholders, thus supporting partnerships and market credibility.

How does a learning-centric culture benefit a tech organisation?

A learning-centric culture empowers employees to develop personally and professionally, encourages continuous skill enhancement, and helps organisations adapt to technological changes and market demands efficiently.

How does a company's investment in Learning & Development affect its attractiveness to potential candidates?

A strong commitment to Learning & Development makes a company more attractive to potential candidates because it signals an investment in employee growth and professional development, appealing especially to those looking to advance their skills and careers.

What advice is offered for someone starting their skills journey in Learning & Development?

Key advice includes assembling a passionate team dedicated to learning and involving senior leadership from the start to set clear strategic directions and goals. This approach ensures the necessary support and authority to execute L&D plans effectively.

Why is collaboration important in the Learning & Development sector?

Collaboration allows leaders to share experiences, discuss common challenges, and discover practical solutions, enhancing the effectiveness of L&D strategies across different organisations and industries.

 

Thumbnail: 
News category: 
Reskilling and Upskilling

More Insights

When HU-X Founder Tia Katz first attended an iVentiv event, it marked the start of a relationship that would help shape her business, her thinking, and her sense of what’s possible in Leadership Development. Having first attended as a delegate in a corporate role at Citi, she now attends regularly as a sponsor, helping her connect with the iVentiv community of senior leaders in Learning and Executive Development.

“I was just so pleasantly surprised by everything,” she says. iVentiv events are “professional, of course–but also so human and so connecting.”

In this newly released case study, Tia reflects on her journey with iVentiv, from first-time delegate to multi-session sponsor, and shares how these experiences redefined her approach to learning, organisational development, and executive growth. 

Download the case study, and watch the interview now.

“You need to change the people, and changing the people goes through leadership.”
– Christophe Vanden Eede, Global Head of Talent Management, bpostgroup

As the demands on global organisations evolve in the face of disruption, digitalisation, and competitive reinvention, Christophe Vanden Eede’s work at bpostgroup offers a powerful case study in how leadership can catalyse transformation, not just through top-down mandates but by reshaping the very DNA of leadership across every layer of the organisation.

In a recent conversation with iVentiv, Christophe reflected on the seismic changes taking place within the Belgian postal service and how he’s leading an integrated transformation strategy rooted in leadership behaviour.

Christophe will be leading the conversation at Learning Futures Eindhoven on 10-11 June. Watch our interview and get involved, now.

The work of the Chief Learning Officer has always been dynamic. But the conversations captured across iVentiv sessions in Cologne, New York, London, and Copenhagen suggest we’ve entered a new inflection point—one where learning is more visible, more measurable, and more central to strategy than ever before.

This isn’t about checking-off trends. It’s about what’s happening right now inside global organisations that are restructuring the way they define skills, leadership, culture, and capability. Across breakout conversations, fireside chats, and iVentiv’s trademark Collaborative Café, senior learning leaders have reflected openly on what’s working, what’s evolving, and what’s next.

Read on for a detailed and nuanced synthesis—an exploration of facts that are shaping the L&D profession in real time.

“Are we spending too little on L&D?”

If you’re in a senior role in Learning & Development, you probably spend a lot of time worrying about this question. It’s a question that resurfaces in nearly every budget review and vendor conversation in the Learning space. 

Whether you’re setting your internal strategy or shaping the offering of a learning solution, the benchmark for a “good” L&D budget has never been more important — or harder to pin down.

That’s why we put together the iVentiv L&D Budget Report 2025: to provide a clearer picture of what companies are actually spending on L&D today — and what those numbers really say about priorities, value, and the future of work.

Based on responses from 126 senior L&D leaders across global organisations, the report dives into both total budget figures and spend-per-employee breakdowns. 

The headline? L&D budgeting is anything but standard.

Download the report now.

At a time when organisations across the world are rethinking the way they develop and retain talent, Sandvik is taking a holistic, integrated approach to talent optimisation. 

Eva Wikmark Walin, Global Head of Employee Experience at Sandvik, sat down with iVentiv’s Content Manager, Hannah Hoey, to reflect on how the Swedish engineering company is building a connected talent ecosystem, and what others can learn from their journey.

Watch our interview with Eva now to see how you could optimise your talent strategy.
 

In a special episode of The Learning Hack Podcast, recorded live at iVentiv’s Learning Futures London Executive Knowledge Exchange at the Shell headquarters, host John Helmer spoke to three of the leading minds in L&D. 

Against the backdrop of a world that feels more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) than ever, this episode explores how organisations are rising to meet the pace of change, and what it really takes to thrive in 2025 and beyond.

Featuring expert insights from:

  • Kevin Oakes, CEO of the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) and author of Cultural Renovation
  • Kim McMurdo, Head of Organisational Development, Standard Chartered
  • Terry Jones, Head of International Talent Development at Palo Alto Networks

this episode delves deep into the core themes shaping today’s workplace: transforming culture, fostering team-centric leadership in an age of hyper-individualism, and harnessing AI to elevate - not replace - human capability.

Whether you're leading a learning function, evolving your company’s culture, or rethinking the role of performance in a tech-driven age, this episode is a must-listen. Find it here and read on to learn more.

“Learning doesn't necessarily have to just be the partner,” says Stacey VanderHeiden Güney, Global Head of Learning at ArcelorMittal University. “It can actually, I think, be the futurist.”

In an era of relentless disruption and global complexity, Learning is no longer a support function – according to Stacey and many Heads of L&D, it’s a strategic lever for transformation. In this conversation with iVentiv, Stacey shares how the world’s leading steel company, ArcelorMittal, is building a future-ready workforce through agile, scalable, and human-centred learning strategies.

Read more and watch our interview with Stacey now.

In the fast-paced world of Learning, Talent, and Executive Development, finding the right events to attend can be overwhelming. Your inbox is overflowing with conference invites, your calendar is packed, and the challenge remains, which events are truly worth your time?

Enter iVentiv, a global leader in Executive Knowledge Exchanges. In 2025, iVentiv is bringing invaluable conversations directly to you, hosted by top global organisations such as Citi, Shell, KPMG, AXA, Bosch, Visa and more.

If you’re seeking more than just another conference, iVentiv’s events are designed to deliver real impact. Read this blog to find out why an iVentiv event should be on your calendar this year.

As digital transformation reshapes the corporate landscape, organisations are rethinking how they manage talent and skills. At E.ON, AI is at the heart of this evolution, revolutionising skill management, employee development, and internal mobility.

Markéta Alešová, Vice President of Global Talent and Diversity, shares how E.ON is leveraging AI to create a more transparent, skills-based workforce while balancing technological innovation with cultural transformation.

Watch our interview with Markéta now to explore how AI-driven insights, an employee-centric approach, and a shift toward an opportunity marketplace are shaping the future of Talent Management at E.ON.

The world of corporate learning, talent, and leadership is undergoing a period of intense transformation. As organisations strive to build resilient workforces and agile leaders, Chief Learning Officers and Heads of Talent, and Leadership face an array of challenges and opportunities.

The conversations at iVentiv’s recent Learning Futures sessions in Atlanta and Paris highlight the pressing themes that are shaping the future of workplace learning. Leadership and Executive Development, Reskilling and Upskilling, AI, and Learning Culture were the four most popular priorities identified by Global Heads of Learning at iVentiv events in 2024, so it’s no surprise to see all four represented in the top priorities of attendees at last month’s events as well.

These sessions, attended by senior learning executives, surfaced key trends, strategic shifts, and organisational imperatives that will define 2025 and beyond. Read all about what's top of your mind for your peers here.

Pages