Portsmouth businesses urged to make 2026 the year of upskilling
An upskilling academy says 2026 could be the best year yet for Portsmouth businesses looking to train up their staff.
On Thursday 26th February, the team from Step8Up Academy will be exhibiting at Fareham Business Expo to connect with local businesses and individuals looking to upskill both themselves and their teams.
Step8Up, which delivers ‘training bootcamps’ for Hampshire County Council, says that in an era of fast-paced change and AI, skills are changing faster than jobs, which is one of the reasons businesses can struggle to recruit – and another reason why upskilling could be a win.
CEO of Step8Up Jeev Sahoo said: “We’re firm believers that training is most effective when it’s strategic and who better to train up than your existing team? We have found that 37% of SMEs would rather train and upskill their team rather than hire new talent.
“In 2026, technology means that learning is easy, flexible – and adaptable. Plus, training means your employees can add even more value to your organisation.
“Step8Up Academy works to deliver government-funded and paid accredited skills bootcamps built to grow capability across data, AI, cyber and web development. We are looking forward to showing Portsmouth businesses how they can make the most of their workforce – and why 2026 is the year to do it!”
Now in its fourth year, the Fareham Business Expo is held at Fareham Leisure Centre and is the official B2B exhibition and networking event of the popular Portsmouth and South Coast Business Week.