The six creative skills juniors actually need in 2026

It’s a new year, and you’ve set some new goals – but what does it take to actually achieve them? Well, one of the biggest contributors to success lies in your skill set: the mix of knowledge, expertise and ways of working that help you excel. To give you a boost in this department, we’re sharing six creative skills that are genuinely worth honing this year.

If you’re just starting out in the creative industry, the right skills can make all the difference. But with so much changing in the world today, which ones will actually help you stand out? Technological change, geopolitical conflict and economic uncertainty are continually reshaping how organisations operate, leaving employers to expect that 39% of core skills will change by 2030, according to a recent World Economic Forum report.

The creative industry is no exception. Teams are leaner, timelines are tighter, AI is everywhere. That’s why it’s essential to keep refining your skills. “It’s not just because they sound good on a CV,” says creative career coach April Brown. “Creative industries are fast-paced, people-driven and full of change,” Here, we share some of the skills that matter most in 2026.

Photo from our IRL Networking event (Credit: Eric Aydin Barberini)

1. Working proactively and independently

As creative teams become less hierarchical and more collaborative, juniors are often given less supervision than before and yet expected to be more involved. But that doesn’t mean you have to say yes to everything.

“Make sure the experience is adding value to you, not just the organisation,” April cautions. See something that could be improved? Try mocking up a fresh idea. Noticed the team doesn’t have much budget? Find a free tool to help. These are the kinds of everyday moments that help you build trust, stand out and show you’re ready for a role, even if you’re just getting started.

2. Getting comfortable with new tools

Today, technology fluency is no longer a nice-to-have – it’s a baseline. Most creative roles now assume you can move comfortably between tools and platforms, with employers increasingly requiring skills in specialist software, data analytics and basic programming according to research by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre.

From junior designers switching between Photoshop, Figma and Canva, to social media managers jumping between scheduling tools and analytics dashboards, there’s a lot to learn.

Fret not about mastering every tool under the sun, though – what matters more is understanding how they fit into the work and where you can apply them to be more effective. For some ideas, check out our list of AI tools to support your creative practice.

3. Making good judgment calls

Carly Ayres, a designer and writer of the “Good Graf” newsletter, says it’s true that AI has automated much of the work juniors once did to work their way up. But while machines have become more capable, making thoughtful and well-considered human decisions have also become more valuable.

“What’s left is the part AI doesn’t touch: framing the right problems, exercising taste and judgment, and collaborating well enough to get real work into the world,” she says. In practice, that might look like taking a vague brief, using AI to explore multiple options – and then editing ruthlessly to shape them into a clear point of view.

(Credit: Eric Aydin Barberini)

4. Using storytelling to explain your ideas

If discernment is about judgment, storytelling is how you convey your choices to others. “Tool fluency is assumed,” Carly says. “What differentiates you is whether you can make decisions, tell a coherent story and own the result.”

One practical way to build this skill is by handling the end-to-end process of small projects. Write the brief, prototype the idea, create a tangible piece of work and try communicating your process to others. The clearer your narrative, the more confidence others will have in your thinking.

5. Bringing cultural awareness to the table

As the creative industry becomes more global and pluralistic, brands are scrutinised more closely, audiences are quicker to respond and mistakes travel fast. Juniors who can spot these issues add new and important perspectives.

Raising cultural awareness might look like flagging a problematic concept or suggesting more inclusive framing. “If you are from an underrepresented background, you often already bring a unique lens, resilience and lived experience that is incredibly valuable,” says April. “Employers are starting to understand that, but you still need to find ways to show it.”

6. Adapting to changes along the way

What underpins all of these skills is adaptability. Adaptability isn’t about changing with the wind or constantly rebranding yourself – it’s about adjusting to new situations and finding ways to approach both expected and unexpected changes.

“This could be staying calm and solution-focused when an event plan changes at the last minute, or helping to reshuffle things without creating more stress,” April suggests. After all, adaptability is what helps you keep moving forward when things aren’t clear — and in an industry of constant change, that’s often what helps sustains us in the long run.