Building a Future Ready Workforce Starts with Vision

Event: HR Summit & Expo
Panel: Effective Strategies for Upskilling and Reskilling Your Team to Meet Future Demands
Date: Thursday, 23 October 2025
Spokesperson: Nataliia Volosovych, Director of People & Culture, PMI

At this year’s HR Summit and Expo in Dubai, the conversation around upskilling took on a new dimension. On stage, Nataliia Volosovych, Director of People & Culture at Philip Morris International (PMI) Middle East, spoke about how building a future-ready workforce begins long before any training course or learning platform is launched.

For her, the question is not simply how to upskill people, but how to help them see where they fit in a company’s larger transformation. “There is no innovation without a vision,” she explained, reflecting on PMI’s own journey of reinvention from a traditional cigarette business toward a smoke-free future.

When PMI made that commitment, its teams were faced with an unfamiliar challenge. Entire new categories had to be created, marketed, and supported. The company needed talent with experience in fields far beyond tobacco, from retail and consumer goods to data and customer experience. “Suddenly we were looking for people who could help market a product that had never existed before,” she recalled. “We had to be humble enough to learn from others and curious enough to explore new industries.”

That experience shaped her belief that upskilling must begin with clarity. Employees need to see the purpose behind change and what it means for their own growth. Only then can learning become something they choose to do, not something the company asks them to complete.

Putting Employees at the Centre of Learning

At PMI, learning journeys are designed to match both business priorities and individual aspirations. “When it comes to learning, organizations need to be as employee centric as they are consumer centric,” she said. “One size does not fit all.”

Candidates are considered at PMI for a career path, not a single role. The company’s approach to development is based on building on diverse experiences by immersing them in varied business contexts, operating models, training opportunities, and diverse teams. People are encouraged to work across markets and functions to build agility and leadership readiness.

This culture is supported by digital learning platforms that provide personalized, skills-based pathways. Employees can learn at their own pace through microlearning and self-directed modules that align with their goals.

“We want learning to be part of everyday work,” Volosovych said. “We create an environment where growth happens every day—for individuals, for teams, and for PMI. Growth at PMI is about much more than career advancement, it is about evolving with the organization, constantly upskilling, and unlocking potentials, regardless of the role, function, or business.”

From Continuous Learning to Lasting Impact

The impact of this approach is visible in how PMI’s people embrace new challenges. Internal mobility has increased, and employees are encouraged to take on stretching assignments and cross-functional projects that push them beyond their comfort zones. Volosovych believes this kind of on-the-job learning develops not just skills but resilience and confidence.

Her own career, which has spanned multiple markets and roles, is proof of that. Each new project has been an opportunity to grow and to understand how change truly happens inside large organizations.

In her closing message at HRSE, she reminded leaders that upskilling is not a one-time initiative. It is an ongoing commitment that blends vision, purpose, and opportunity. “Start with clarity. Help people understand why change matters to them. Once they see the bigger picture, they will own their growth.”

The conversation around the future of work often focuses on technology, yet the real advantage lies in people’s ability to grow by learning and adapting. By combining clear vision with a culture of continuous learning, the company is proving that transformation begins not with tools, but with people who believe in what comes next.