Enterprise architecture (EA) professionals are under pressure. AI is reshaping business models, accelerating transformation, and demanding new levels of agility. Yet many EA teams are struggling to keep up, not because of a lack of frameworks or tools but because of a growing skills gap. Please keep in mind that EA teams aren’t made up solely of enterprise architects: They include all types of architects, such as business, data, solution, infrastructure, or security architects. Training serves as the glue that builds a strong mindset across a team that leverages the same foundational knowledge.

In our latest report, Training Enterprise Architects Has Never Been So Important, we explore why EA training is a strategic imperative. Based on dozens of interviews with EA leaders and practitioners, we outline a comprehensive training strategy that helps architecture teams stay relevant, resilient, and ready to lead.

EA Talent Is Scarce And Getting Scarcer

The numbers are stark: According to Forrester data, 28% of CIOs report a shortage of EA skills. Hiring is slow, retention is tough, and the competition for experienced EA pros is fierce. The result? Many EA teams are stuck in reactive mode, unable to scale their impact or evolve their practices.

Training is the key — but not just any training.

A Three-Part Strategy For EA Training That Works

Our research shows that high-performing EA teams invest in three distinct but interconnected dimensions of training:

  1. Technical training. From TOGAF to agile, or cloud to generative AI, architects need to master both foundational frameworks and emerging technologies. But they also need to understand how to apply these tools in the context of their organization’s strategy and operating model.
  2. Behavioral training. Architects don’t work in isolation. They lead, influence, and mediate across business and IT. That requires strong communication, facilitation, and collaboration skills — all of which can be taught, practiced, and refined.
  3. Career development. Training must align with career paths. Whether it’s mentoring, certifications, or speaking at industry events, architects need opportunities to grow, and organizations need to show that they’re invested in that growth.

Training isn’t just about individual development; it’s a lever for scaling enterprise architecture’s impact. In federated architecture models — where architects embed across domains — consistent training ensures shared language, common practices, and aligned goals.

As we wrote in our report, Scale And Federate: The EA Journey To Business Value, training is a key enabler of distributed EA success. It builds trust and accelerates time to value.

Don’t Wait For The Skills To Arrive — Build Them

The AI era is raising the bar for architects. Architects should guide ethical AI adoption, evolve data infrastructure, and shape digital strategy while managing technical debt and navigating organizational change. That’s a tall order, but with the right training strategy, it’s achievable.

Read the full report, Training Enterprise Architects Has Never Been So Important, to learn how leading firms are designing EA training programs that drive retention, relevance, and results.

If you have more questions or would like to book another discussion about training for architects, please submit a request or reach out to your account team.