Tech workers and young people will need a major skills upgrade if they are to keep up with AI

The vast majority (92 percent) of ICT roles are expected to undergo big changes as a result of advancements in artificial intelligence and the technology continues to transform the information and communications (ICT) sector according to a new report from tech giants, Cisco, Microsoft and Google. The AI-enabled ICT Workforce Consortium, led by Cisco has published the “Transformational Opportunity of AI on ICT Jobs” report, offering guidance on the areas for of concern for workers to reskill in response to the evolving job landscape. This transformation will impact professionals in 47 ICT roles, including cybersecurity, data science and software development, according to the report.

Entry-level and mid-level ICT professionals are at the forefront of this AI transformation with 40 per cent of mid-level positions and 37 per cent of entry level expected to see high levels of transformation. The report also claims a 323 per cent increase in the demand for AI-skilled talent over the past eight years, backing up a previous study by the World Economic Forum showing that 58 per cent of employees will see significant changes in their roles in the next five years due to AI and big data advancements.

The report claims that the rapid development of tools such as ChatGPT highlights the increasing importance of specific skills like AI ethics and large language models, while basic programming and language skills are becoming less crucial.

The UK government has committed to reskilling existing job roles through a £6.4 million Flexible AI Upskilling Fund, aiming to close the skills gap in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the country.

Digital skills

Yesterday, the Prince’s Trust and Solutions Research, supported by Cognizant, published a report that claims over one in three (37 per cent) young people across the UK are worried they do not have the digital skills to get a good job. More than two in five (41 per cent) young people say they do not feel confident making choices about what skills they need to develop their future career.

According to the report, the findings show that a lack of knowledge, exposure and accessibility to digital skills and development opportunities, are preventing young people from pursuing training in this area. This results in low confidence among young people to pursue a relevant career, and particularly in those who already face disadvantage such as those who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) and those with poor access to the internet. NEET young people were also more likely than their peers to have poor access to the internet, and to face financial challenges with access.

The report, Decoding The Digital Skills Gap, investigates the barriers stopping young people from pursuing digitally enabled training and jobs, and provides insights on how to unlock their interest and ability to engage with these careers. It is based on a nationally representative survey of 2,001 young people aged 16-30 years old and 20 focus groups with young people across the UK.

The research claims over a third (37 per cent) of young people are not studying a ‘digital or tech’ subject beyond Key Stage 3, and that NEET young people are more likely not to study a relevant subject compared to their peers (43 per cent versus 34 per cent). The research also suggests some inconsistency with the availability and prioritisation of these subjects. Over a quarter (27 per cent) of young people who were not studying a relevant subject said they were not offered to, and one in five (20 per cent) that they were not encouraged to do it.

New data however finds that almost four in five (79 per cent) young people would be interested in training or retraining in basic digital skills, or advanced digital skills.

The Government’s Digital Strategy in 2022 stated that over 80 per cent of all jobs advertised in the UK require digital skills, and estimates the current skills gap costs the UK economy as much as £63 billion a year in potential GDP. It is estimated this could rise to £120 billion a year by 2030.

The survey data suggests young people are aware of this ongoing transition, with almost three quarters (71 per cent) agreeing or strongly agreeing that most jobs in the UK will require digital skills by 2030. Despite this, over two fifths (42 per cent) did not agree digital skills would be essential to their future. NEET young people were much more likely to think digital skills would not be essential for their future (52 per cent versus 38 per cent).

The research also finds that young people are unsure about identifying with digital jobs. When shown a list of digital or technology focused roles which are likely to be growth areas for the future including Robotics Engineer, Cyber Security Analyst and Computer Games Developer, only one in ten (11 per cent) young people felt these careers were “for people like them”. This is despite them being seen as well paid or creative, which were two of the top three responses to what young people would like from employment, when polled.

Over the past two years, The Prince’s Trust has supported thousands of young people through programmes focused on digitally enabled skills, training and jobs. This includes integrating digital skills modules into Achieve, an education programme delivered in secondary schools around the UK.

The Prince’s Trust helps tens of thousands of young people each year to build the confidence and skills they need to realise their potential.?Three in four young people on Prince’s Trust?programmes?move into work, education or training.