David Pool emphasizes the urgent need for upskilling to harness AI’s potential in the UK.
- The UK is facing a significant skills shortage that technology’s rapid growth exacerbates.
- AI skills are necessary across nearly all job functions and industries.
- Businesses must take the lead in upskilling to meet AI-driven economic demands.
- Future-proofing jobs through continuous learning is key to economic growth.
David Pool, Practice Director of Data Science and AI at QA, stresses the necessity of upskilling in the UK to fully benefit from the AI revolution. This assertion gains urgency amid the ongoing Learning at Work Week, a national event for promoting workplace education.
According to Pool, the UK has a persistent skill deficit, which is expected to worsen due to the rapid technological advancements. The government’s survey indicates an increase in underskilled employees, from 1.27 million in 2017 to 1.72 million today. Moreover, a Forbes study shows that 93% of businesses struggle due to insufficient digital skills, with 41% attributing this to a lack of training opportunities.
Pool calls for a substantial skills revolution, the largest in years, to ready the workforce for the AI-driven transformation of the economy. He emphasizes that AI will pervade nearly every job and industry, necessitating at least a basic understanding of AI’s workings, benefits, and risks among employees.
It is evident that relying solely on higher education to produce enough AI-competent workers is unrealistic. Instead, companies must proactively engage in upskilling and reskilling efforts across the workforce. Research consistently shows that upskilling yields high returns on investment and significantly boosts employee retention.
Furthermore, AI upskilling is crucial for securing the livelihoods of countless workers. Historical oversight in skill development has left lasting economic scars, as seen with the decline of manufacturing industries in past decades. With AI posing similar risks, Pool insists on the importance of ongoing skill acquisition beyond formal education.
Pool also advocates for a cultural shift towards continuous career-long learning. This approach not only mitigates AI-related risks but also contributes to closing the UK’s productivity gap and stimulating economic advancement.
Continuous upskilling is essential to harness AI’s potential and secure economic and occupational stability in the UK.
