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How AI is changing the skills that that employers want

Do you think AI is just for IT students? Think again! In the fast-changing world of work, employers are eager to find graduates of all disciplines with the skills to harness AI. So how can international students at UK universities ensure they’re ready to fill this skills gap?

The rise of AI in the workplace

AI has exploded in the last couple of years, creating an alarming skills gap: currently, 67% of UK employers say they are not confident about applying AI technologies.

Yet according to a report from QS, The Skills Gap: What employers want from business school graduates, 37% of global employers who are very familiar with AI believe it will have a transformative effect on the workplace, with a further 55% stating it will have a significant or moderate impact.

It will automate many tasks that humans are currently employed to do. And it will create new opportunities in terms of innovation, productivity and data-driven decision-making – if employees know how to harness it.

So it’s essential that international graduates are equipped for the challenge!

What skills are needed for AI?

Of course, employers need IT experts with excellent AI technical skills and knowledge. But they also need graduates who can work with AI across business functions to drive performance and innovation.

The QS research focuses on AI in the wider context of hard and soft skills. It finds the top three skills that employers need in terms of AI are:

1. Problem-solving. Cited by 36% of employers. AI often presents challenges that require human innovation to resolve.

2. Analytical/ quantitative skills. Cited by 36% of employers. The vast amounts of data processed by AI need human analysis to inform business decision-making.

3. Creativity. Cited by 25%. This is essential to envisage new applications and strategies using information processed by AI.

Individuality, active learning and critical thinking are also highly valued.

The report quotes Philip Heavilin of William and Mary University in the USA, who says: “As AI continues to evolve and take on more transactional workplace tasks, the need for employees to possess creativity, critical thinking, resiliency, and a capacity to work well with others will only continue to grow in importance as these are skills yet to be replaced by machine learning.”

International students and the skills gap

So in fact, AI is driving a “paradigm shift” in the workplace. Increasingly, employers are valuing skills such as digital proficiency, data-driven decision-making, ethical leadership and resilience.

And they’re not always able to find them among new graduates.

The QS research finds that the biggest skills gap cited by employers in both Europe and North America is adaptability. In Europe, 96.2% rate it as important, while just 78.6% are satisfied with this skill among business graduates. In North America, 94.2% rate it important and 84.4% are satisfied.

That is a skill that international students demonstrate every day, as they adjust to living, studying and working in a new country and culture and, often, speaking a new language.

As Diksha from India, who studied Engineering at UWE Bristol and now works in the UK aviation sector, says: “Being an international student is proof that you are resilient and can adapt, for example to a new team in a new job.”

How can universities help you develop AI skills?

Increasingly, UK higher education institutions are investing in AI to fill the digital skills gap. And they are also empowering students with the wider skills that they will need to flourish in the workplaces of the future.

For example, in Asia, the biggest skills gap is in creativity (91.8% in importance/ 80% in satisfaction), closely followed by problem-solving (97.3% in importance/ 86.2% in satisfaction).

These are areas that UK higher education institutions excel in, as Indian graduate Haritha, who studied Business at UWE Bristol, explains.

“Having an MBA from a UK University provided me with a strong foundation in project management principles, leadership skills, and business acumen,” she says.

“The UK education system's emphasis on critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication prepared me well for the challenges of the role.”

Plus, higher education institutions in the UK have excellent links with industry, offering students the chance for experiential learning in the workplace.

The report quotes Maggie Tomas of the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, who says: “Utilising these experiences to augment your classroom learning is a great way to get comfortable with problem solving, dealing with ambiguity, and adapting to the constantly changing world of business.”

So whatever your chosen discipline, make sure you’re gaining not only expert subject knowledge, but also wider skills such as adaptability and creativity. The workplace of tomorrow needs you!

Contact Gradlink today

Workplaces are changing fast, so it’s essential that international students are alert to what employers are looking for. You can get further support from Gradlink, which offers free global advice, an employer database, a jobs board and news for international students. Register with Gradlink today.