The New Hiring Imperative
The Microsoft and LinkedIn 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report is out, and unsurprisingly, AI is rapidly transforming the global workforce. Based on a survey of 31,000 people across 31 countries, here are the highlights, and what it means for education.
Key Highlights:
AI usage has more than doubled in the last 6 months, with 75% of global knowledge workers reporting using GenAI tools.
79% of leaders agree their company needs to adopt AI to stay competitive, but 60% worry their organization lacks a plan and vision to implement it.
78% of AI users are bringing their own AI tools to work (BYOAI), cutting across all generations.
Leaders say they would not hire someone without AI skills (66%) and would prefer a less experienced candidate with AI skills over a more experienced one without them (71%).
AI power users are experimenting frequently with AI, getting support and encouragement from leadership, and receiving tailored AI training. They are seeing significant benefits in productivity, creativity, and job satisfaction.
What does it mean for education?
Experience with AI is becoming a key hiring criteria, in part due to research that shows that GenAI use can significantly decrease skill gaps.
77% of leaders say early-in-career talent will be given greater responsibilities due to AI. This has major implications for how schools and universities prepare students for the job market.
Only 39% of people who use AI at work have received AI training from their company, and only 25% of companies plan to offer training on generative AI this year. This gap between need for training and availability is similarly playing out in schools and systems right now.
As AI reshapes work, the skills required for jobs are projected to change significantly. Educational institutions will need to adapt curricula to focus on the uniquely human skills that will be most valuable in an AI-enabled work world, such as creativity, critical thinking, and relationship building.
The rapid rise of AI is transforming the workplace and the job market and the entire education ecosystem has an essential role to play in equipping students and workers with the AI skills and aptitudes that are and will be most in-demand.
Check out the full report.
