Despite UK business leaders recognising the value of AI skills – only 44% are helping their workforce become AI-literate, according to new research.
The LinkedIn report reveals that with rapid advancements in AI, the skills needed for global jobs are projected to change by 51% by 2030 (since 2016) and the rise of Generative AI is expected to accelerate this change to 68%.
The findings reveal that 69% of UK hiring managers expect skills gaps to widen in the next five years. UK professionals are keen to boost AI literacy with 76% saying they are excited to use AI at work, and 65% believe it will benefit their career progression. Nine out of 10 UK organisations are concerned about employee retention, and 49% of UK hiring managers predict an increase in employee turnover in 2024.
The research reveals the top three barriers to the UK’s internal mobility, including; a lack of Learning and Developing opportunities to pivot careers (27%), talent hoarding (27%) and employees unaware of internal opportunities (25%).
UK professionals are keen to boost AI literacy with 76% saying they are excited to use AI at work
To help future-proof skills-based organisations, LinkedIn is helping workforces develop the skills their company needs most including:
Building critical AI-literacy skills with 250 free LinkedIn Learning courses: the platform is making 250 courses across seven languages free globally until April 5, 2024, to empower employees across industries, roles and levels.
Help employees build the skills for their next role: LinkedIn is rolling out Next Role Explorer, a dynamic career path visualisation, recommending future roles to employees, based on their current title and career goals. They are also rolling out enhanced Role Guidesto help employees understand the specific skills needed to succeed, and personalised Learning Plans to help employees track their progress and close the most critical skill gaps.
Connect employees with internal career opportunities: From LinkedIn Jobs, employees can now receive alerts about new internal roles and express their interest. These signals go directly into the recruiter, helping hiring teams immediately see internal candidates’ interest.
Janine Chamberlin, Vice President and UK Country Manager, LinkedIn said: “Just over a year since Generative AI came to the forefront of public awareness, businesses are starting to invest in upskilling their employees to make the most of the technology. It’s these forward-looking organisations that will have an edge over competitors.“