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Upskilling is here to stay\u2014and artificial intelligence (AI) is, in part, to thank for that.<\/p>\n
According to new research released today by ETS<\/a> in partnership Harris Poll\u2014and first shared exclusively with Fortune\u2014the world is in overwhelming agreement: Upskilling and reskilling will become the new standard for people throughout their career. And of the more than 17,000 respondents, 85% shared this viewpoint in findings for the first annual Human Progress Study<\/a>.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n STEM-designated. Tar Heel ROI. No compromises. <\/span>Visit Website<\/a><\/div>\n \u201cWe no longer live in a world where you get your degree or training, leave education and learning behind and never look back. Respondents across the globe acknowledged this clearly. Globally people are feeling the pressure to keep assessing and certifying their skills,\u201d says Michelle Froah, global chief marketing and innovation officer at ETS.<\/p>\n This comes as education leaders and beyond\u2014from Sal Khan<\/a> to Mark Cuban<\/a> have championed lifelong learning as the future.<\/p>\n However, the world also recognizes that AI is changing the game when it comes to the workforce\u2014for better or for worse. While the technology is creating a need<\/em> for learning more often, it also is opening additional opportunities to gain new skills.<\/p>\n \u201cThe rapid growth and adoption of technology\u2014specifically generative AI\u2014has rushed in an era where skills are becoming absolute in as little as two years in some cases,\u201d Froah tells Fortune.<\/p>\n Nearly three-quarters of the survey respondents noted that they would trust AI-generated guidance for improving skills, and a roughly same number agreed that unintentional biases and programming flaws within AI could negatively impact learning assessments.<\/p>\n Just because there is an overwhelming realization that upskilling is important does not necessarily mean people are engaging in upskilling or reskilling activities. In fact, there are many significant barriers.<\/p>\n First and foremost is simply price: 53% of respondents in the survey said the top barrier that hinders individuals from upskilling or reskilling is expense or lack of financial resources. What\u2019s even more worrisome for the existing industry is that 41% believe that the largest barrier is a lack of financial rewards, benefits, or recognition for upskilling or reskilling efforts. So, not only is upskilling training inaccessible for some, others still don\u2019t see a great return on investment. <\/p>\n Froah says because prosperous societies generally have greater access to upskilling opportunities, there is a global need for increased attention toward educational training that yields meaningful outcomes.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a call to action, not just for access to learning, but access to the tools to measure and prove skill proficiency,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n But what\u2019s interesting is that there is still skepticism about the ability for online learning platforms to grow and address these needs. Earlier this year, for example, Goldman Sachs downgraded their advice<\/a> for publicly traded edtech companies like Coursera, Chegg, and Duolingo from hold to sell.<\/p>\n Over the years, many tech companies have attempted to address skills gaps with their own training programs and platforms\u2014some paid and some free. But for a learner, it can certainly be confusing when trying to navigate\u00a0the growing ecosystem.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, Cisco announced it was leading the creation of a new consortium<\/a> with top tech names like Google, Microsoft, and Intel in order to address AI\u2019s impact on the workforce.<\/p>\n Ultimately, as AI integrates more into the world of education and the workforce, many of the most important skills for any candidate to have are ultimately the most human ones: the soft skills. In fact, LinkedIn declared communication as the most in-demand skill<\/a> altogether for 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n The ETS survey data has similar sentiment. It found that the three most important core skills for \u201clife success\u201d are communication, problem solving\/critical thinking, and creativity. While technical skills, creativity, and digital literacy ranked among the top for the job market, it is clear that AI is creating a greater need for individuals to be able to set themselves apart with human capabilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTo enable individuals, businesses and economies to thrive in this environment, we must rethink the skills we need to develop and measure,\u201d Froah says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nUNC Kenan-Flagler\u2019s top-ranked online MBA<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n\nIs upskilling accessible?<\/h2>\n
A never-ending push for soft skills<\/h2>\n