The third instalment of Pearson’s Skills Outlook series looks at the likely impact of Generative AI (Gen AI) on the workforce. With white collar roles under greater threat than blue collar, we look at what action employers and workers can take to prepare for the future and get the best out of this technology.
There have been headlines about Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI)’s potential to replace jobs. But Gen AI isn’t so much replacing some jobs as changing the nature of them, creating new and different opportunities for the modern workforce.
This is especially true for white collar roles. Research from Pearson’s latest Skills Outlook Report shows that Gen AI will have a greater impact on white collar roles over the next 10 years. Many of those jobs contain repetitive tasks – such as scheduling appointments or answering and directing calls - that could be easily replicated by Gen AI. Conversely, many blue-collar roles - such as landscapers, mechanics, or construction workers - include manual labour or customer service elements that can’t easily be replicated by Gen AI.
It’s clear employers and employees in white collar sectors need to act faster to adapt to Gen AI than those in more manual roles. This requires pinpoint focus on both technical and human skills:
• Technical skills: learning how to use Gen AI and AI to become more efficient at repetitive tasks will free up workers to spend more time on high-value activities.
• Human skills: inherently human skills that can’t be easily replicated by technology, like problem solving, critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership are becoming ever more important.
This is supported by research from the first two instalments of our Skills Outlook series, a collection of short reports designed to provide vital insight into the immediate needs of the modern workforce, to help employers and employees stay relevant and adaptable for the long term.
While brushing up human skills to prepare for a tech-focused future might seem counterintuitive, we know employers consider these the most valuable attributes for future-proofing their workforce. Employees are responding to these shifts by prioritising human skills for their career development.
“As employees look to the future, understanding which jobs are at risk from AI allows them to prepare” explains Mike Howells, President of Pearson’s Workforce Skills division. “They should also consider where new roles might be created by Gen AI. Workers and employers should look at how they can ride this wave of change by using the best of AI and the best of human skills together – whether that is using the technology to take over repetitive tasks, so people can focus on high value activities, or enhancing those uniquely human skills like creativity, communication and leadership.”
At Pearson, we believe Gen AI can have a positive impact on how people understand and prepare for the changing world of work. By understanding how automation will impact different sectors and companies, and targeting workforce learning accordingly, employers and employees – particularly those in white collar sectors – can equip themselves with the skills they need to thrive now and in the future.
Dig deeper into the findings and connect with us to discover how your team can prepare for the future. Watch a CNBC interview with Pearson’s Oli Latham, VP Strategy & Growth for Workforce Skills, on the impact of Gen AI on white collar jobs.