A new report by training company Corndel shows that 92% of UK-based employees working with data think there is a skills gap in their workplace. Nearly half of senior decision-makers believe that a lack of data skills is holding back their business transformation and over 82% have had no training in AI use.
The survey reveals the extent to which employees fear that Artificial Intelligence will take all or part of their job, with younger workers particularly worried. 61% of them believe that this new technology will take at least 25% of their role by 2023, with 38% of the 18-34 year olds fearing that AI will take at least 50% of their job in the next ten years.
39% of the UK employees believe that it will impact them in the same way, yet 82% of employees have had no AI training. This number rises to 96% of those over 55-years-old.
The potential impact of concerns over both lack of training and AI were brought to the fore in a recent joint event held by Corndel and Imperial College Business School to showcase the AI modelling work of Imperial’s Associate Professor Dr Mark Kennedy. Dr Kennedy unveiled FOO.CASTR (Future of Organisations-Caster) a visualisation tool designed to empower organisations to model their future trajectory and the impact of advanced technologies, including AI. The tool provides a glimpse into what the future might hold for organisations and the broader shape of work itself, via a demonstration of data-driven models that capture the intersection between technological evolution and job roles.
James Kelly, CEO and co-founder of Corndel, said: “Our research shows that many UK organisations are struggling to embed the data skills needed to fuel growth and drive performance. Nearly a third of employees who work with data say they aren’t confident in understanding, analysing and drawing insights from data, which is a major concern in today’s business environment. Concerningly 82% of employees have not had training in data, tech or any AI-based tools. This proportion rises to 96% for older workers over 55, which is a red flag for productivity and labour market participation.
“Younger employees are already acknowledging the risks of being left behind by technology, which is shown in the large number of 18-34 year olds who think their jobs are at risk from AI. Only by implementing continuous skills development programmes to support lifetime learning among employees, as well as investing in technology and data infrastructure, can organisations empower their employees to leverage tech and data knowledgeably, confidently and effectively, to fuel transformative change and drive successful performance.”
