Neena Jan 25, 2024
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Entrance Tips

Why Upskill In The Age of Artificial Intelligence?

The outgrowth of Artificial Intelligence in the global economy and society has made tremendous advancements thoroughly. We know that the upcoming decade will witness changes like work, impacting different low-skilled professions. 

Businesses always look to practice new strategies that reduce cost and increase output, which will depend on AI and automation more. The World Economic Forum reports 1.2 billion employees worldwide will be affected by the adaptation of automation technologies and AI. The choice is to Upskill! Upskilling is the process of acquiring new and relevant competencies that will be required for the future. 

Oxford University researchers Carl Frey and Michael Osborne claim that technology will transform many sectors of life. Their study found that 47 per cent of U.S. workers have a high probability of seeing their jobs automated over the next 20 years. Their study warned the employees working in transport and logistics, including taxi drivers and courier drivers, to be replaced by self-driving cars and carpools. Also, office support staff like security guards and front-desk officers are to be replaced by computerized check-ins. Securities, sales and customer support staff, cashiers, telemarketers, call-centre assistants, and clerks can replace chatbots and machines.

Read Also:Hard skills vs Soft skills

What is Upskilling?

Upskilling is taking your skills and competency to a new level, whereas reskilling involves learning new skills. Upskilling is primarily done to become more skilled and relevant in the industry. As we already read, upskilling is the process of acquiring new skills to enhance career growth. But, why is upskilling the key to the future, and how should we upskill? Let’s discuss. 

To remain relevant in the coming age of Artificial Intelligence, Upskilling is very important. An article by McKinsey Global Institute reports the need for retraining and upskilling existing workers in the age of automation as an urgent business priority.

According to LinkedIn’s 2020 Emerging Jobs Report, “Artificial Intelligence Specialists are the top emerging jobs in the US with a 74% growth.” In addition, every industry will use AI to extract information from forms, bills, invoices and other documents that require long hours of human work.

The following skills will be relevant for the future. 

  • Complex problem-solving skills
  • Critical thinking
  • Creativity
  • People management
  • Coordinating with others
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Decision making
  • Service orientation
  • Cognitive flexibility
  •  Negotiation
  • Digital skills 

The World Economic Forum reports how 9 of 10 candidates will be required to have digital skills in the future. But, for instance, data entry, scheduling, coding, basic statistics, database management, and project management are skills that gradually lose their lustre.

According to the survey conducted among CEO’s, a majority of them believe that future skills are mainly people skills, soft skills and technological skills. You can upskill your social skills, interpersonal skills, problem-solving, leadership, customer interaction with soft skill training. Meanwhile, hard skills remain one of the least valued by business leaders.

Read Also: How to Improve Your Soft Skills in the Workplace

A Roadmap for Low-skilled Employees to Retain Job

By upskilling and developing competencies, one can stay relevant in the future. To understand, a road map is shown below for low-skilled employees to follow to remain significant in the industry

  • Analyse the Situation
  • Design skills Plan
  • Learn skills
  • Measure upskilling process
  • Match Jobs
  • Look for better job opportunities
  • Communicate the success

1. Analyse the situation

 Analysing the situation involves understanding the future business strategies, industrial requirements and career prospects. Identify your skills that are relevant for the future. Think about in-demand jobs in the age of Artificial Intelligence and digital transformation and cross-check with your existing skills.

2.Design skills

Plan and design skills that you will require in the future. Take a more focused approach. Based on your current skillset and the types of jobs affected most by new technologies, plan your skills accordingly. The local companies’ HR functions should lead the way in implementing this step. 

3.Learn skills

Learn new skills. Develop skills through practice feedback and reflection. Use multiple methods to enhance your skills and get feedback from mentors. You can learn your skills from online portals, websites, tutorials or go for social networks and community. Keeping up with new trends like ChatGPT and other developments in the field of AI requires a proactive approach to continuous learning and staying informed. 

4.Measure your progress

Track your progress and use different metrics to understand your skill development. Then, with the help of your mentors, community, peer groups, analyse your upskilling progress continuously.

5.Look for better job opportunities.

Match your skills to future opportunities and other jobs. Companies are increasingly investing in programs to help employees learn new skills. To apply your new skills to research further the digitalised future and the new job prospects relevant to the end.

6.Communicate your success

It is also vital that you share your ideas, opportunities and benefits of your upskilling journey with others for their future career enhancement. 

Read Also: Career in Digital Marketing

Careers in the Age of Artificial Intelligence 

Even if automation dominates in the future, there cannot be massive predictable unemployment due to the implementation of AI systems and robots. Instead, jobs enhancing automation and artificial intelligence would increase at higher rates. The point is, robots will take jobs away, but they'll also create new ones. 

  • Self-driving cars may need drivers for emergency rides.
  • More tech developers create chatbots for every industry and more AI-trainers to train chatbots to act like humans are required in every sector.
  • Like websites, all the systems need to be maintained and constantly updated.
  • The creation of automated environments and virtual assistants requires the human brain.
  • AI-assisted healthcare technician jobs will see an upward surge.
  • Financial Services companies such as banks require AI engineers to develop systems that can identify and mitigate fraud.
  • The demand for an AI maintenance workforce is going to skyrocket. Companies would need large amounts of AI developers and engineers to maintain their systems.
  • Advances in industrial robotics could generate employment in the provision of robotics support services to manufacturing firms. These occupations would not be entirely new, but they involve new combinations of skills. Advanced technology courses can help you learn basic and advanced level emerging technologies.
  • Programmers and specialists in robot maintenance 
  • Workers performing tasks useful to train AI systems
  • Workers who can interpret the outputs generated by AI systems in various organisations 
  • Workers monitoring the work of AI systems to prevent and mitigate any unintended consequences
  • Consumers and workers who can connect with digital ‘platforms like Uber, Deliveroo, Lyft

 

There is limited evidence on how AI is being used now and on how workers’, tasks have changed where this has happened. There has been relatively little discussion of how existing institutions, policies, social responses can help low-skilled employees to retain their jobs.  Companies must prepare for massive reskilling, governments must create programs and policies which lift the unskilled and individuals need to take personal responsibility for their skills growth. Python artificial intelligence course can help you kickstart your endeavours into the world of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning and achieve you an exponential career graph.

Every sector requires human hands in one or another form. AI and robotics will rarely substitute an entire occupation. Technological innovations have always enhanced the productivity of workers and created new products and markets, thereby generating new jobs in the economy. A recent study found that by 2016, only one out of 270 occupations listed in the 1950 US census had been eliminated by automation. 

When AI and Robotics create changes in companies, they will upskill the workforce and embrace digitalisation. It will disrupt the industry and speed up the existing trend of computer-related automation which will enable their employees to learn new skills more quickly than in the past. This in turn will lead workers to opt for the new jobs created by AI in future. 

The World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs Survey,” shows the most likely view of the roles that will be trending and declining in future:

New Roles Redundant Roles
Data Analysts and Scientists Data Entry Clerks
AI and ML Specialists Accounting, Payroll clerks
General and Operations Manager Administrative and executive secretaries
Big data specialists Assembly and factory workers
Digital transformation specialist Customer service workers
New technology specialist Financial analyst
Information Security analyst Telemarketers
Solution designers Door to door sales workers
Digital marketing specialist Car and motorcycle drivers
Robotic specialist and engineer Stock keeping clerks
Innovation Professionals Accountants and auditors

It is high time to rethink and redesign labour market policies, social security schemes and taxation systems that are transforming. It is important to adapt to new methods and technologies, embracing them. The benefits of innovation must be shared broadly, without harming the equality of wealth in society. Governments, as well as the United Nations, should create a regulatory and legal framework that facilitates the adoption and diffusion of new technologies. Policies must ensure to help workers adapt to the new reality and to confirm their participation in the benefits arising from technology.

Read Also: Popular Cloud Computing Job Roles and Salary 

Artificial Intelligence to shape UAE’s Future

UAE aims to expand the use of AI across sectors like education, energy, transportation, space, and technology, etc. UAE aims to boost its GDP by around 35%using AI technologies. 

The UAE has been setting up an AI ministry, incorporating AI technology in Healthcare and Aviation. The country has partnered with technology companies to integrate its digital education programs and is extending support to AI Startups. The UAE government and organisations will grab a large share of global AI opportunities with the emergence of newer jobs. McKinsey projects report that by 2030, 45% of existing work in the Middle East will be automated. 

To upskill the employees of the UAE,  UAE professionals are now offering online AI training and certifications to build the requisite skill-set. Also, various online AI courses in UAE with a hands-on learning approach has been initiated to retain the jobs of employees.

Read Also: The Future of Cybersecurity

What Government can do?

Government can make strategies to help employees reskill and upskill so that they find a suitable job in the age of digitisation. Here are some strategies if implemented would help the low skilled employees

  • Offer greater access to vocational training would ensure access to jobs in demand.
  •  Imparting basic and job oriented focus and practical knowledge on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education for learning the new technologies.
  • Skill development training on entrepreneurship and interpersonal skills can help prepare the next generation of workers. 
  • Policies to support early education that is job oriented and beneficial for the digital future.
  • Training sessions to upskill employees with technical knowledge to retain their jobs in various industries.

Read Also: Why Python is best for Artificial Intelligence?

Locations Where Edoxi Offers Artificial Intelligence Course

Here is the list of other major locations where Edoxi offers Artificial Intelligence Course

Artificial Intelligence Course in Dubai | Artificial Intelligence Course in Qatar | Artificial Intelligence Course in Sharjah

Life Skills Trainer

A seasoned professional with more than 18 years of experience from reputed organizations like ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Amway and Commercial Bank. Her experience encompasses project management, strategic planning, resource utilization, revenue growth, cost reduction & optimization. She has diversified & led operations both in India & Middle East Markets. Neena’s greatest strength is building a project from the primary level to guiding it to attain new performance levels. She creates unique solutions to yield profitable outcomes in a project. She is also competent and efficient in maintaining exclusive relationships in a key market segment, expanding the company's share in that market. She works closely with entrepreneurs, investors, CEOs across the globe to find practical ways of enhancing entrepreneurship. She is now working at Edoxi Training Institute.

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