📱 AI and Digital Skills #4
HolonIQ is tracking reskilling and upskilling efforts to meet the rising demand for AI, machine learning, and cybersecurity skills. As these fields evolve, continuous learning is key to staying competitive and building a future-ready workforce.
This week in AI and the digital workforce, The UK government launched the Digital Inclusion Action Plan to bridge the digital divide by improving digital skills and access, with ISPs and mobile operators pledging support. Meanwhile, DBS Group will reduce 4,000 contract roles over three years due to AI integration but will create 1,000 AI-related positions. In India, businesses face a talent shortage in AI, IT, and soft skills, with companies adopting selective hiring, considering only candidates meeting at least 80% of their qualifications.
The chart illustrates a significant fluctuation in new artificial intelligence job creation in the United States from 2018 to 2024. Several upskilling initiatives have emerged to address skills gaps. Career Essentials in Generative AI in Nigeria will train 5,000 young learners, while Qatar’s Digital Skills Framework supports national digital transformation with structured training across 19 skill domains. In India, Digital Skills for Industry, launched by Cisco and Rockwell Automation, focuses on closing the manufacturing skills gap through AI, cybersecurity, and automation training.
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AI and Digital Labor Market Trends
🌐 The UK government launches its Digital Inclusion Action Plan. It aims to bridge the digital divide by increasing digital skills and access. Major ISPs and mobile operators pledge support. The plan funds local initiatives for excluded groups and partners with Digital Poverty Alliance to provide laptops, helping reduce higher costs faced by the digitally excluded.
🦾 DBS Group plans to reduce 4,000 contract and temporary roles over three years. This is due to AI integration, citing natural attrition. Permanent staff remain unaffected. While the workforce shrinks by 10%, the bank will create 1,000 new AI-related positions, reflecting its digital transformation strategy under the outgoing CEO.
💡 Generative AI is now a top priority for Indian businesses, but a talent shortage hampers its full potential. A LinkedIn report says, HR professionals struggle to find candidates with AI, IT, and soft skills, with 54% reporting that only half or fewer applicants meet job qualifications. In response, companies are adopting ‘selective hiring,’ with over half only considering candidates who meet at least 80% of their qualifications, reflecting the growing demand for skilled AI professionals in India.
Over 3x Increase in New AI Jobs Between 2018 and 2024
👨💻 The chart shows a sharp increase in new AI jobs starting around 2020, peaking in 2021 with over 20,000 new jobs (in thousands). This increase likely reflects the rapid advancement and adoption of AI technologies across industries such as healthcare, finance, and automotive, driven by breakthroughs in machine learning, and increased investment in tech companies.
📊 After the peak in 2021, the number of new AI jobs fluctuated significantly, dipping to negative values, such as around 2022 and 2023, before rising again toward 2024. These fluctuations could be due to economic uncertainties, such as supply chain disruptions, inflation, or shifts in corporate investment priorities following the initial AI hype.
💼 The US economy is experiencing a transformative effect due to digital transformation, government tech sector support, and AI integration. This growth necessitates educational reforms for AI-related roles but also raises concerns about job displacement and ethical considerations in AI deployment.
Upskilling/Reskilling Intiatives
🧠 Junior Achievement Nigeria partners with Microsoft Philanthropies. They have launched the Career Essentials in Generative AI program to enhance digital literacy among young Nigerians. Starting in February 2024, it will train over 5,000 post-secondary learners, including undergraduates and NYSC members, in generative AI principles, real-world applications, and critical problem-solving skills. This initiative aims to equip youth with essential skills for the evolving job market.
⚡ Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) has launched the Digital Skills Framework. It's the first initiative of the Digital Skills Working Group, to support national digital transformation. It aligns with the Digital Agenda 2030 and aims to enhance digital skills across sectors. Covering 19 key domains and 115 skills across four proficiency levels, the framework provides structured training for individuals and organizations, ensuring a skilled workforce capable of meeting evolving labor market demands in a rapidly advancing digital economy.
💻 Cisco and Rockwell Automation have launched the Digital Skills for Industry program. This will address India's manufacturing skills gap. Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the initiative integrates training in cybersecurity, networking, IoT, data science, AI, programming, and automation. It aims to enhance digital literacy, attract talent to manufacturing, and boost workforce productivity.
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