Subj : Forget AI most UK firms just want to hire basic IT skills To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Wed Oct 02 2024 10:30:05 Forget AI most UK firms just want to hire basic IT skills Date: Wed, 02 Oct 2024 09:29:00 +0000 Description: New Indeed report reveals that UK businesses are more worried about basic IT and human skills rather than AI. FULL STORY ====================================================================== Despite ongoing interest surrounding artificial intelligence technologies embedded into work environments, UK businesses are still prioritizing hiring workers with basic technical skills. According to new research by hiring platform Indeed, only 2.6% of job postings in the UK mention AI skills, with basic skills like Microsoft Office and generic IT expertise coming up more frequently. This is despite Britains new prime minister, Sir Keir Starmers ambitions to make the UK a global AI hub. UK businesses need basic IT skills more than AI Despite the prime ministers efforts, the current jobs market suggests businesses are not yet aligned with the vision, with employers still seeking fundamental tech skills and human competencies. According to the report, the most common technical skills sought by UK employers include generic IT skills (10%), Microsoft Office (6%) and Microsoft Excel (5%). Moreover, demand for basic IT skills has remained pretty consistent over the past five years, both in the UK and in other markets like the US. Besides tech skills, Indeed found that UK employers are also prioritizing human skills like communication (30%), leadership (9%) and organization (7%). Moreover, Indeeds research into the current state of the UK jobs market tackles ongoing concern that AI could replace human workers. The analysis of over 2,800 work skills found that two-thirds (68.7%) are very unlikely or unlikely to be replaced by generative AI. Indeed Senior Economist Jack Kennedy commented: While AI and other advanced technologies are likely to shape the future labour market, the current reality is that many employers are simply seeking workers with basic computer skills. He added: While AI may eventually necessitate a broad upskilling across the workforce to embrace advanced technologies, there remains a more pressing concern around closing basic digital skills gaps and allowing everyone to fully engage with work in the digital age. More from TechRadar Pro Upskill with the help of the best online learning platforms Many office workers say they still haven't been trained on Gen AI Find your next role with the best job sites and best recruitment platforms ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/forget-ai-most-uk-firms-just-want-to-hire-basic- it-skills --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .