Nearly every week there is a new report on the impact of AI on human jobs, leaving the future generation of workers feeling like they are living in a limbo.

Recent figures out from the ONS illustrate that we are already facing a jobs dilemma with our younger cohort with almost one million young people (16-24) currently not in education, employment, or training.

This suggests that there is a critical rethink needed on how we shape future prospects of our young workforce in the UK. Not doing this now could potentially leave the UK with a disgruntled, isolated, and an unmotivated younger generation, not forgetting a precarious economy.

A critical solution to this growing problem lies in improving people’s AI fluency. People are naturally cautious when new technologies emerge. AI is no different and as headlines around AI and jobs continue to dominate, both public and private sector organisations have a responsibility to ensure workforces embrace AI without fear.

This will require public and private sector organisations to work together with the UK government to empower people to work alongside AI, and not against it, and importantly to make the most of their own skillset with the help of the technology.

Upskilling and reskilling needs to be accessible

Understanding the opportunities available to you can be difficult when not in employment or education. The traditional paths towards upskilling or reskilling are typically made accessible to those in the workforce or studying, and access to training and employment systems is radically siloed. From council to council, county to county, and across different departments, guidance on how and where to upskill is vast and varied.

Now add to this complexity an ever-evolving suite of technology and AI tools, and potential scepticism aimed at these new tools, and you’ll find most attempting to enter the workforce or further education will be quickly discouraged.

We need to create a simplified, national skills ‘front door’ where training, courses, and guidance are easily accessible and readily available regardless of who you are or where you live in the UK. This national skills front door will build an integrated skills system that supports both young people and adults progressing in their local job markets.

It will provide a clear approach that enables AI to unlock human potential and help to remove bias against AI as something to be feared. Done properly, this facilitates more equitable access to employment, and will also prove important in forcing a culture shift away from traditional education paths and career trajectories.

To date, society has been heavily skewed towards encouraging young people to complete university education to kick-start their careers. While university is still an important option for many, it is not the only option. For those who may not want or be able to pursue higher education, we need to also place a focus on obtaining work-ready skills, and specifically improve digital and AI fluency. To allow this, young people need to have access to clear and well-understood pathways that enable easy upskilling.

AI as an enabler of human potential

If the UK is to plug its 900,000-strong skills gap, it’s vital that AI and skills are properly integrated as part of ongoing training. Today, 18% of UK adults feel they lack the essential digital skills that are needed for the workplace. That’s 7.5 million people. The ability to work with and understand AI tools will be important for any young person entering and crucially, staying, in the workforce. It is about thinking of AI as a complement to humans, enabling individuals to add value in their roles and enable them to grow in their careers.

To do that, we need to be embedding AI and data literacy as early as possible into our education system and through to every degree, course or training programme in the UK. It also means ensuring that AI and digital skills training evolve as technology advances so that new workers entering the workforce aren’t being trained on outdated or redundant systems and practices.

Not only will improving digital skills across our nation result in a more efficient and productive workforce, but it’ll also push organisations towards embracing skills-based hiring over favouring degrees. This will see more candidates have access to roles that may not otherwise have been available to them, and as a result, create greater equity, going a significant way towards building a strong and diverse workforce.

Too many young people left behind

There are too many young people in the UK being left behind as they struggle to access the right training programmes or guidance on which career paths to embark on once they finish their education. For the UK’s economy to continue thriving over the next five, ten, 15 years, we must address this national challenge. That means fostering collaboration between industry, government and the education sector to bridge the UK’s skills and AI gap and unlock the full potential of talent across the country.

We’re already seeing progress being made through initiatives such as private sector-led learning academies and apprenticeship programmes. These will be crucial to supporting the UK government’s ambitions but this is just the beginning. We need robust pathways and guidance put in place to ensure long-term success, encouraging young people to succeed in the workforce with the right skills to build a future that’s digitally inclusive, resilient, and ready for what’s next.