Recent findings reveal a significant shift in sentiment among Gen Z job seekers regarding the value of their college education. A new report from job search engine Indeed, conducted by national pollster Harris Poll, uncovers an alarming sentiment among Gen Z. About 49% of the respondents say their degrees are already outdated due to the sudden increase of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workforce. This alarming trend raises questions about the return on investment for a college education in an era increasingly dominated by generative AI tools like ChatGPT.
In the face of this technological upheaval, many graduates are grappling with the realization that four years of classes and substantial tuition fees may not hold the value they once thought. Linsey Fagan, Senior Talent Strategy Advisor at Indeed, illustrated how AI could profoundly affect future careers. As she asked recently, these perceptions are leaving Gen Z job seekers increasingly disillusioned. It’s a huge use of time and resources,” she wrote in a recent correspondence to CIO Dive.
The wave of AI being introduced is transforming the work that employees are doing. It is radically changing their compensation and thus re-shaping who gets hired where. Employers are already beginning to address this sea change by more and more often eliminating the four-year degree requirement for a wide range of jobs. As a result, many Gen Z graduates are left wondering why they invested time and money into their education when a chatbot can outperform them.
Fagan’s insights are in line with a growing shift in workforce education. As a result, she said there has been an explosion of demand for AI learning tools. O’Reilly’s online education platform reported that four times as many tech professionals registered for courses covering both machine learning and prompt engineering compared to the previous year. This is a good sign that more people are looking for in-demand skills that better match our rapidly changing workforce.
Fagan cautioned that all of these jobs being posted today on Indeed’s job board are going to end up having generative AI come across them. With these marvelous advancements comes disruption to the workforce. She emphasized that to make the most of AI technologies, organizations need to invest in training and supportive environments.
To realize the promise of AI, organizations need to invest in their workforce. They must offer teaching, experiential learning and chances to play with shiny new objects,” she continued. According to Fagan, motivation among employees to utilize these tools is essential for organizational success in the age of AI.
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