How to make yourself more employable in 2023

Following news that almost two in three UK workers think AI will take their jobs this year, research has revealed the most sought-after skills for employees to fortify their CV in 2023.

Fears over the impact of AI on the workforce have been steadily growing over the past nine months, following the launch of super chatbot ChatGPT in January. Concerns spiralled when the IBM CEO declared 30% of staff will be replaced by AI in the next five years.

Now, data from construction workforce management software, Workyard has identified the top ten new professions that are currently most in-demand amongst employers – 50% of which are AI-related.

The research provides an opportunity for savvy job hunters to brush up on their technical skills. Via a strategic career change, they can capitalise on the growing number of employers seeking to build a competitive edge through AI.

What are the most in-demand AI careers?

To collate its list of the fastest-growing new professions, Workyard looked into Google Trends search volume, LinkedIn and Indeed job openings, and data on the number of existing specialists, between June 2022 and June 2023.

According to the results, AI Prompt Engineer was found to be the most in-demand new job amongst UK employers. This is likely due to the rise in the number of generative AI tools being rolled out across the smart robot scene, such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Bard.

Despite their popularity, results can vary when it comes to using chatbots. Startup owners have begun searching for the best ChatGPT prompts to ensure the software’s language sounds more human-like and produces the best results.

Also making the list were specialist software development roles like Human Integration Specialist and AI product manager. More and more UK companies are making room for these kinds of careers as a way to engineer their own AI tools and outpace rivals.

AI design and build is also a great way to impress potential investors. Exclusive Startups’ figures show that funding for AI startups has increased by 66% in the last year.

Our list of the top 34 AI startups to watch this year has more details on the companies that are leading the machine learning charge.

Mounting concerns could accelerate demand for AI ethicists

Trailing the list is the tenth fastest-growing new job role, AI ethicist. However, with a Google search count of 1,000, this profession is likely on the upward trend.

Statistical bias is a real threat amongst companies. The use of automated technology for more subjective, people-based areas like appraising job applications or hosting interviews has already begun to raise questions about the risk of discrimination in AI use.

With more companies prioritising Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in their company value statements and organisational culture, ethicists are an important component of your AI strategy that should not be forgotten.

Another profession that might play the role is a Chief AI Officer. This role would be responsible for setting standards for data, performance, and governance. This follows a UK government whitepaper which laid out plans for a new AI regulatory model in April.

Why are AI roles so desirable?

It’s now obvious to most senior leaders that AI will do wonders for business operations and performance. Globally, one fifth of companies can call themselves ‘early’ adopters, including heavy hitters like Samsung and Meta.

Still, despite the appetite amongst employers to recruit AI talent, the technology is producing new tools and software at a much faster rate than employees can master.

In fact, a previous report into the AI talent marketplace shows that just one in ten UK workers has the necessary skills to understand the technology. This disparity is adding to existing anxieties amongst UK business owners about the growing digital skills gap.

Investing in emerging tech is often one of the best ways to future-proof businesses. Workyard’s findings indicate that the AI boat has fully taken off for bosses, but without the talent to support it, company growth plans will likely fall flat.

An upskill battle

One solution that HR experts have put forward is education. They argue that the next generation should learn about AI, similarly to how English and maths are taught. However, this is a long-term option that could take several years for businesses to see the benefits.

Another, more effective option might be for business owners to invest in upskilling. In a survey of UK financial workers, FTSE250 training provider FDM Group found that 58% of respondents believe they’ve been denied a promotion due to digital skills.

Many of those employees claim their organisation doesn’t have the time to provide effective training, despite the fact that learning and development programs are one of the most requested perks by UK workers.

Combined, these stats signal an opportunity for employers to invest in AI training and workshops to generate dual benefits for company and colleagues.

Rather than banning the use of AI tools, or indeed blindly embracing them, firms should embrace the use of AI in the workplace and encourage employees to first test out the software in a specialist, coaching environment.

Experiential, AI-focused learning programmes will allow workers to understand the data privacy issues of AI, and work with a trainer or fellow students to combat them.

As a result, workers can feel safe and motivated in their careers – while businesses can prepare for the AI revolution without financial or reputational risk.