Pearson enterprise learning president says AI should focus more on soft skills and vocational training

AI should be developed to train vocational skills such as construction and nursing instead of just “white collar” jobs according to Vishaal Gupta, president, enterprise learning & skills at education provider Pearson.

Speaking at an industry event hosted by tech giant IBM, Gupta said that there is an urgent need for nurses and construction workers in the UK.

He said vocational skills is an area Pearson is looking at to help train people and ensure they have AI skills to use in their jobs.

According to research from Pearson, the UK is losing around £96 billion per year due to the AI skills gap.

Pearson, which uses AI in marking exams and creating exam questions, has launched AI programmes to help school-aged students study for exams.

Gupta said that “soft skills” is another area where Pearson is looking to expand.

“Learning is a skill, if you don’t have ‘learning to learn’ skills you will fail,” he continued. “We evaluate skills, such as critical thinking, tell an organisation what they will need in the future and give them a road map that they can use for their employees.”

Sue Daley OBE, director, tech & innovation, at non-profit organisation techUK, said that firms will need to think about how to create internal career pathways to develop AI skills and fill the talent gaps that organisations are already facing.

She welcomed the news that the government has pledged to train 7.5 million people in AI skills by 2035 and that AI has been added to the school curriculum, but said that the government may need to coordinate how different organisations work together on AI skills.

“How do we position these new AI roles as exciting so that we can get people from diverse backgrounds and regions across the UK into our sector and into industries which support AI?” she asked. “The more that technology development reflects the people who are using it, that’s how you get ethical and diverse systems.”

Daley also added that due to the rise of agentic AI, the current generation of school leavers will need to learn how to manage both people and AI.

“Going forwards, we will be managing the humans and agents or humans and AI, what does this mean for the management skills that we are teaching people who are coming into the workplace?” Daley asked. “That’s an interesting area and we haven’t really explored fully what that looks like.”