The workplace is evolving at a remarkable pace. Globally, the World Economic Forum estimates that technology could transform 1.1 billion jobs over the next decade. Here in the UK, we are feeling the reality of this transition firsthand. According to the Essential Skills Tracker 2025, 55% of UK working adults feel an immediate need to learn new technologies just to perform their current roles.
It is natural to assume that the best way to prepare for an artificial age is to focus solely on computer science and technical training. However, a new report authored by the Skills Builder Partnership and supported by KPMG International highlights that our true advantage lies in something much closer to home: our uniquely human capabilities.
The human foundation of artificial intelligence
To use AI safely and effectively, individuals need a strong foundation in the eight essential skills: Listening, Speaking, Adapting, Planning, Problem Solving, Leadership, Creativity, and Teamwork.
The data highlights a definitive link between these human skills and technological success. UK workers who frequently use AI have essential skill scores that are 6% higher on average than non-users. Building these skills also leads to tangible rewards, as moving from the lower to the upper quartile in essential skill proficiency is associated with a wage premium of £3,700 to £6,100 in the UK. Meanwhile, those who report regular usage of AI earn £8,300 more per year than their peers.
However, introducing technology without providing skills support creates a very real wellbeing challenge. The Essential Skills Tracker revealed that UK workers forced to use AI without proper capability building report a 43% higher level of anxiety. Yet, when workers possess strong communication and adaptability skills, this anxiety drops significantly, as they feel empowered to process ambiguity and articulate technical challenges.
New Challenges for Young People
As we look to the future, we must ensure our young people do not fall into what is known as the "skills trap". Historically, individuals from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds have had fewer opportunities to build transferable skills. If young people enter the modern workforce without access to structured skills development, they risk being excluded from the benefits of new technologies and confined to low-wage roles.
Education leaders globally also warn that highly technical skills are quickly becoming automated. This means that preparing our young people requires a focus on adaptable, critical thinking rather than just memorising fixed processes.
Global Inspiration for the UK
As the UK navigates these changes, there is much we can learn from how other nations are responding:
- Colombia is leading the way by binding its technological roadmap directly to mandatory socio-emotional learning, making emotional competencies a core requirement in its state exams.
- Czechia has launched a national push to provide every public school educator with professional AI tools to assist with administrative duties, freeing teachers to focus on empathetic student mentorship.
- Japan is tackling a projected deficit of 11 million workers by 2040 by treating AI as an enabler. Its national project equips every student with a device to explicitly enhance human-to-human collaboration and social creativity.
- Nigeria is channelling the energy of its young population, who are actively using mobile AI to teach themselves, by systematically connecting public schools to a national data infrastructure and embedding structured skills into the curriculum.
Changes Needed Across Education and Employment
The UK is already taking incredibly positive strides to ensure young people thrive. Building essential skills has become a national priority. In 2024-25, 898 UK partners delivered 2,370,000 high-quality skills opportunities. Through collaborative efforts with the Careers & Enterprise Company and the Fair Education Alliance, the Skills Builder Universal Framework has even been recommended in statutory guidance for Careers Education.
To build on this momentum, we need to ensure these skills are woven deeply into the curriculum for every student across the country. We must equip our teachers with both digital confidence and the resources to teach human skills effectively. Finally, when we use AI in the classroom, it should act as a supportive mentor that challenges students and encourages critical thinking, rather than simply providing them with automated answers.
The rapid advancement of technology is a wonderful opportunity to focus on what makes us uniquely human. By continuing to work together across education, business, and government, we can ensure every young person in the UK is adaptable, confident, and ready to embrace the opportunities of the future.
