Preparing Students for a Labour Market That Values GenAI Skills

Authors: Miha Isik and Elizabeth Agoe

Public access to Generative AI (GenAI) tools and software, such as ChatGPT, introduce new opportunities in the workplace. Both employers and employees expect the use of GenAI to increase in the workforce. This highlights the need for workers to expand their skillset and workplaces to adapt their processes to align with the evolving labour market. A 2023 survey of over 500 Canadian businesses found that 83% were planning to integrate GenAI solutions by 2028, and two thirds were seeking to hire workers with GenAI skills. However, more than three quarters were struggling to find qualified candidates. At the same time, students aren’t feeling proficient in this area as they enter this evolving labour market. A recent HEQCO survey found that 68% of postsecondary education (PSE) students felt that their education hadn’t prepared them to use GenAI in the workplace. The lack of perceived preparedness and anticipated increase in the use of GenAI tools suggests a gap between students’ GenAI skills and what the labour market will require.

Students, are taking it upon themselves to become familiar with the GenAI tools that will impact the Canadian labour market. Our survey found that almost half (47%) of students who used GenAI incorporated it on a weekly basis. Among users, 61% expected their use of GenAI to remain steady and 21% expected their use to increase. Taking the initiative to use GenAI in their studies will benefit students as they transition into a labour market that prioritizes workers with this skillset. In their efforts to keep up with this rapidly evolving technology, students are also looking to their institutions for guidance. Over half (51%) of the students we surveyed reported an interest in learning opportunities around the use of GenAI in their studies, and 37% reported an interest in co- and extra-curricular opportunities, such as clubs and forums.

Some Ontario postsecondary institutions (PSIs) have begun to engage their students and faculty in conversations and training around the use of GenAI in the classroom.

• Western University’s Centre for Teaching and Learning has established a community of practice focused on educating instructors on how to integrate tools like ChatGPT into their curriculum. The University also worked closely with its student council to ensure undergraduate students were actively involved in discussions about the practical applications of GenAI in classrooms. In the new academic year, the University is offering a series of peer-taught co-curricular learning classes to help students gear up with AI.
• Sheridan College’s Academic and Career Learning Services hosted presentations on the constructive use of GenAI for students, and organized symposiums where professors shared their experiences and techniques for embedding AI into their teaching. Sheridan also launched a new guide on using GenAI for research.
• Conestoga College adopted a comprehensive approach by offering workshops on the foundations of GenAI in teaching and learning, along with microcredential courses designed to support faculty with innovative teaching methods.

Proactively integrating GenAI into teaching and learning with initiatives like these is a forward-thinking approach that can allow PSIs to better equip their faculty and students and make use of the benefits of GenAI in PSE. Incorporating GenAI in work-integrated learning experiences or coursework will further ensure that students are well-rounded, equipped to navigate emerging technologies, and prepared to apply these skills effectively as they transition from PSE into the evolving job market. The steps taken today will shape the future of education, making GenAI an integral part of how we learn, teach and prepare students for academic and professional challenges ahead.

HEQCO’s recent study investigated GenAI and its potential to make learning more accessible. To learn more, check out our report here.