Since the advent of GenAI, the skills required of highly educated entry-level employees in the workplace have been changing

Earlier forms of automation primarily took over routine and predictable tasks. As a result, skills that are more difficult to automate—such as problem-solving, communication, and collaboration—became relatively more important. With Generative AI (GenAI), that pattern may change. Systems like ChatGPT, which became widely available in late 2022, can also assist with non-routine cognitive tasks, such as writing, processing and structuring information, analyzing, and programming. GenAI thus has the potential to impact a broader range of tasks and skills than previous forms of automation.

Barbara Belfi: “For nearly twenty years, the level of many skills required of higher vocational education graduates in their jobs continued to rise. Starting in 2023, when GenAI systems such as ChatGPT became widely available, we’ve seen a striking shift: requirements for skills such as IT proficiency, subject matter expertise, and structured work methods are declining, while collaboration and creativity remain as important as ever.”

Both the timing and the nature of these changes are consistent with the expectation that GenAI will bring about shifts in the skills people need at work. The study shows that these developments coincide, but it was not designed to establish causality. One possible explanation is that AI supports employees in tasks that previously required more personal knowledge or digital skills.
 

Higher demands for IT specialists

Behind the average lie clear differences between occupational groups. Particularly in healthcare and in business management and administration, the required level of IT use is declining relatively sharply. Among scientists and engineers, IT use is also declining, but collaboration and creativity are becoming more important.

ICT specialists stand out. They are the only occupational group surveyed in which ICT use, collaboration, and creativity are all increasing at the same time. This is striking, precisely because it is often assumed that AI will reduce the need for ICT skills.

One possible explanation is that GenAI provides support for general digital and more standardized tasks in many professions, while IT specialists focus on more complex technological issues. Developing, integrating, and applying new technology requires not only specialized IT knowledge but also creativity and collaboration.

Belfi: “Across various occupational groups, we see the required use of IT decreasing, while among IT specialists, the use of IT, creativity, and collaboration are actually increasing. This aligns with the idea that AI makes certain digital tasks more accessible, but that at the same time, we need people who understand the technology, can further develop it, and translate it into new applications.”

What does this mean for education?

The findings are also relevant to higher vocational education. As technology becomes increasingly capable of supporting certain tasks, it becomes important to reevaluate the mix of skills students need.

The current debate in education about assignments that students can easily complete using AI thus touches on a broader question: what should students still be able to do on their own if AI can take over part of the work?

Belfi: “If AI can write a text, structure information, or perform an initial analysis, it becomes more important for students to understand what is happening, critically evaluate the outcome, and apply it effectively. That requires not only subject matter expertise, but also creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.”