Tech and AI skills are expected to become some of the most essential skills for graduates in the next five years, according to a new survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC).
‘Technology/IT’ skills are projected to rise from being the 14th most critical skill this year to the 3rd most critical over the next five years.
Additionally, recruiters believe that ‘AI’ skills will become the 4th most critical skill for graduates in the next five years, a significant jump from 21st place.
Conversely, several traditionally valued skills, such as ‘teamwork’ and ‘project management’, are anticipated by recruiters to decline in importance.
GMAC’s annual Corporate Recruiters Survey collected responses from global recruiters and staffing firms to identify the key skills they seek and expect to prioritise in the coming years.
In addition to AI and technology/IT skills, ‘innovation’ is expected to rise in importance, becoming the 6th most important skill within the next five years, up from 11th today.
Similarly, ‘grit’ (defined as a combination of passion, perseverance, resilience, and determination towards achieving long-term goals) is predicted to increase in importance, moving up to 9th place.
“Employers do not want to be left behind by an ongoing industrial revolution, one based on automations and more data,” says Nalisha Patel, Europe Regional Director at GMAC.
“This is driving the skills employers are expecting to prioritise. As AI and automation dominate business operations, expertise in these areas is vital for efficiency and competitiveness. Organisations are recognising that they need employees who can leverage these technologies effectively.
Recruiters are also adjusting their focus to address a more volatile global business environment, where resilience, adaptability and grit are essential.”
Meanwhile, ‘initiative’, once a highly prioritised trait, is predicted to decline in importance, moving from 8th to 16th place.
Similarly, ‘interpersonal and teamwork’ skills, which have historically been fundamental in workplace dynamics, are expected to decrease significantly in importance, falling from 4th to 15th. ‘Time and project management’ skills are also predicted to drop from 7th to become the 17th most valued skill in the workplace by employers. Additionally, ‘coachability’, previously ranked 13th, is projected to fall to 20th.
“These are very interesting findings, and of course we don’t know how these will impact different businesses or societal behaviour, but this shift is likely to reflect how AI and automation are taking over tasks once handled by human initiative and teamwork, reducing the emphasis on these traditional skills, and reshaping the skills prioritised by employers.
Equally, flexible work arrangements and automated project management solutions fundamentally change the team skills needed by graduates.”
The Corporate Recruiters Survey, now in its 20th year, is an annual GMAC survey that helps business schools and students understand employers’ skills demands and hiring cycles. This year, the report gathered responses from nearly 1,000 recruiters globally.