Latest news with #techskills
Forbes
03-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Top 10 Professional Skills To Stay Ahead Of The AI Curve
Today, tech skills are in high demand—but if they're all you bring, you might get left behind. In the AI-driven workplace of today, it's all about your tech skills, right? Not quite. Data analysis, reporting tools, cloud computing and machine learning may top the list of hot tech skills—but if they're all you bring, you might get left behind. Research by Pearson uncovered the top ten soft skills that will be needed as AI continues to reshape the workplace. No matter how impressive the AI, it can never be human—and therein lies your advantage. Soft skills may not sound like a big deal, but they are anything but soft. In fact, I advocate for the term 'soft skills' to be changed to 'professional skills.' 'Soft skills' sounds like they're not important, but 'professional skills'? Highly valuable, and every professional needs them. The more of them you have, the more professional you are. It doesn't matter what industry or role you work in. It doesn't matter how elevated or humble your job title. People with a competent array of professional skills are in high demand and always valued. In the U.S., Pearson found that the top ten soft skills in the age of AI include: No surprises here: it seems that communication consistently tops every list of soft skills ever compiled. The ability to communicate clearly prevents costly misunderstandings and mistakes, reducing frustration and burnout on teams. Clear communication not only allows you to convey your ideas and needs effectively, but also helps you listen actively to what others are saying. It's little wonder that this skill is in such high demand across all industries. Whether you work in person or remote, the quality of the team you're on can make or break your experience. Strong teams are simply more effective than those distracted by infighting or simply disengaged. That's why being able to work well with others is a skill that will elevate you above other candidates. The good news is, you can practice being a strong team member even if others on your team aren't. It's interesting that among the top four soft skills Pearson uncovered, three have to do with communication. This skill of verbal communication is rising in value as RTO mandates increase, bringing employees into face-to-face contact perhaps more than any other time in the last five years. Being able to communicate effectively in-person isn't just about how well you speak; it's how well you make eye contact, listen to others and express interest in their point of view. AI can write everything for us these days, right? No. It is my belief that no matter how good AI gets, there will always be a premium placed on words written solely via human agency. Even if we do use AI-generated content as a starting point, it can only produce what we tell it to. Organizing ideas, composing a compelling argument and putting the final touches on a written work are human-level skills we all still need. Being able to compose and communicate your thoughts effectively will never become obsolete. We live distracted lives and many of us toggle between personal and professional tasks many times a day—often, many times an hour. Executive function, or those cognitive skills that allow us to organize our lives by managing tasks, planning ahead and problem solving, is key to staying on top of everything we have to accomplish. Organized individuals possess good executive function and are able to adapt to and prioritize the need of the moment. I frame interpersonal skills as the ability to create and sustain human connection. To connect with someone is to make them feel seen, heard and valued. No matter how brief or sustained their interaction with you, you make others feel that their thoughts and feelings matter to you—opening up motivation, engagement and a positive attitude about whatever you need to accomplish together. Simple ways to connect more effectively with those in your sphere is to practice good eye contact, active listening and validation of what they're saying. It doesn't mean you have to agree with it, but you let them know their perspective is worth hearing. Is this really a soft/professional skill? I believe so, because what's the purpose of using a computer? Somewhere, somehow, everything we do online ultimately affects others. Computers exist to help humans. Your ability to navigate the digital world with ease allows you to be a better team member because you can focus on the work and people at hand, rather than the mechanics of using the technology. Leadership is not about the title you hold. Anyone who influences others in a positive direction is a leader—and we need more people like this. Although only 6% of Gen Z workers aspire to senior leadership roles within their organization, that will not prevent them from exercising the core skills of great leaders: vision, purpose, negotiation, empathy, teamwork, communication and more. In a way, all professional skills are on display in great leadership. It's the skill that requires all the rest in order to be effective. Before I hire someone, one of the most important skills I look at is their ability to solve problems. Every day presents a new set of challenges to overcome and employers need people who can tackle these problems without a lot of handholding. Though critical thinking is a vital component to good problem solving, I find that it's more about the attitude people bring to problems than their actual abilities to solve them. A smart, tech-y person who nevertheless displays a give-up attitude in the face of challenges is not a problem solver. We should all strive to meet problems head-on and work proactively on a solution before leaning too heavily on those around us to solve it. I'm thrilled that this skill made the top 10 because it's one I prize in every member of my own team, and I don't think it gets enough attention. Attention to detail is what sets the great apart from the good. People who are motivated to pursue perfection in the small things are the ones who produce the best work. Details matter and can make all the difference in the final result. That said, I'm not advocating for perfectionism—but I will advocate all day for caring enough about the outcome to get the details right. People who care at that level about the work they produce are in high demand. The challenge of professional skills is that we never fully arrive. There's always room to grow. This should both encourage us and spur us to continue our journey of developing these vital abilities. At the outset of my career, I had to be very intentional in order to develop my professional skills. I listened to recordings of leaders in my field. I paid attention to the habits of the people I worked with every day who displayed strong professional skills. I took honest stock of my own abilities frequently to assess where I was improving and what still needed work. In short, I made it a conscious goal to become great at what I did—and I knew that strong professional skills were key to my success. It may seem that today, technology has taken center stage in the job market and everyone should focus on developing their tech skills above all else. Yes, technical competencies absolutely matter, maybe more now than ever. But without professional skills, tech skills fall flat. It's still people who matter most, not machines. The staying power of your career does not depend on skills that expire within a few years, but on your lifelong commitment to become a consummate professional in your field. Professional skills are the future-proof currency that all of us need.
Zawya
15-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Africa's AI skills landscape revealed in new SAP report
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa /African Media Agency(AMA)/-SAP today released a new report, 'Africa's AI Skills Readiness Revealed', which provides research into how African companies are transforming their skills development efforts to meet the demands of the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Nazia Pillay, Interim Managing Director for South Africa at SAP, says: 'The data is clear: African companies expect the demand for AI skills to increase this year, with six in ten saying AI skills are 'extremely important' to their success. The business impact of a lack of AI skills availability is already evident, with 90% of companies in our research citing negative impacts that include project delays, failed innovation initiatives, and an inability to take on new work.' SAP's latest report follows an earlier tech skills report released in 2023 which unveiled specific challenges and opportunities for African organisations seeking greater tech skills availability. 'Our first report was conducted just as we exited the worst of the pandemic impact. At the time, companies were facing several challenges with attracting, retaining and upskilling suitable qualified tech workers, especially in the wake of the rise of remote and hybrid work environments. This year, the business landscape has been transformed by the impact of AI technologies and the search for relevant skills. The research was conducted at the end of 2024 among both mid-size and enterprise-level companies in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. Universal need for AI skills Every organisation that was surveyed as part of the research said they expect the demand for AI skills to increase in 2025. All companies also expected to experience some AI-related skills gap this year. 'Skills related to AI are hugely in-demand among African organisations, with 85% saying AI development skills are a priority, and 83% prioritising Generative AI skills. To help close the AI skills gap, two-thirds of organisations are introducing career development initiatives with AI specialisation to upskill or reskill employees.' Overall, the most in-demand tech skill among African organisations is cybersecurity. 'Eighty-six percent of companies said cybersecurity skills were important to them, a significant increase over the 63% that said the same in our previous research. The growing importance of cybersecurity may be partly explained by the rapid growth of Africa's digital economy and the millions of citizens that are being brought into the digital fold through public and private sector initiatives.' Changing workplace expectations There are far-reaching changes in the expectations of both employers and employees regarding skills and the workplace compared to a few years ago. 'Eight in ten African organisations said supporting skilled employees' requests for hybrid or remote work is their top skills-related challenge this year, a significant increase from only 32% who said the same in our previous survey.? The non-technical attributes that African organisations look for in potential hires have also evolved. 'In 2023, technical skills and industry-specific skills were the top attributes. Affordability was somewhere near the bottom, with less than a third of organisations saying they consider it during the hiring process. This year, affordability is the number one candidate attribute for African organisations, with adaptability a close second.' Adaptability is essential in light of the need for employees to be upskilled or reskilled with AI skills. 'Reskilling is a top skills-related priority for 38% of companies this year, with 48% saying the same of upskilling employees. Unsurprisingly, two-thirds of companies said helping employees understand why reskilling is necessary is one of the top challenges this year.' Training, skills development in the spotlight Pillay says companies are stepping up their IT training and skills development efforts to help meet the demand for skills. 'Ninety-four percent of African organisations offer training and skills development to employees at least monthly, an increase from 74% in our last survey. The number of companies offering training opportunities to employees at any time also increased from 28% in our last survey to 37% this year.' Surprisingly, the portion of companies' IT or HR budgets allocated to skills-related initiatives has declined since 2023. 'The drop in budget allocation for skills development requires an urgent rethink. Organisations that don't invest in appropriate skills now may find they are unable to leverage new innovations and emerging technologies, leaving them trailing their more skills-enable competitors.' About SAP As a global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, SAP (NYSE:SAP) stands at the nexus of business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted SAP to bring out their best by uniting business-critical operations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience.
Free Malaysia Today
15-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Yayasan Peneraju launches programme to reskill talents for tech jobs
YPXLR8 participants will develop specialised skills across a range of high-demand technology roles, including software development, big data, analytics, cybersecurity, as well as AI & machine learning. (File pic) PETALING JAYA : Yayasan Peneraju, an agency under the economy ministry dedicated to identifying, developing, and managing Bumiputera talent, has launched a strategic place-and-train programme aimed at reskilling individuals from non-tech backgrounds to fill tech roles. The programme, YP Accelerate (YPXLR8), aims to create accessible and sustainable tech career pathways for 1,000 Bumiputeras, while addressing Malaysia's growing demand for digital expertise. 'The programme comes at a critical time, with global reports identifying digital transformation as the most significant trend affecting employment. 'Technology-related skills, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), big data, networks, cybersecurity and technological literacy are expected to be among the fastest-growing in the coming years,' the foundation said in a statement. Its CEO Ibrahim Sani was quoted as saying that YPXLR8 is expected to open doors for Bumiputeras from all backgrounds, regardless of prior experience, to get into tech roles. 'It is crucial that with the hundreds of thousands of jobs that will be displaced because of the AI revolution, the millions of talents today need to be re-equipped with the tools to be future-proofed by being tech-ready,' he said. He also said that participants will receive industry-relevant training during a minimum eight-month placement with hosting companies or a permanent position, developing key skills through structured mentorship and hands-on experience. Yayasan Peneraju is now seeking industry partners from all sectors to serve as hosting companies, offering roles in tech-related fields such as digital analytics, cybersecurity, business intelligence, and similar areas. Each selected talent will receive financial support of RM1,500 monthly for eight months as part of the programme. On top of this, they will receive a further RM9,000 one-off training credits to ensure that they get the necessary tech-related training while on the job. YPXLR8 participants will develop specialised skills across a range of high-demand technology roles, including software development, data & analytics, systems & infrastructure, cyber security, AI & machine learning, and user experience (UX) or user interface (UI) design. They will also be trained on product management as well as business intelligence and software support. Economy minister Rafizi Ramli stressed the importance of Malaysia's next-generation workforce to be equipped with advanced skills in emerging technologies ensuring they meet the industry demands and remain competitive. 'YPXLR8 offers an ideal platform to pivot Bumiputera talents towards this opportunity. This initiative supports Malaysia's digital transformation agenda by building a robust Bumiputera presence in strategic technology sectors, aligning with the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint and 4IR Policy initiatives,' he said. Industry players interested in becoming hosting companies for YPXLR8 can register their interest at the Yayasan Peneraju website .
