AI confidence key to improving access to employment, training provider says

Building confidence in using artificial intelligence (AI) tools is essential to helping people access sustainable employment, according to training provider Strive Training.

The comments followed new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showing UK unemployment remained at 5.2% in the three months to January, the highest level in five years.

Separate data also indicated that nearly one million young people were not in education, employment or training (NEET), accounting for around one in eight.

Strive Training said improving both AI literacy and confidence could play a key role in supporting people back into the workforce, particularly as technology becomes increasingly embedded across industries.

Jonny Phillips, managing director at Strive Training, said: “The growing population of NEETs and adults out of the workforce presents an opportunity to reskill a highly motivated group of people that can make a real difference in employment.

“Many people are eager to get back to work and can play a valuable role in the workforce, they just need backing with the right support and training to take on a new role.”

He added that perceptions around AI could act as a barrier for some individuals.

He said: “For those who are out of work, hearing talk of AI skills can raise alarm bells, leading to unnecessary exclusion, prompting fear and hesitation over something that ought to be viewed as accessible and achievable.