A work-relevance in education research project (SUBSET) evaluated the future competence needs of the workforce in the energy industry in Norway. The main results signalled a growing demand for programming, carbon storage, and soft skills. Based on these findings, the project co-created courses and delivered them to the public. However, the skills mapping was conducted and completed before the advent of ChatGPT. As a consequence of the ubiquity of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, competence needs are changing in dramatic ways – some predictable and others not. The project was extended to assess what new skills have emerged because of AI applications and how higher education institutions can better prepare future graduates with the skills employers expect them to have. To map AI-related skills, we co-created a survey with professionals from a diverse array of industries, targeting employed persons across Norway via professional networks and trade organizations. Here, we will present findings of the survey which asked questions related to personal professional use, company-sanctioned use, company policy, and expectations of new hires. While our study focused on the Norwegian employment sector, we expect that the trends are transferable to other geographic locations. Findings are expected to inform curriculum recommendations that help higher education institutions maintain work-relevant programs across diverse fields while navigating a rapidly changing technological environment.

Authors:
Lisa Watson, University of Stavanger, Norway
Kenan Dikilitas, University of Bergen, Norway
Erlend Tøssebro, University of Stavanger, Norway
Enrico Riccardi, University of Stavanger, Norway
Alvaro Fernandez Quilez, University of Stavanger, Norway
Raul Ferrer Conill, University of Stavanger, Norway

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Watson is an associate professor at the University of Stavanger. Her research interests are in spatial data analysis, spatial decision-making under uncertainty, urban planning, & improving education. Current research projects are SUBSET & CISU.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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