Without effective talent pipelines to guide skilled AI and automation specialists to vacant roles, companies may struggle to keep pace with competitors that have effective recruitment strategies and partnerships.
Skills-based hiring and upskilling existing talent can help fill critical roles faster and build resilient, future-ready teams.
The Market Signal: AI Roles Increasing as Tech Hiring Slows
Despite expert opinion that the tech workforce is growing at double the rate of non-tech roles, tech hiring slowed by 2% in 2025. Factors impacting that could include the ongoing skills shortages and the fact that tech talent can demand higher rates of pay for essential skills. Research shows that 70% of technologists have multiple job offers, showing how fierce the competition is in this arena.
Although overall tech hires have slumped, the number of AI-based roles filled has increased. AI and automation-based roles accounted for 6% of all jobs filled in Q1 2025, a 100% increase year over year.
What’s Changing with the AI Role Mix?
Roles in AI model development are no longer at the forefront of current recruitment drives. Instead, statistics show that there has been a rise in demand for automation specialists, focusing on operational efficiency across multiple industries, not just tech giants.
Experts note that to ensure these skills are readily available for employers, higher education institutions must change their curricula to adopt AI fluency as an essential aspect of learning.
This is less of a concern for companies that are already shifting to a skills-based hiring practice. Ignoring traditional degrees in favor of aptitude tests and interview questions based on real-life tech challenges can source talent from a wider range of sources beyond traditional college and university pathways.
Organizations need to embrace AI literacy at all levels, to build tech talent pools, but also leadership teams who can navigate the ethical and governance challenges associated with AI usage.
Why Upskilling is a Board-Level Mandate
One way to achieve a holistic shift toward AI literacy is to invest heavily in upskilling. A key driver here is the rise of AI agents that may displace employees from traditionally human-filled roles. A third of leaders report redeploying personnel due to AI advancements, while nearly nine out of ten state that AI agents will encourage organizations to upskill and shift employees.
To stay competitive, executives must integrate AI-driven learning or risk losing talent to competitors. Firms that engage with existing personnel and utilize technology and effective partnerships to unlock skills will see more success than those who allow loyal employees to leave.
What Leaders Should Do in the Next 90 Days
Starting the transformation to a skills-based culture means refreshing existing role definitions and genuinely understanding the skills needed to fullfil those roles. Forget degree-based requirements and focus on what the ideal candidate or upskilled employee will actually do.
Invest in upskilling direct and contingent employees and work to integrate AI literacy and governance into your workforce development programs.
Related topics like cybersecurity and data governance could also help your business stay competitive while retaining an engaged workforce. International research suggests that implementing upskilling programs has a direct positive impact on employee retention.
Partner with Per Scholas: AI Talent Pipelines + Workforce Upskilling
Per Scholas ensures that learners gain the skills companies need, with a strong focus on AI training. Our partnerships with businesses like yours then allow us to match learners and alumni with roles where these skills will allow them to excel and bring maximum impact.
Cohort-based hiring creates new talent pools aligned to your industry domain and business needs. All our learners undergo extensive hands-on assessments, enabling you to adopt an inclusive, skills-first hiring approach.
You can also work with us to upskill your existing workforce for AI integration and consolidation. Targeted six to eight-week sprints of learning get your employees up to speed with:
- AI literacy
- Automation
- Data pipelines
- ModelOps
- Data governance
Our team ensures that learners gain access to education that’s integrated with live projects. Meanwhile, we support your organization by helping you track time to productivity and understand the genuine ROI of these upskilling efforts.
Book a 30-minute working session with Per Scholas to map priority roles and skills. We’ll co-design your talent pipeline and upskilling plan to maximize impact on your business.