The job market is evolving at such a pace that only students who can demonstrate an array of different skills will be able to thrive, according to higher education experts.
“It’s important to ask what type of careers will still be around in years to come,” said Dr. Elie Menassa - Dean - School of Business - Amity University Dubai, during the Future of Work: Top Skills That Will Prepare You For Jobs That Don’t Exist Yet panel discussion, at the fifth annual Gulf News Edufair. “Who would’ve thought six months ago we’d have prompt engineers? We need to design curriculums that suit new skills and knowledge,” he stated.
The recent rise in Artificial Intelligence tools has led to a host of new careers, including ‘prompt engineers’ who specialise in refining text for AI tools to ensure results given are accurate, as more people use AI in everyday life.
Daniel Adkins - Group CEO of Transnational Academic Group - Education Management Service Provider of Curtin University Dubai commented that while AI is proving useful, it’s not without its issues. “People will need to have the ability to ensure information given by AI is credible. As great as AI is, it won’t be able to apply information as well as a human can. There have also been instances where ChatGPT has claimed the work of others, which turned out to be false.”
To succeed in the rapidly changing job market, students must be equipped, and prepared, to work across various sectors, according to Professor Paul J Hopkinson - Dean of the College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Zayed University. “We want graduates who can solve problems in multiple disciplines, which is why we encourage people to think creatively to solve complex tasks.” He continued, “Essentially the problems we give our students are lenses, which apply critical thinking skills.”
The panel discussion also featured, Abdul Razzak, Manager - Career Services - BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, Rishi Kishor Gupta - Business Lead: Middle East & Africa – Nothing Phone and Hany Nabeel Rachid - Quality Manager - Sarsan Aviation Academy and served as the conclusion to the three-day Gulf News Edufair at the Conrad Hotel, Dubai.
