Can AI Solve the Digital Skills Gap?

We’re FDM, an award-winning global talent solutions partner. For over 30 years we’ve been powering the people behind tech - utilising emerging talent to deliver technical and?business solutions to clients across the globe. With flexible contract terms, FDM provides scalable resources at short notice across multiple client sites. ?

?? Roll up, Roll up!?

Get your tickets for our very first LinkedIn newsletter, and yes, there’s no better place to start than the crazy roller coaster ride that is AI…?

Prepare for a whistle stop tour of the ups and downs of AI tech and its impact on the world of business and beyond.?

What to expect: ?

• A debate about whether AI can solve the digital skills gap?
• Our partnership with Microsoft and our event held earlier this year?
• An exclusive interview with Bowei Wu, our consultant working in AI?
• What's been happening at FDM?
• A sneak peek into next month's newsletter?

Our Survey Says...?

We recently conducted a survey among our LinkedIn followers, posing the question: "Do you believe AI has the potential to address the digital skills shortage?"?

Out of the 433 respondents, 64% expressed scepticism, disagreeing with AI's capacity to bridge this gap.??

But let's delve a little deeper into this issue. Our CIO, Jonathan Young , has shared compelling insights on how AI could, in fact, be a solution to this challenge.?

The UK's digital skills shortage is a pressing issue, with underrepresentation of BAME employees (missing 10%) and women (missing 34%) in the technology sector. To address this, we're conducting research in collaboration with Durham University, analysing text and speech from tech industry applicants in the UK and USA. We aim to understand their feelings and thoughts using AI and linguistic analysis.?

We can't directly listen to missing individuals, but we gather data from underrepresented groups applying for tech careers at FDM, asking questions in interviews and through video submissions. By examining this dataset of about 10 million words, we look for patterns in sentiment and topics among diverse groups.?

Read the full blog here

Partnering with Microsoft to Stay Ahead of the Digital Curve?

Earlier this year we teamed up with Microsoft as a Global Workforce Partner. Microsoft now provide us with high-quality training materials, certified instructors and robust ‘hands-on’ labs, enabling our consultants to become experts in Microsoft solutions. A partnership is a two-way street, so what do we give in return? Well, we support Microsoft with the ‘Microsoft Learn Career Connected’ initiative, which helps connect individuals seeking tech jobs and employers seeking tech talent.??

“FDM Group have played a crucial role in supporting job seekers with the skills required to understand, deploy and manage Microsoft solutions. FDM will continue to help connect businesses to Microsoft-trained personnel to support their business goals.”?

?- Geoff Hirsch, Microsoft Learning Partner Channel Lead?

AI-fuelled Event with Microsoft??

Industry experts from IT, media and telecoms joined our Insight event, Artificial Intelligence for Real-Life Business Challenges,?in collaboration with Microsoft for an in-depth expose on all things AI. Through panel discussions, fireside chats and interactive Q&A sessions we uncovered some interesting perspectives into the most critical issues concerning AI at this nascent stage of its integration into business, including ideas around regulation and corporate social responsibility for safe AI use.?

We explore:?

• Adoption of AI?
• Barriers to adoption?
• Concerns around AI and security?
• Bias in AI?
• Explainable AI

Find out what the experts said and read this newsletter-exclusive blog: Unlocking Success: The Ultimate Guide to Implementing AI in Your Business?

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Byte-ing Into AI with Consultant Bowei Wu??

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Bowei is one of our consultants who trained in the?Business Intelligence Graduate Programme. We caught up with him about how the future of AI will impact our jobs ??

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Q: Bowei, you've transitioned into AI. How's it going on-site with our energy clients???

A: It's exciting! I've moved from Agile Project Manager/Business Analyst to Project Lead.?? ?

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Q: Impressive! How did this transition happen???

A: I honed my skills as a SCRUM Master and now I lead a few projects harnessing Generative AI's potential, focusing on image and text generation with models like GPT-4.??

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Q: Stepping into AI sounds exciting. What's the biggest misconception about AI????

A: People think AI is too complicated to grasp, but it's accessible with a willingness to learn.??

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Q: Addressing complexity is crucial. How do you view AI taking jobs???

A: AI will reshape work dynamics but won't replace human intuition and creativity.??

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Q: How will AI shape the future of work???

A: AI will disrupt the ways of working across businesses, automating and complimenting process, augmenting and accelerating human capabilities.??

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Q: Should businesses explore more AI-driven solutions???

A: Yes, AI enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and provides new insights and opportunities, making businesses competitive.??

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Q: What's your advice for a career in AI???

A: Embrace the opportunity, even with little prior knowledge.??

Q: What if someone has no prior knowledge???

A: AI offers diverse pathways, you don't need a degree to start using AI, especially when we can communicate with it like humans do!?

Do you need this kind of talent in your pipeline? Find out about our services here.???

We have been ranked 34th among the top 75 UK organisations dedicated to social mobility, as judged by the Social Mobility Index for 2023. Read our Employer’s Guide to Social Mobility. ?

?? You might also be interested in:?

• Artificial Intelligence | Most Google’d AI Questions?
• AI For Business | Balancing Act: Can We Harness AI’s Potential while Ensuring Control??
• COP28 | Artificial Intelligence for Tackling Environmental Challenges?

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?? What’s been happening at FDM.?

• After announcing our inclusion in the government’s Flexi-job apprenticeship agency register and continued acknowledgment of our commitment to social mobility, we have created a how-to guide to help employers get started with this new initiative. The Flexi-job apprenticeship allows businesses to hire apprentices on a short-term basis while enabling candidates to gain extensive experience. Learn more. ?
• For the 10th Year in a row, we have been included on Best for Vets Employee list, produced by the Military Times! See our post. ?
• We announced our new technical graduate programme in Australia and New Zealand, aimed at female graduates who have a goal of becoming a leader in tech! Find out more about the programme here. ?
• Diversity and Inclusion is at the forefront of what we do at FDM, and this is why we celebrated several cultural festivals and events this year, including Diwali and the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. ?
• We have been included in the FTSEforGood Index, in recognition of our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. Learn more.?

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?? Next Month’s Edition??

In next month's edition of fast4ward in tech, we will be looking back at 2023 as we countdown to the end of the year. Stay tuned for?our exciting upcoming announcements, events and predicted trends for 2024.?

?? Interested to learn more about our services?

Fill out this form to register your interest and book a call. ?

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