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<p>The department is committed to creating a world-leading skills system which is
employer-focused, high-quality and fit for the future.</p><p> </p><p>The department
will continue its work to ensure that the education system is able to adapt to deliver
upskilling and to provide the skills that learners need for the workplaces of the
future, including jobs that will be impacted by, or require the use of, artificial
intelligence (AI).</p><p> </p><p>World class T Levels are boosting access to high-quality
technical education for thousands of young people and creating a skilled workforce
for the future. 18 T Levels are available in a range of in-demand subject areas, including
T Levels in digital subjects, which have been designed by employers and will help
to equip students with the skills and knowledge required for great careers in the
digital industry.</p><p> </p><p>Employers have designed over 30 high-quality apprenticeships
in digital occupations, including Level 7 Artificial Intelligence Data Specialist,
which will provide cutting edge skills in AI. Since it was introduced in May 2020,
starts in this standard have grown from 100 in the 2020/21 academic year to 350 in
the 2022/23 academic year.</p><p> </p><p>The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical
Education (IfATE) are revising the Level 7 Artificial Intelligence Data Specialist
standard this year to ensure it meets employers’ needs. They have also developed Level
5 in Data Engineering and are currently developing Level 6 Machine Learning Engineer.
These standards include high levels of content regarding the application and use of
AI.</p><p> </p><p>IfATE are also hosting workshops with a range of stakeholders to
discuss the impact of AI on skills requirement across the economy and will be updating
the Digital Skills and Characteristics Framework with AI-related content when it is
revised next year. This will ensure all employers are thinking about the use and impact
of AI when developing or revising occupational standards.</p><p> </p><p>Skills Bootcamps
are delivering skills training for the digital sector in 2024/25 in each English region.
There are also online Skills Bootcamps in AI Marketing and Content Creation and AI
and Machine Learning.</p><p> </p><p>Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) provide
the skills needed for a range of specialist digital occupations, such as cyber security
technologist and software developer. There are 56 digital HTQs currently approved
for teaching and a further ten approved for teaching from September 2024. HTQs provide
a range of opportunities and pathways to build up the skills needed for AI-related
roles.</p><p> </p><p>In higher education, the department is working with the Department
for Science, Innovation and Technology to deliver new postgraduate AI and data science
conversion courses to boost skills and diversity in AI jobs. The government is also
investing £117 million in doctoral training for AI researchers.</p><p> </p><p>In 2023,
the department’s Unit for Future Skills (UFS) developed a Science and Technology Jobs
and Skills Dashboard to understand the supply and demand of science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics skills to develop critical technologies like AI and quantum. This
data will support improved access to relevant training.</p><p> </p><p>The UFS has
also undertaken analysis which attempts to quantify the impact of AI on the UK job
market. It shows the occupations, sectors and geographic areas expected to be most
affected by AI and large language models, as well as the training routes that typically
lead to these highly affected jobs.</p><p> </p><p>Digital and computing skills will
play an important role for individuals developing and using AI in the future workforce.
The department is harnessing government and external expertise through the Digital
and Computing Skills Education Taskforce to increase the number of people taking digital
and computing qualifications and attract a diverse range of individuals into digital
jobs.</p>
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