According to a recent study conducted by Acendance, North Carolina is one of the leading states for job postings requiring ChatGPT skills. The analysis revealed that 7% of the job postings specifically requested ChatGPT experience. Jessica Mitsch Homes, Co-Founder and CEO of Momentum, a tech training and recruitment company as well as Wake Tech, revealed how both are preparing for the changing landscape.
Holmes stated that it’s imperative to lean into all available technology people will be expected to use in the workforce, both now and in the future. Therefore, AI education is crucial in training. As per NYU professor Scott Galloway’s quote, AI isn’t going to take your job, but someone who understands AI will take your job. AI has become an essential skill set required for many job functions. Both Momentum and Wake Tech have implemented training that focuses on teaching individuals the best practices in using AI tools. A prompt in the context of ChatGPT or other chat-based AI tools refers to the instruction given to the language model. Holmes stated that training individuals how to correctly prompt AI tools is helpful in getting the best use of them. She recommends tinkering with tools to gain more experience using them.
Dr. Keith Babuszczak, Provost of Information Technology programs at Wake Technical Community College, agreed that AI experience is now showing up in job descriptions. Wake Tech uses chat-based tools like ChatGPT to help students strengthen their resumes and prepare for interviews. Dr. Keith sees opportunity with these tools but warned of the dangers involved in their misuse. Through the proper use of ChatGPT tools, students learn to incorporate AI-powered tools into their workflows, enabling them to stay ahead of the curve.
Tech training and job training programs should respond to the increased need for AI education by offering specific courses that emphasize hands-on experience. Programs should prioritize teaching critical thinking and ethical considerations related to AI, ensuring that learners understand the limitations, biases, and potential risks associated with AI technologies. Adapted training programs will better prepare individuals for the evolving job market and the increasing demand for AI-powered tools and applications.
Holmes recommends that employers should avoid being too specific about ChatGPT experience in their job postings; otherwise, it will deter qualified diverse applicants from applying. Harvard Business Review showed that women only apply if they meet 100% of the requirements, whereas men only apply if they meet 60%. Employers should be intentional about adding ChatGPT experience to their job postings while being aware of the mismatch of requirements against the technology’s reality.
ChatGPT’s AI responded by recommending that tech training and job training programs incorporate AI language models into their curriculum. These programs should emphasize hands-on experience and practical applications of AI models, enabling learners to develop skills in interacting with and leveraging AI-powered tools. The program also should emphasize teaching critical thinking and ethical considerations related to AI, ensuring that learners understand the limitations, biases, and potential risks associated with AI technologies.
Finally, Holmes advised users of AI tools to develop a culture of skepticism and practice fact-checking. Skepticism is crucial when using AI-powered tools due to accuracy risks. As users of AI tools, we must develop the muscle of checking sources for accuracy.
