AI as important as Maths and English, claims Tony Blair’s son
Thu 17 Aug 2023
Artificial intelligence (AI) training is as important for students as Maths and English according to Multiverse, the training company set up by Tony Blair’s son.
Euan Blair’s apprenticeship organisation has announced a new AI training programme from September to help train thousands of apprentices across the UK, delivering on-the-job experience in AI.
AI Jumpstart will launch in September at no cost to current apprentices regardless of their course of study. Multiverse trains apprentices in areas such as data analytics and software engineering, making the new module a natural extension of these topics.
Rebecca Agostino, VP of Delivery at Multiverse, said: “We have been working on AI for many years internally at Multiverse, supporting some of the most exciting AI companies with their skills strategies – and in the coming years, I strongly believe that AI skills will be just as important for workers as English and math are today.
A poll of 1,000 business leaders by Multiverse revealed that AI training is a top priority for businesses with 83 per cent planning to introduce ‘urgent’ training for staff.
“This is an urgent cause: when we polled our apprentices, around half weren’t using ChatGPT in their daily work. That’s a massive missed opportunity which, unless corrected, could see them falling behind. We shouldn’t leave it to chance, and instead go out of our way to ensure workers have the skills they need to capture the benefits of these tools,” she continued.
Multiverse apprentices have been trained in machine learning and advanced data mining, but the new AI Jumpstart module will enable all Multiverse apprentices to go deeper into AI through applied learning – regardless of what program they are in.
AI Jumpstart will enable learners to identify opportunities to leverage AI in their roles while staying aware of potential risks, utilising AI tools, and contributing to their organisation’s digital transformation. It will cover the fundamental principles of how AI works, ways apprentices can apply AI in their day-to-day work – for example, through the use of effective prompts –and its ethical considerations.
Basic knowledge and understanding of AI has quickly become a core competency for the workforce of the future, and Multiverse’s training module utilising applied learning will help apprentices remain competitive in their industries. The module comes at a critical time, as forthcoming research from Multiverse found that 83% of business leaders plan to implement urgent training on AI for their staff.
“Understanding and using AI tools effectively will be imperative to success in every line of work. This latest investment in the AI Jumpstart module demonstrates our commitment to democratise access to technological advances and our continued investment in the success of our apprentices so they can continue delivering value and impact for partners today,” said Ujjwal Singh, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Multiverse.
80% of employees are expected to see AI affect the way they work, and there have been calls to innovate training in this emerging technology.
Sjuul van der Leeuw, CEO of Deployteq, said: “With AI set to make a seismic impact on the way we work and live our daily lives, equipping the next generation with the latest skills in this area should be a top priority. Ensuring this technology is used effectively and ethically across key industries is also key, so having high standards of training in education and working life in place will help bring the greatest benefits for UK PLC.”
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