Description
Artificial intelligence (AI), rapid digital transformation, persistent talent shortages, and shifting workforce expectations have prompted a significant rethinking of how organisations recruit, retain, and develop talent. One visible manifestation of this shift has been growing interest in approaches that move beyond rigid job roles towards more flexible, skills-oriented workforce models. While such developments are often associated with closing capability gaps, widening access to talent, and supporting longer-term retention, they have also raised important questions around governance, measurement, organisational culture, and the practical realities of implementation.Held at DiSH Manchester, the session provided a reflective forum in which employers, recruiters, policymakers, academics, and students came together to examine how the so-called “skills shift” is being interpreted across sectors. Drawing on parallel survey research exploring employer and prospective employee perspectives on AI and the future of work, the event sought to connect the worlds of industry, recruitment, policy, and academia, creating space for dialogue, comparison, and critical discussion and questions rather than definitive solutions.
The event formed part of an ongoing partnership between The Reed Group, Lancaster University Management School’s Knowledge Exchange team, and the Department of Organisation, Work and Technology. It placed particular emphasis on student voice, creating opportunities for students to engage directly with industry and policy perspectives while contributing their own reflections on AI and the future of work. The session also sought to lay the groundwork for future collaboration, providing a shared space in which participants could ask and explore the larger questions emerging at the intersection of skills, technology, and organisational change.
| Period | 11/02/2026 |
|---|---|
| Event title | AI, Skills and Future Workforce Considerations: Knowledge Exchange Event |
| Event type | Workshop |
| Conference number | 2 |
| Location | Manchester, United KingdomShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | National |