Earlier this month the government published its AI Adoption Plan for the sector, which makes the case for wider use of the technology, outlines some of the key challenges employers face, and proposes six interventions to tackle them (you can read the plan here).
Intervention 5 focuses on upskilling and workforce development. As the report’s authors state, the UK has “an excellent talent pool in both bio-medical sciences and AI sciences” but these areas “are often siloed, despite the need for interdisciplinary talent as AI use in the life sciences grows.“
As the employer-led skills body for the UK's science industries, Cogent Skills is already delivering several key initiatives that align with the government's recommendations to accelerate the adoption of AI skills.
By working with employers, education providers and government, we’re helping ensure skills provision evolves alongside technological change, enabling organisations to adopt AI responsibly and effectively, while strengthening productivity and workforce confidence.
One of the channels for this work is the Science Industry Skills Partnership (SISP), an employer-led network delivered by Cogent Skills For more than a decade, the SISP has been a trusted partnership that brings together employer insight to inform practical skills solutions and shape national workforce policy.
Through this network, we’re helping ensure future skills provision reflects the real needs of the sector, including both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI and emerging technologies.
As organisations invest in AI, there is growing recognition that workforce capability must evolve at the same pace - as the government’s report says: “we should invest in our people”. So we’re working with employers to make this happen, through continuous learning and workforce development.
For example, SIAS (the awarding organisation owned by Cogent Skills) has developed a growing suite of regulated qualifications to support AI literacy and practical application. These include L1 Award in Using AI to Support Study Skills, L2 Award in Understanding Artificial Intelligence in Business, and L2 Award in Applying Artificial Intelligence in Business.
These qualifications demonstrate how SIAS is responding to employer demand for AI capability by providing accessible, regulated learning which supports responsible and effective use of these technologies. SIAS is also working closely with colleges and training providers across the UK to deliver these qualifications, helping embed AI skills in STEM, engineering and technical education.
The government’s adoption plan also highlights the need for a better understanding of future workforce requirements. Our research and labour market intelligence shines a light on these areas, and helps businesses plan for the future.
This includes helping employers understand capability requirements such as AI literacy, data-informed decision-making, human oversight of AI-enabled systems and the skills needed to work confidently alongside these new technologies. Such insights are informing future skills pathways, apprenticeship standards, qualifications and approaches to workforce development.
The government has identified life sciences as one of the key areas to boost economic growth around the UK. There’s no doubt that AI has incredible potential to drive future prosperity and technical innovation across the sector.
At Cogent Skills we’re committed to doing everything we can to ensure employers are well-placed to harness this potential and deliver the AI-ready workforce of the future.
For more information about how we can support you in your adoption of AI technologies as an employer, please contact us today.
