Technology is changing the shape of our workforce, but it is also a useful tool to help predict what’s coming. Pearson’s Workforce Skills division have used advanced data analytics, applying machine learning and natural language processing models to billions of data points, to identify future workforce requirements. This includes where parts of the local economy will grow and where others could experience a reduction in roles because of emerging technologies. These predictions are vital in supporting decision makers – be they policymakers, educators or employers – as they shape their regional education strategies.
We recently published the Pearson Skills Map England 2023, which provides vital insight into the immediate needs of the modern workforce, to help employers and employees stay relevant and adaptable for the long term. The localised insights look at the nine regions of England and explore which jobs are expanding and declining across different sectors, and current and future skills in demand from employers.
Using predictive capabilities, the analysis indicates that 6.7% of jobs across England will be impacted by automation and augmentation by 2027. This means that more than two million workers, of all ages, skills levels and seniority, will need to find alternative roles to remain employed, as a result of technological change in their sector. However, our modelling demonstrates that automation does not necessarily mean fewer jobs – it means different jobs. Despite persistent fears about automation replacing human workers, our predictions are optimistic that there will be more jobs available across England in five years' time. Overall, we forecast that over 2.4 million new jobs will be created by 2027, a net increase of 390,000 additional roles.
