Why AI Literacy Is the Next Strategic Skill for TA
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in the hiring process, many organisations are asking the same questions: What role will AI play in recruitment, and what does it mean for the people behind the process?
While headlines often focus on automation replacing human effort, the reality is more nuanced. The next chapter of talent acquisition isn’t about replacing people, it’s about redefining their contribution. Those who understand how to leverage AI as a tool, rather than view it as a threat, will be the ones who continue to create value.
But AI literacy in TA doesn’t happen by accident. It requires new skills, new mindsets, and a clear understanding of where AI can meaningfully support the recruiting lifecycle. It also demands an honest look at how different roles, sourcers, coordinators, advisors, and strategic partners, will be impacted differently.
AI Has Entered the TA Workflow, But Capability Gaps Remain
Recent data from LinkedIn shows that 74% of talent professionals are optimistic about AI’s impact on recruitment, yet only a small percentage feel equipped to use these tools effectively. Many organisations are still navigating early-stage experimentation, often lacking a framework for how to roll out AI responsibly and practically.
The challenge isn’t just technology, it’s people readiness. Adoption is uneven, often slowed by fear of redundancy, tool fatigue, or a lack of clarity on where AI actually adds value.
That’s why leading TA teams are shifting their focus from surface-level adoption to deeper capability-building. TA professionals need to understand how to use AI tools not just functionally, but strategically. That means asking smarter questions, engaging with data more fluently, and knowing when to apply AI-generated insights versus when to rely on experience and judgment.
From Tool Usage to Strategic Enablement: The AI Maturity Curve
A growing number of TA leaders are mapping out an AI capability journey that moves through several stages:
Exploration – Piloting tools in isolated workflows, often with individual enthusiasm leading the charge.
Enablement – Upskilling teams in prompt engineering and basic data interpretation, often with measurable time savings.
Integration – Embedding AI into core systems (ATS, CRM, sourcing stacks) to support consistent workflows.
Augmentation – Using AI to inform strategic decisions, shape job architecture, and advise hiring managers at a consultative level.
Where a TA function sits on this curve should inform its investment priorities. Skipping stages leads to poor adoption, fragmented workflows, and wasted spend.
What Skills Are Emerging for the AI-Enabled TA Professional?
Forward-thinking talent teams are investing in capability development that goes well beyond basic tool adoption. Some of the key skills being prioritised include:
1. Prompt Engineering
Learning how to write effective, targeted prompts has quickly become essential. This skill allows TA professionals to extract better results from generative AI tools, whether it’s drafting a job description, building Boolean search logic, or personalising outreach messages based on candidate motivations.
Training in prompt engineering is already underway in several enterprise environments. These programmes focus on secure platforms like Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT Enterprise, teaching TA teams how to apply AI in daily workflows while remaining compliant with data and privacy standards.
2. Predictive Analytics for Strategic Demand Planning
As organisations mature their workforce planning efforts, AI offers an opportunity to improve how TA professionals anticipate and prepare for complex hiring needs. Predictive analytics helps teams interpret demand plans with greater precision, identifying potential bottlenecks, forecasting sourcing difficulty, and prioritising critical roles before requisitions hit the system.
Rather than reacting to intake meetings, AI-enabled TA professionals can proactively partner with talent intelligence and workforce planning teams. By surfacing patterns in hiring volume, geography, and skill clustering, they help design sourcing strategies that are more aligned to business timing, risk tolerance, and labour market constraints.
This shift moves TA from execution to orchestration.
3. Advanced Market and Role Research
In parallel, TA professionals are using AI to enhance their ability to conduct strategic market research. This includes analysing adjacent skill sets, identifying alternative career paths into hard-to-fill roles, or benchmarking similar positions across peer organisations and industries.
These insights help reshape job design, adjust expectations, and open up more inclusive or innovative talent pipelines. When combined with recruiter experience and hiring manager consultation, it enables more agile and data-informed decision-making.
Used well, these research capabilities strengthen the TA team’s role as an advisor, not just a delivery function.
4. Experimentation and Peer Learning
Perhaps most powerful is the rise of shared experimentation. A growing number of talent functions are creating internal “AI labs” or learning communities where teams test new workflows, explore niche sourcing challenges, and share what works (and what doesn’t). These environments are critical for building capability and trust.
A common use case emerging from these labs is forensic sourcing: using AI tools to convert vague job specs into structured search logic, sometimes across multiple geographies or languages. Over time, these experiments build institutional knowledge that scales beyond individuals.
Infrastructure Still Matters: Data and Integration Are Make-or-Break
One of the most overlooked blockers to AI impact is infrastructure. Even the best AI tools won’t deliver value if the underlying systems, ATS, CRM, and talent data, are fragmented or outdated. TA teams need to partner closely with HRIT and data governance to ensure they have a stable foundation for scale.
What Should TA Leaders Be Doing Now?
For TA leaders and CHROs, the focus should be on structured readiness, not reactive adoption. That doesn’t mean rolling out every new tool or jumping on hype trends. It means thinking strategically about where AI can support core goals like improving workflow efficiency, enhancing candidate experience, or surfacing underrepresented talent.
Here are a few actions that progressive leaders are already taking:
Define clear use cases where AI can add value, starting with sourcing, scheduling, and candidate communications.
Invest in TA professional upskilling, especially around prompt engineering, predictive analytics, and ethical reasoning.
Encourage safe experimentation through structured learning spaces, team jams, or AI hackathons.
Choose secure platforms that support responsible use and align with company risk policies.
Track outcomes like time savings, response rates, and TA professional satisfaction, not just cost reduction.
Procurement with Purpose: Avoiding the Shiny Tool Trap
With so many AI vendors flooding the market, discernment is critical. Teams should look past flashy demos and ask tougher questions:
What data is the model trained on?
Is the algorithm explainable and auditable?
How does it integrate into existing TA workflows?
Can we govern this tool in alignment with company risk policies?
The most sophisticated teams aren’t just buying tools, they’re evaluating partners.
Responsible AI: From Ethics to Governance
As AI tools evolve, so do the risks. Algorithms trained on biased data can reinforce inequity. Black-box models may produce impressive outputs without transparency. The responsibility for maintaining fairness, inclusivity, and data security still sits with humans.
TA teams should implement clear policies on responsible AI use, including:
Oversight committees involving TA, Legal, DEI, and Data Governance
Review checkpoints in the workflow for all AI-generated recommendations
Documentation of how decisions were made, especially in high-impact hiring situations
Final Thought: A More Human, More Strategic TA Function
The best TA professionals will always be those who build trust, influence hiring decisions, and spot potential others might miss. AI doesn’t replace those qualities, it amplifies them. It gives professionals back the time and insight they need to operate at a higher level.
As a partner to many organisations navigating this shift, we’re seeing that AI success doesn’t come from tools alone. It comes from mindset change, capability building, and cultural integration. There’s no one-size-fits-all playbook, but there is a clear opportunity to rethink what great recruitment looks like in the age of AI.
The Tech & Digital Contractor market is an ever evolving one, much like the skills required to work within it.
Recently it has been a challenging environment with all the ups and downs of the fairground, culminating in the last 12 months with a scarcity of opportunity and stagnant day rates. KPMG’s CEO said hirers face a “fiscally restrained” Spring Statement 2025, but there are some aptly timed ‘green shoots’ appearing.
ContractorUk.com states “For the first time since August 2024, the numbers on the REC’s index for temporary tech roles last month pointed upwards… The IT contractor jobs market carved out a potential foothold for growth in February 2025.”
Changes to the National Living Wage, Employer’s National Insurance and subsequently, The Employment Rights Bill are contributing to a cautious outlook, but technical advancements aren’t waiting around for anybody.
Organisations are increasingly under pressure to adopt AI functionality to remain competitive and the UK Government has clearly set out their ambition under the AI Opportunities Action Plan. This aims to harness the power of AI to transform various sectors and improve the quality of life for citizens.
Many employers do not currently have the internal talent to scope, lead and deliver in this space and they are likely to look to the contractor population.
Talent in Demand
Unsurprisingly AI skills top the list of those most in demand in the contingent market, closely followed by (and likely in conjunction with) cyber security, all-things data, cloud computing and python development.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning: These skills are crucial for developing intelligent algorithms and models that drive automation and predictive analytics. The technology is moving so quickly that there are few true experts in the field; all and any commercial exposure to AI will be in demand.
Data Science and Analytics: With the increasing amount of data being generated, professionals who can analyse and derive insights from data are in high demand.
Cybersecurity: As cyber threats continue to evolve, skills in intrusion detection, risk assessment, and data protection are essential for safeguarding digital assets.
Cloud Computing: Expertise in cloud platforms and services is vital as more companies migrate to cloud-based systems.
DevOps and Automation: These skills help bridge the gap between development and operations, improving efficiency and collaboration.
Blockchain: Beyond cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology is being used in various industries for secure and transparent transactions.
In the last year many organisations have evolved to hybrid working models. This has been mandated to permanent employees and therefore frequently includes contractor populations. There will still be some fully remote opportunities, or potential exceptions based on skills v needs – but realistically, most contract opportunities moving forward will require some onsite presence.
Soft Skills Revolution
One of the most interesting aspects of the GenAI ‘revolution’ is the recognised requirement for a range of soft skills in employees within the field. These skills include critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration alongside the ability to communicate the strengths and weaknesses of using artificial intelligence, as well as when not to use it.
Qualities like creativity, persistence and decision-making will grow more and more important as AI and the very nature of the professional world continues to evolve. While technical skills will always prove important, intangibles like these can often make the difference between two equally skilled candidates.
Non-Traditional Role Parameters
In the last 12-18 months within the UK Tech & Digital market, there has been an increased demand for candidates with blended skill sets—roles that now often combine expertise in multiple disciplines.
For example, there is an upward trend in full stack development as opposed to front or back-end disciplines; DevOps processes (such as CI/CD, Kubernetes) added to support or development roles; Data aligned roles requiring significant Python or R coding; and most needs requiring diverse levels of cloud storage or security capabilities – stand-alone Cloud Engineers are now a rarity.
Advancements in using AI to streamline hiring processes have also driven a ‘skills-first hiring” trend, led by the Tech Sector and including companies such as Google and Apple. Approximately 50% of technology job postings no longer require degrees and 80% of employers prioritise demonstrated abilities over academic credentials.
Forbes writes the “These organizations recognize that conventional degree requirements often exclude qualified candidates who’ve developed valuable skills—particularly in high-demand areas like machine learning, data science, and automation—through alternative means.”
Legacy Alive & Well
The headlines will always focus on the shiny new toys (not taking away from the leaps forward GenAI has brought to the world) but organisations can’t just wipe their tech estate slate clean and start again.
Financial Services and Public Sector bodies offer contracting opportunities for those underpinning and therefore critical legacy tech stacks, on which new functionality is built. New arrivals into the contracting market will not have these skills, and expertise will become a commodity in demand.
IT Contracting as an Opportunity
Robert Half stipulates that “Contract work will become a significant employment model in 2025, encompassing freelancing, right-to-hire positions, and on-call work. Companies increasingly use contractors to fill critical skill gaps, especially in AI, technology, and marketing, with about 40% of managers planning to use contract professionals for key projects.”
Contingent Tech & Digital offers scope to broaden expertise – no client has the same tech stack – and gain valuable knowledge and differing industry experience. Contractors have always needed to stay relevant and therefore employable: with the speed of technical advancement this is now more common in permanent roles and therefore even more critical. An appetite to evolve, a curiosity to learn, and a willingness to step outside traditional role parameters to gain new skills, will make you stand out from the crowd.
And on that final note (with a nod to the volume of AI generated CVs and applications), to maximise your success, ensure your online persona and/ or CV are representative of skills and clear on capability; if they are technical, include the hobbies and online hangouts evidencing your interests; and build credibility with TA, Recruiters and Hiring Managers and leverage your professional network.
So, the roller coaster may be stomach churning at times, but it is fast, and it is thrilling, and few really want it to end!
Despite the increased focus and investment from businesses in programmes aimed at improving social mobility, recent research presents some worrying trends for under-resourced young people in the UK:
Data from the Education Policy Institute highlights that the gap between disadvantaged young people and their peers leaving school is the widest it has been since 2012.
According to the ONS, in April to June 2024, an estimated 872,000 young people in the UK were not in education, employment, or training (NEET), which is 12.2% of all 16-24 year olds. This is an increase from 798,000 in the same period in 2023.
Participating in work experience reduces the probability of young people becoming NEET from 11% to 7%, having controlled for socio-economic status. However, only a third of teenagers aged 16-18 have completed work experience, and half of 14–16-year-olds.
Research by the Sutton Trust identified top barriers to succeeding in life included a lack of job opportunities where they live (30%), access to good education (29%) and lack of self-belief (26%).
With inequalities in education and early careers, and a reported skills crisis across almost all industries in the UK, unfortunately for employers the skills required for the future are just not there. While some of these challenges are systemic and will take time to address, meaningful change can only occur through concerted and integrated efforts from businesses, government, and the third sector.
In this edition of the AMS Social Mobility Series, we explore ways to empower and inspire today’s young adults, showcasing AMS Talent Lab’s partnership with the King’s Trust, as well as some recent collaborations with leading organisations such as GoodWork, BelEve and Your Game Plan.
Creating opportunities through AMS Talent Lab and The King’s Trust
AMS shot up this year’s Social Mobility Foundation Employer Index, moving up 27 positions from 39th to 12th. Instrumental to this was the work of AMS Talent Lab, every element of which is designed to impact Social Value and provide opportunity to untapped and under-resourced talent. Talent Lab recently won the Highly Commended & Gold Award, for Recruitment Programme of the Year at the UK Social Mobility Awards (SOMOs).
This year AMS Talent Lab was part of the Million Makers scheme, which aims to raise £1 million for the King’s Trust. Each team is challenged with creating a fundraising initiative and to pitch to a panel of Dragons, who decide if and how much seed funding they will secure. Talent Lab wanted to do something sustainable that would have a lasting effect for young adults to improve social mobility. Their idea is to create a series of fully sponsored virtual client events across a network of clients in 5 key regions across the UK, targeting the most deprived towns and those who need the opportunity most. Initially they will be running one for 16-19 year olds and a smaller event for year 6 students, which will come under the banner Limitless Horizons. Through sponsorship and fundraising events, we are aiming to generate in excess of £15,000 for the Million Makers scheme to support the King’s Trust enterprise.
Through the work they have with Skills for Life, our team have an extensive network of clients, of all sizes, across these regions already, which gives us a great starting position and so we are very confident that this will make a difference. If you’d like to learn more or collaborate on this initiative, reach out to our Talent Lab team.
Creating a blueprint for meaningful work experience
Currently, work experience isn’t compulsory for schools to offer – only half of state schools offer to students, and in many cases this is not meaningful work. This coupled with a lack of career guidance means that those from poorest regions don’t have access to opportunities, or don’t know what career options are out there.
In Summer 2024, Melanie Barnett (PSR Managing Director), Anna Crowe (PSR Client Relationship Director and Social Value Lead) and Michael Caley-Cook (AMS Senior DEB Manager) joined a collaborative CSR session led by Your Game Plan with participation from leading public and private organisations. The purpose was to develop a blueprint for a comprehensive work experience programme that would impact young people from lower socioeconomic and under-resourced communities.
Your Game Plan works with state schools across the country, many in underprivileged areas, where pupils don’t have the necessary role models, mentors, or parental connections to provide support in the next stages of their life. The blueprint content captured from the day will be pulled into a proposal that will be taken forwards by APSCo Outsource’s Managing Director, Melanie Forbes and Your Game Plan Founder, Danny Heath.
We also look forward participating in National Interview Month in February 2025, helping school and sixth form leavers prepare for their first real interviews. 16,000 young people will benefit from the opportunity to engage directly with professionals in various industries, which is expected to generate over £1 million in Social Value for state-educated students.
Career Insight Days with GoodWork and BelEve
In autumn 2024, AMS collaborated with two fantastic organisations to inspire the next generation of future leaders through meaningful Career Insight Days.
GoodWork is a non-profit supporting young people facing systemic barriers to access the training and opportunities they need to transition successfully into work. We were proud to host a diverse cohort of talented young people at our new London office for a Career Insights Day. We discussed the importance of understanding each other’s social styles, influencing & negotiating and business writing, with members of our ExCo joining a panel to bring to life their career stories and the power of mentorship.
BelEveis an incredible charity that aims to equip girls and young women aged 8-22 with the skills, support and confidence to find their voice and make informed choices about their future – challenging gender, race and class stereotypes. This October we hosted a Career Insight Day in our London Office where we shared CV and interview tips, ran a panel to hear career stories from senior AMS women, delivered training on social and communication styles, and even challenged the girls to create a TikTok on life at AMS.
Conclusion
A recent report by Demos and The Co-operative Group estimates that the economic impact of all businesses investing significantly in social mobility could be up to £19 billion to GDP, generating around £6.8 billion in yearly tax revenues and boosting profits by over £1.8bn a year. As the research shows, we need to keep a continued focus to improve outcomes for young people and level the playing field, a collaborative effort between the commercial sector, government, and the third sector.
Please connect with us if you are passionate about driving change in this area and would like to learn more about how we can support your social mobility initiatives.
With 60% of TA leaders now identifying skill shortages as their top issue it was interesting to read this article Traits trump skills from Ade McCormack, Founder, The Intelligent Leadership Hub who has an interesting view around the importance of traits v skills when it comes to hiring in a skills short market.
We have seen this as an approach used in the delivery of the Recruit, Train, Deploy (RTD) solution where cohorts are hired based on teachability and aptitude. Traits like a positive attitude, eagerness to learn, and adaptability are considered valuable for RTD hires as the skills required are being taught prior to and during the placement.
Long-term Potential: Candidates with strong character traits such as reliability, integrity, and teamwork are often seen as having greater long-term potential. They can grow and adapt as the company evolves.
Hiring in this way, based on character traits over specific skills in the form of an RTD model has generated some great success and led to a *97% retention rate throughout the duration of the assignments and of the cohorts that have converted to permanent positions, *48% are elevated to a more senior positions within 2 years.
Plus the RTD Solution, when carried out well, can enhance and bolster social mobility and goodness knows, as an economy, we need to make our workforce more socially mobile.
This “take a chance on me” approach reflects my own personal journey. Having changed careers 10 years ago from Procurement to Recruitment.
I was hired as an Account Director role at AMS, moving roles from a Professional Services Senior Category Manager. Having demonstrated traits such as commercial awareness, emotional intelligence and adaptability I learned about recruitment whilst doing the job!
Creating new skills during the journey whilst embracing the ambiguity of the change in role and being confident in my ability to adapt. It was more like “take a chance on them” as AMS had identified I had the “traits” to make that change and grow in my new role, 10 years on it was definitely the right move!
In summary, while both traits and skills are important, many employers are leaning towards hiring for traits, especially for roles where cultural fit and long-term potential are critical. What are your thoughts on this approach?
*Statistics provided by PSR RTD supply chain 2023.
while both traits and skills are important, many employers are leaning towards hiring for traits, especially for roles where cultural fit and long-term potential are critical.
According to the UK Government’s 2023 State of the Nation report, adults with lower working-class parents are about 3 times as likely – 30% against 11% – to be in a working-class occupation compared to adults with higher professional parents. In education, people whose parents had degrees are far more likely – 64% against 18% – to get a degree than those whose parents had no qualifications.
Social mobility, officially recognized as an area of diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) thanks to the UK Government’s Social Mobility Commission, is linked to equality of opportunity: the extent to which people have the same chances to do well in life regardless of the socio-economic background of their parents, their gender, age, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, birthplace, or other circumstances beyond their control.
According to a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, UK social mobility is at its worst in over 50 years. Now is the time for businesses to fulfill their social and ethical obligations by promoting social mobility in the workplace.
According to the Sutton Trust, enhancing social mobility within UK businesses to align with the average level seen in Western Europe could potentially lead to a 9% boost in GDP. This increase is equivalent to £2,620 per person, or a total of £170 billion added to the UK economy annually.
What is Social Mobility?
Social mobility is the movement of individuals, families, or other social units between positions of varying advantage in the system of social stratification of a society. (International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2001).
Many sociologists have traditionally concentrated on examining mobility between occupational classes, specifically the types of jobs individuals hold. In contrast, economists have more recently shifted their focus toward analysing income mobility.
Social mobility and equality of opportunity can be measured in terms of occupation, income, or ‘social class’, but can also encompass other measurements of social well-being such as health and education.
When an individual experiences a shift in their position, particularly in their occupation, without a change in social class, it is referred to as “horizontal mobility.” On the other hand, if the transition results in a change in social class, it is known as “vertical mobility,” which can manifest as either “upward mobility” or “downward mobility.”
The key markers of social mobility are health, education, housing, income, race, and gender.
In the workplace, social mobility pertains to an individual’s capacity to ascend or descend within the hierarchy or structure of a company or organization. It encompasses the progression a person’s career and enhancement of their job role, salary, and overall professional standing within their current workplace.
“This class pay gap is not just an indictment of professional employers. It is morally unjust and economically illiterate.” Alan Milburn, Social Mobility Foundation chair
Why is social mobility important?
People from disadvantaged backgrounds have fewer opportunities to climb the socio-economic ladder. The current economic situation in the UK is likely to exacerbate the UK’s social divides, limiting the career prospects of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Social mobility plays a crucial role in the health of the economy.
In 2021, services industries in the UK contributed £1.7bn in gross value to the economy, 80% of the total figure. A recent report by the Law Society highlighted the importance of social mobility in the professional services sector, stating that a lack of it poses a significant threat to Britain’s competitiveness and productivity.
According to the World Economic Forum, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, characterized by rapid globalization and technological advancements, has resulted in a rise in inequality. For instance, the Forum highlights that the top 1% of earners in the United States saw their income increase by 158% between 1979 and 2018, while the bottom 90% experienced only a 24% increase. This disparity underscores the widening gap between the wealthiest individuals and the majority of the population, highlighting the urgent need for policies that address income inequality and promote economic inclusivity.
“As the hiring demands for tech skills in the UK continues to rise, organisations are finding it challenging to access the talent they need to innovate and progress. The UK government recognises the importance of the tech sector and tech skills for improving the UK economy, but also acknowledges there is a significant shortage of available candidates in the market.” Mel Barnett, managing director, Public Sector Resourcing
PwC’s Future of Government research asked 4,000 people across the UK about their concerns around social mobility and the actions that they think government and businesses should take in response. The polling revealed that business has a vital role to play in improving the social mobility of younger generations, with calls from the public for better access to opportunities, work experience, and career pathways, and greater investment in apprenticeships and skills.
Implementing a social mobility strategy is not only an ethical decision, but it also plays a crucial role in shaping a more skilled and prepared workforce for the future. It not only expands the talent pool for an organization, but also enhances its appeal to potential recruits, especially the influential Generation Z, who will soon comprise the majority of the workforce. It not only fosters growth and improves local economies where an organisation operates, but it also contributes to the development of more equitable and cohesive communities.
Promoting socio-economic inclusivity is also a strategic business decision. Diverse workforces have been proven to be more innovative, productive, and better equipped to navigate the challenges of the future. By embracing inclusivity, organizations can unlock new perspectives, ideas, and talents that drive success and growth.
PwC’s global 2022 Hopes and Fears survey revealed that employees expect their employer to have strong ESG credentials; three-quarters say that they want to work for an organisation that makes a positive contribution to society, and 54% say that transparency around diversity in their employer is extremely or very important to them.
Prospective employees and clients are increasingly seeking out companies that prioritize purpose, not just profit. By championing the social mobility agenda, businesses can effectively balance their commercial interests with making a positive impact and preparing their workforce for the future.
Where compares with the UK?
The social mobility geographical patterns in the UK are striking. People of a working-class background who grew up in Outer London (West and North) had a 46% chance of becoming professionals, while those growing up in Northern Ireland had only a 28% chance.
The first round of the government’s Levelling Up funding saw £1.7bn distributed among 105 UK towns and cities, with further plans to invest in skills training, in some of the UK’s most deprived areas.
Research from the Institute of Fiscal Studies suggested that on a wide variety of measures, regional disparities in the UK are greater than in most comparable countries.
In a study conducted by Wilkinson and Pickett, the results of which were initially published in 2009, an in-depth analysis of social mobility in developed countries was carried out. Among the eight countries examined – Canada, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, the UK, and the US – it was found that the US exhibited the highest level of economic inequality and the lowest level of economic mobility. Further research has consistently shown that the US has notably low mobility for individuals at the bottom of the socioeconomic hierarchy, with mobility gradually improving as one ascends the ladder.
Research comparing social mobility across developed nations has shown that Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Canada have the lowest intergenerational income elasticity, indicating higher levels of social mobility. In these countries, less than 20% of the advantages of having a high-income parent are passed on to their children.
In countries like India, it is common for educated women not to use their education to move up the social ladder due to cultural and traditional customs.
Chile and Brazil, two countries characterized by high levels of inequality, also exhibit some of the lowest levels of social mobility.
Who are the key players?
The Social Mobility Commission (SMC)exists to create a United Kingdom where the circumstances of birth do not determine outcomes in life. The SMC’s State of the Nationreport, is an annual report on social mobility in the UK, which sets out their views on the progress made towards improving social mobility in United Kingdom.
The Social Mobility Index is a framework for measuring social mobility in the UK. It enables a systematic look at social mobility outcomes, as well as the drivers behind social mobility. It sets out a long-term vision for measuring and monitoring social mobility outcomes over the next 30 years across the UK.
The Social Mobility Foundation is a UK-based non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing the social mobility agenda, by directly supporting young people through their Aspiring Professionals Programme and influencing employers to support people with potential in their professional progression. The foundation’s Employer Indexis the leading national study analysing the efforts of employers to improve social mobility within the workplace.
The Sutton Trustchampions social mobility through programmes, research, and policy influence through key priority areas; early years, schools, higher education, access to the workplace, and apprenticeships. According to the Sutton Trust, enhancing social mobility within UK businesses to align with the average level seen in Western Europe could potentially lead to a 9% boost in GDP. This increase is equivalent to £2,620 per person, or a total of £170 billion added to the UK economy on an annual basis.
The Global Social Mobility Index was created by the World Economic Forum in 2020 in response to the impact of globalization and technological advancements on social mobility worldwide. 82 countries were measured on five key metrics: education, access to technology, healthcare, social protection, and employment opportunities. The top 10 countries with the highest social mobility index scores are located in Europe, with the majority of those being Nordic Countries. Nordic countries lead the index for several reasons, including excellent job opportunities, social safety nets and high-quality education programmes.
The highest possible score a country could receive was 100.
(Source: World Population Review)
“When it comes to social mobility and sustainability, if we can support our customers’ goals in these areas, it’s a win/win. In the public sector, social value is a crucial factor, so being able to demonstrate our work in this area is incredibly important and we have a real responsibility to do the right thing.” Anna Crowe, client operations director, AMS
How can we promote social mobility?
How businesses address social mobility will play a pivotal role in fostering a thriving and prosperous UK. Developing an effective social mobility strategy is not a straightforward task. It necessitates a shift in mindset, wherein the entire organization re-evaluates its approach to talent acquisition and recruitment. Both public and private sector organisations have a role to play in advancing the social mobility agenda.
Our recommendations for organisations looking to advance social mobility:
Start with the data. Historically, organizations have neglected to collect socio-economic data on their workforce, resulting in significant gaps in knowledge regarding key challenges, effective solution targeting, and potential areas of impact. This oversight has also contributed to a lack of insight into the extent of socio-economic diversity within the workforce and the identification of potential barriers. For instance, it remains unclear whether these barriers manifest at various stages of the employee lifecycle (from recruitment to advancement), within specific business locations or functions, or in conjunction with other demographic factors like ethnicity and gender. Addressing these gaps in data collection and analysis is crucial for fostering a more inclusive and equitable workplace environment.
Increase upskilling and reskilling. Access to upskilling and reskilling opportunities is not evenly distributed. Leaders must establish inclusive opportunities by providing training and work experience to their employees as well as the broader community. This can be achieved through partnerships with educational institutions and charitable organizations.
Broaden your talent pool. Many businesses continue to view universities as their main source of talent, whether consciously or unconsciously, limiting their talent pool. PwC’s research indicates that 83% of the general public views access to local employment opportunities as a significant obstacle to achieving social mobility. Businesses have the opportunity to leverage virtual work arrangements to offer valuable work experience opportunities and expand their talent pool through targeted recruitment campaigns.
Review end-to-end recruitment process. Organizations should thoroughly review and analyze each step in the hiring process. This includes assessing job posting language to ensure it is inclusive and free from biases, expanding outreach efforts to reach a more diverse pool of candidates, implementing blind resume screening practices to remove any unconscious biases, providing equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of their background or education level, and setting clear diversity goals for hiring managers to follow. By taking a comprehensive approach to enhancing social mobility in recruitment, organizations can create a more equitable and diverse workforce that reflects the values of inclusivity and equal opportunity.
Reassess procurement. This entails considering how vendor selection criteria can be adjusted to provide opportunities for historically marginalized groups, such as minority-owned businesses or those led by women or individuals with disabilities. By deliberately seeking out suppliers who prioritize social responsibility and promote workforce diversity, companies can not only make a positive impact on society but also benefit from a wider range of perspectives and expertise. Additionally, implementing measures such as supplier diversity programs or mentorship initiatives can help level the playing field and create pathways for underrepresented businesses to thrive in the marketplace. Through conscious efforts to reevaluate procurement practices, organizations can contribute to creating a more equitable and inclusive business environment while driving innovation and success.
Develop a strategy in line with your business and ESG objectives. Integrating social mobility efforts into ESG objectives demonstrates a commitment to addressing systemic inequalities and promoting sustainable practices. As businesses continue to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in their operations, developing a tailored social mobility strategy is crucial in driving positive social impact while also achieving long-term business success. This may involve implementing initiatives such as mentorship programs, skills training opportunities, or flexible work arrangements to support employees from all backgrounds in advancing within the company.
“Social mobility is a key strategic enabler for AMS. Our business is all about talent and having a fair and level playing field which is open to all, including those of us who may be from lower socio-economic backgrounds.” Matthew Rodger, Chief Growth & Commercial Officer and ExCo sponsor for Social Mobility, AMS
Top tips to enhance social mobility through recruitment:
Collaborate with schools and community organizations to provide internship opportunities and develop talent pipelines that can help bridge the gap for underprivileged individuals seeking employment opportunities.
When evaluating entry-level candidates, contextualise their academic achievements to create a more level playing field for all applicants.
Eliminate bias in the hiring process by implementing blind recruitment practices and ensuring that all candidates are evaluated solely based on their qualifications and merit.
Offer mentorship programs and professional development opportunities to help individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds navigate the corporate world more successfully and advance in their careers.
Transition away from competency-based models that solely focus on candidates demonstrating specific skills, which can be influenced by their access to extracurricular activities or job opportunities. Instead, consider adopting strength-based models that incorporate interviews and scenario testing to assess an individual’s abilities and potential more effectively. This shift will allow for a more comprehensive evaluation of candidates, leading to better hiring decisions and improved organizational outcomes.
Provide additional job opportunities in areas outside of major cities to reduce the burden on candidates who may be reluctant to relocate. Leveraging remote or hybrid working is key.
Creating employee resource groups around social mobility. Establishing employee resource groups focused on social mobility is essential for promoting socioeconomic inclusion and ensuring a diverse representation of the communities we serve. These groups aim to support the professional advancement of employees from various socioeconomic backgrounds.
Relax the requirements for bachelor’s degrees where possible. This could potentially open up more opportunities for individuals seeking to advance their education and career prospects. By re-evaluating the criteria for earning a bachelor’s degree, we can create a more inclusive and accessible educational system that benefits a wider range of individuals.
The Social Mobility agenda at AMS
We are honoured to be recognised as a top 75 employer in the Social Mobility Foundation’s Employer Index.
In September 2023, we officially launched its partnership with Movement to Work(MtW), a not-for-profit coalition of UK employers, youth-outreach organisations, training providers, and government – all aiming to level the playing field for young people, aged 16-30, who are not in employment, education, or training.
MtW works with employers, free of charge, to design and create vocational workplace opportunities and work experience placements either in-house or through its recommended training providers. MtW counts some of the biggest UK employers among its members including Accenture, BAE Systems, Tesco, BT, Barclays, M&S, Marriott, The Department of Work and Pensions and the British Army.
Measures taken by AMS in recent years include increasing partnerships and collaboration with key social enterprises, charities, and small businesses as well as a renewed focus on data collection allowing AMS to understand the socio-economic makeup of their colleagues based in the UK&I region.
AMSTalent Lab, provides expert training to help organisations turn people with the right potential and aptitude into people with the right skills. Whether it is upskilling or reskilling existing tech talent or developing a recruiter team from scratch. Every element of Talent Lab is designed to enhance social mobility, tapping into the potential that exists in all corners of our society, from attraction to assessment, training, and ongoing support. AMS Talent Lab enables organisations to gain a competitive edge and benefit from a diverse viewpoint.
AMS’s Public Sector Resourcing (PSR) service provides more than 19,000 skilled workers across the UK government at any one time, meeting contingent resourcing demands on large projects including Brexit and the pandemic. PSR formed its Social Value Model and strategy to align with the challenges facing the public sector and works collaboratively with clients.
The Social Value Model was built to address five key themes that include Equal Opportunity, Tackling Economic Inequality and Fighting Climate Change each with subsequent policy outcomes. On the PSR framework we have projects and programmes aligned to each of these areas to drive positive change, as well as repurposing initiatives already in place at AMS to make them applicable to our public sector customers.
We introduced a new service line in PSR, called ‘Recruit, Train, Deploy’, to bring in trainees from under-represented or those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, upskill them and then place them in a client organisation, providing both commercial and social value. Our partnerships with inclusive recruiters likeRecruit for Spouses, Auticon, and Bridge of Hope help to provide opportunities to individuals who might not think public sector roles are for them.
“Since its inception in 1996, social mobility has been part of AMS’s DNA. We believe that we can further help ourselves and our clients who wish to diversify their talent pipeline by creating opportunities for candidates from underrepresented talent groups and if needed training them with in-demand skills.” Matthew Rodger, Chief Growth & Commercial Officer and ExCo sponsor for Social Mobility , AMS
AMS is committed to driving the dial forward on social mobility and championing change to level the playing field for the world of work.
Interested in learning more about how your organisation can advance social mobility?
Contact Fionuala Goritsas, Head of Analyst Relations & Global Co-Chair for Social Mobility, or Marisa Baker, Client Services Manager and Social Mobility ERG Co-Lead.
With 74% of CEO’s concerned that skills shortages are a threat to sales and revenue growth, and skills shortages are at the forefront of every talent discussion, it is a concerning read that expenditure on training per worker has fallen by 35% in larger businesses and 38% in public sector organisations.
More effort is needed if we are to address the skills required to transition to a green economy and increase productivity. It’s imperative that hiring managers look at the benefits that reskilling workers can bring to their teams, creating more diverse teams at the same time. Only by employing alternative strategies to create talent, will we start to move the dial and create a sustainable workforce.
Investment in skills by employers has dropped by 19 per cent in real terms per employee between 2011 and 2022
When speaking to clients over the last several months, one of the common themes has been “the market is going to turn soon, will people stay at my company?” It’s an important question, and a prime reason why our team is focusing on Talent, not just TA. Employees are tired and burned out from taking on more responsibility as colleagues are laid off; negotiating with employers over WFH vs remote work; figuring out how to use an influx of new technology seemingly every single day. Those clients that are focused on reskilling, internal mobility and employee engagement, will have the best retention success.
As a leader of people, creating a partnership with your HR organization and focusing on Talent not just talent acquisition, will help your business. Take time to understand how your employees want to grow. Understand what opportunities are available in other parts of the business and what skills are needed for the future success of your company. Encourage your employees to network internal and learn ways to add new value to the organization. Taking the time to hone your skills as a manager, will be a good return on investment for your people.
As the job market has cooled and companies are cutting costs, overworked and underserved employees can start to feel disconnected from the company’s mission or don’t see internal career growth on the horizon.
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We work in a digital age, data has become the cornerstone of innovation, driving decision-making processes across industries. However, the sheer volume and complexity of data generated daily present challenges and opportunities. To navigate this landscape effectively, individuals must possess a unique set of skills and expertise. Being skilled at working with data is more than just analyzing numbers; it’s about understanding patterns, extracting insights, and ultimately driving meaningful change.
As a recruiter, when looking to improve your skills in working with data, there are several steps you can take to enhance your proficiency and leverage data-driven insights to optimize recruitment processes and decision-making. Becoming more must haves than optional, here are some strategies to consider:
Understand the basics of data analysis: Familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of data analysis, including statistical concepts, data visualization techniques, and data interpretation methods. Your manager, in house data teams and online course, should all provide a gateway to support this learning. You wont need to be fluent, but you do need to have a basic grasp of the language and methods used.
Learn about relevant tools and software: Acquire proficiency in popular data analysis tools and software such as Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and data visualization platforms like Tableau or Power BI. These tools can help you organize, manipulate, and visualize data effectively, enabling you to derive actionable insights from recruitment metrics and trends. Whilst you don’t have to become expert in these tools, especially if you work at a larger organization where data science and analysis work is supported for you, it is advisable to know what they are and the power they possess, in order to form a fully rounded view of the possibilities that are open to you.
Explore recruitment analytics: Gain insights into recruitment analytics and metrics, such as candidate sourcing channels, time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, and candidate conversion rates. Analyzing these metrics, and being able to benchmark them, can help you identify recruitment trends, assess the effectiveness of sourcing strategies, and optimize recruitment processes for better outcomes. The more exposure you get to this data, the more it will become a natural language to you and allow you to understand more deeply the impact you or your team is having and could have.
Utilize applicant tracking systems (ATS): Familiarize yourself with the functionalities of applicant tracking systems (ATS) commonly used in recruitment processes. ATS platforms offer various features for data management, candidate tracking, and performance analytics, enabling recruiters to streamline workflows and make data-driven decisions throughout the recruitment lifecycle. You can find real gems of opportunity when considering the functionality that an ATS may have that you are not yet using (or you could learn that you need something better).
Develop data-driven recruitment strategies: Leverage data analytics to develop data-driven recruitment strategies tailored to specific hiring needs and organizational objectives. Analyze historical data to identify patterns, preferences, and successful hiring outcomes, allowing you to optimize sourcing channels, target candidate demographics, and improve overall recruitment efficiency.
Stay updated on industry trends: Keep abreast of emerging trends, best practices, and innovations in recruitment analytics and data-driven HR strategies. Engage with industry publications, webinars, and professional networks to stay informed about advancements in recruitment technology, data analytics tools, and methodologies. Once again, you do not have to become expert, but being exposed to it will improve your data vocabulary and provide ideas to help you and your stakeholders.
Seek continuous learning and development opportunities: Invest in ongoing learning and professional development to enhance your skills in working with data and analytics. Consider enrolling in specialized training programs, attending workshops, or pursuing certifications in recruitment analytics, data-driven HR, or people analytics to deepen your expertise and stay competitive in the field.
Collaborate with data and analytics teams: Foster collaboration with data scientists, analysts, and HR professionals specializing in people analytics within your organization or network. Engage in cross-functional initiatives, knowledge-sharing sessions, and collaborative projects to gain insights, exchange ideas, and leverage collective expertise in leveraging data for recruitment optimization.
Being skilled at working with data goes beyond mere technical proficiency. It encompasses a combination of analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and domain knowledge. By adopting these strategies and embracing a mindset of continuous learning and improvement, recruiters can enhance their skills in working with data and leverage data-driven insights to drive informed recruitment decisions, optimize processes, and achieve better outcomes in talent acquisition and retention.
In conclusion, being skilled at working with data is not just a professional asset; it’s a gateway to unlocking the transformative power of information. As industries continue to harness the potential of data-driven insights, recruiters who are equipped with the right skills and expertise will be at the forefront of innovation and driving meaningful change and value for stakeholders.
Like many of my colleagues, I have recently been on a knowledge upskilling journey when it comes to green skills – a subject that has quickly become a critical agenda item in both the public and private sector, with the race for securing talent in this space already well underway.
The shift to a net zero economy will require a transformation of our workforce, inevitably changing the skills required and the tasks involved in many of the existing occupations as well as generating thousands of additional opportunities for green jobs. But there’s a problem: are we ready for this skills revolution?
The UK government has set an ambition of supporting 2 million jobs in the green economy and its supply chains by 2030 and later this year the UK Government’s Green Jobs Delivery Group will publish its action plan on green skills that will undoubtedly include a planned approach to skilling and hiring. What we know right now is that the demand for green skills is already on the rise, with green jobs now representing over 30% of UK job postings on LinkedIn and with a talent shortage already evident this is presenting a challenge.
But the green skills agenda also presents a huge opportunity.
In the article How the transition to net zero could unlock social mobilitypublished last year by the Institute of Student Employers (ISE), William Akerman at Connectr explains how the green skills gap could be the opportunity of a generation for social mobility. He highlights an important point when it comes to the challenge of green skills demand versus available talent in the market in that the “gap won’t be filled from reskilling companies’ existing workforces alone.” He draws attention to the opportunity for this gap to be filled by early careers, indicating this could be “a vital pathway to get the right skills into your organisation, to set your company up for success.”
When shaping the future of the green economy, harnessing the passion for sustainability amongst young people and a desire to work for an organisation that aligns with that will be key, and this needs to begin with creating tangible career pathways and access to these roles. ISE report 72% of students want to work for an employer that has a positive impact on sustainability.
The article does suggest that there’s a risk of diverse groups getting left behind. However “if rolled out considerately, once-in-a-generation workforce changes like the transition to net zero, also provide an opportunity to power up diverse talent groups, and give them the skills to stand out and get ahead.”
So what action is required?
Organisations need to invest in their future “green” workforce now to ensure they have the right skills to deliver a green industrial revolution and thrive in the jobs it will create.
Targeting young people from all backgrounds and demographics who are interested in securing a green job will be vital and this begins with education. There is a lack of knowledge and information about the requisite skills and qualifications needed and routes to entry when it comes to green skills.
When it comes to routes to entry, models like recruit, train, deploy could be a perfectly positioned and indeed highly effective route for green skills hiring, offering a comprehensive approach to address the increasing demand for workers with expertise in sustainable practices and environmental conservation. Such a model can Identify individuals from diverse backgrounds who have the potential and interest in acquiring green skills and design training programmes that are tailored to the specific needs of the green economy.
By implementing a recruit, train, deploy model tailored to green skills, organisations can contribute to the development of a skilled and diverse workforce that actively participates in the transition to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly economy. This approach not only addresses the demand for green skills but also promotes social and economic mobility for individuals seeking opportunities in this growing sector.
once-in-a-generation workforce changes like the transition to net zero also provide an opportunity to power up diverse talent groups, and give them the skills to stand out and get ahead.
