AI Fuels Degree Regret - 64% would choose a different university degree today

Almost two-thirds (64%) say they would not choose the same university degree today, knowing how AI is changing the workplace, according to new research from people2people recruitment.

The findings reveal growing questions around the value of traditional qualifications, with 68% believing a university degree is becoming less important compared with relevant work experience, while 32% believe it is becoming more important.

Catherine Kennedy, Managing Director NSW at people2people Recruitment, said the findings reflected how quickly expectations around skills, qualifications and career development were changing.

"AI is changing jobs, skills and career paths at an extraordinary pace, and people are clearly questioning whether the education they received has prepared them for that change," Ms Kennedy said.

"This doesn't mean degrees no longer matter. But for employers, it reinforces the importance of looking at the whole candidate: their qualifications, practical experience, transferable skills, adaptability and capacity to keep learning."

Degrees losing ground to experience

More than two-thirds (68%) believe a university degree is becoming less important compared with relevant work experience, while 32% believe it is becoming more important.

The research found:

• 77% of Millennials believe degrees are becoming less important, followed by 71% of Gen X and Baby Boomers and 57% of Gen Z.
• 64% would not choose the same university degree today knowing how AI is changing the workplace.
• 70% of Millennials would choose differently, followed by 68% of Gen X and Baby Boomers and 52% of Gen Z.

"When almost two-thirds say they would make a different degree choice today, it shows just how significantly AI is changing perceptions around education and career pathways," Ms Kennedy said.

"For employers, it also raises questions about how we assess talent. As roles evolve, what someone can do, how quickly they can learn and the experience they have gained may become just as important as where or what they studied."

80% say universities aren't keeping pace

Four in five (80%) believe universities are not adapting their courses quickly enough to prepare students for an AI-enabled workplace:

• Concern is highest among Baby Boomers, at 90%, followed by 76% of Millennials and 60% of Gen Z.
• 65% say their own university education has not equipped them well to adapt to AI-driven changes in their profession.
• While Gen Z are the most likely generation to believe degrees are becoming more important, at 43%, they are also the most likely to say their university education has not equipped them well for AI-driven workplace change, at 79%.
• More than half (51%) say the skills they gained at university are not relevant to their work as AI becomes more widely used. Just 34% consider their university skills very relevant, while 15% say they remain fairly relevant.

"Gen Z's responses are particularly telling. They are more positive about the importance of a degree, but they are also the least likely to feel their university education has prepared them for the changes they are experiencing at work," Ms Kennedy said.

"That suggests the issue isn't necessarily whether higher education has value, but whether the skills being developed can keep pace with what people actually need when they enter the workforce."

What it means for employers

For employers competing for talent, Ms Kennedy said learning and career development would become an increasingly important part of the employee proposition.

"Employers can't expect universities to carry the entire responsibility for keeping workforce skills current. The organisations that stand out will be those that give people opportunities to keep learning, gain meaningful experience and build new capabilities as their roles evolve," Ms Kennedy said.

"Being a top employer in an AI-enabled workplace won't simply be about having the latest technology. It will be about how you bring your people with you.

"For candidates, the question will increasingly be: 'Will this organisation help me develop the skills and experience I need for what comes next?' Employers that can answer that convincingly will put themselves in a stronger position to attract and retain great people."

www.people2people.com.au 

PR Contact: Lisa Solomons | 360PR | e: lisa@360pr.com.au | m: 0416 175 518