Student Workshop: AI & Future Careers

A post to share workshop resources and reflections on a session with Grade 12 students on thinking about the potential implications for AI on their future careers pathways.

As students in their final year are thinking about making applications or onward plans, we spent some time with them showcasing the current state of AI, looking at future skills resources and researching how they might be able to be adaptable in their thinking and planning.

This workshop included a 25min presentation, then about 30mins of researching in groups, using AI tools and the following reports:

• WEF Future of Jobs 2023
• McKinsey State of AI 2023

Workshop materials are here, with slides here (click to go fullscreen). No logins were required and no personal data was collected in any part of the workshop.

G12 AI Futures Workshop by Stephen Taylor

Some key messages:

• Be informed, not afraid, of the future implications of AI on their chosen career pathways.
• Consider ethics and integrity in all uses of AI.
• The knowledge, skills and attributes they have developed as IB learners and WAB learners are in strong alignment with the future of jobs report, and stand them in good stead for an uncertain and changing future.
• The tools we currently have can support them beyond academics, and AI is being used in many professional fields.

Activity 1: Careers Intelligence

Students had access to the WEF Future of Jobs 2023 and McKinsey State of AI 2023 reports. These were also loaded into ChatPDF and Perplexity. They spent some time interacting with these reports to get a sense of trends and predictions. They discussed the alignment between the Future of Jobs Skills and the skills they develop through their learning at WAB and in the IB programmes.

Activity 2: AI & My Future

Students opened a new Perplexity Thread and pasted in a prompt to guide their reflection on the impacts and opportunities of AI in their fields of interest. The prompt was:

I am a high school student applying for universities, and I am concerned about the impact that AI might have on my chosen courses and future career pathways. I want you to act as an industry intelligence analyst and provide resources and advice that will help me prepare for the future of my career, in relation to potential careers, necessary skills and possible opportunities. Present your findings in the form of a brief analysis, along with a table of potential impacts and mitigations. Conclude with a section on recommendations for how I can prepare for university statements and interviews, as well as list of possible alternative careers related to the field that are going to be enhanced by AI. Provide reliable references for your findings. My chosen career pathway is XXXXXXXX.

With guidance on reading with a critical eye, a reminder of bias, hallucinations and misinformation, and following-up the sources, students were in table groups to share their research and findings. We moved amongst them to help prompt thinking, explain some findings and answer questions.

The conversations with students were really enlightening and powerful. We were sure to emphasise this as a session of hope, not despair, and to challenge them to research further into their areas of interest as they start making applications. In some groups, we encouraged them to do more research on the universities and courses they were interested in. We also spoke about how returning alumni often talk about the need to be flexible and how so many have changed career paths since graduating.

Activity 3: Feedback Survey

Of the 60+ students who took part, over 40 completed an exit survey, which I made as a test of Trove*, an AI survey tool that creates a chatbot-like survey experience.

Responses were anonymous, and the questions were:

1. Rate 1-4 how useful/interesting this session was for you in thinking about AI and your future. 4 = very useful, 1 = not at all useful.
2. What will you continue to consider when thinking about future careers and applications?
3. How do you think being a WAB learner will help you adapt in the future?
4. What are some ways (if any) AI tools have helped with your studies?
5. What else would you like to learn about in order to prepare for the future of work?

After the session, I closed the survey and downloaded the responses as a .csv file. Then using ChatGPT with Advanced Data Analysis, carried out an qualitative analysis on the responses.

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Here’s the ChatGPT Advanced Data Analysis response:

Note: for questions 2-5, I used the prompt “Use qualitative analysis to give a summary of responses to the question “copy-paste question.”

Question 1: Rate 1-4 how useful/interesting this session was for you in thinking about AI and your future. 4 = very useful, 1 = not at all useful.

Rating	1 not at all	2	2.5	3	4 very
Frequency	0	6	1	24	10

Question 2: What will you continue to consider when thinking about future careers and applications?

ChatGPT Advanced Data Analysis interpretation (qualitative analysis):

1. Ethical Implications:
   • “I will continue to consider the ethical implications of AI.”

This suggests that some students are concerned about the ethical aspects of AI, whether in terms of its development or application.

2. Role of AI in Specific Fields:
   • “I want to work in the psychology field in the future and AI can be a tool to help me.”
   • “how useful AI can be in helping me in that field.”
   • “I think AI goes a long way in informing physics research.”
   • “When thinking about future careers and applications, I will continue to consider how they might be enhanced in the future regarding AI.”

These responses highlight that students are thinking about the utility of AI in specific career paths and fields.

3. Sustainability:
   • “The sustainability of the AI industry.”

At least one student is considering the long-term viability and environmental impact of the AI industry.

4. Job Opportunities:
   • “Job opportunities.”

Students are considering the direct implications of AI on the job market, likely pondering which professions might be augmented or replaced by AI.

5. Depth of AI’s Role:
   • “AI not staying as a language conversation but becoming more.”

This suggests a reflection on the evolving nature of AI, beyond just natural language processing or conversation.

6. Personal Development with AI:
   • “I will try to familiarize myself with AI tools.”
   • “I will make sure to stay up to date with the latest advancements of AI, as it would benefit me most to integrate it within my working and use it to improve my work. I will also focus on skills that AI cannot help me with.”
   • “Using AI for tips on application and interview, knowing what jobs are looking for and how I can provide that.”

Students seem to recognize the importance of being proactive in learning about AI tools and technologies.

7. Mitigation of AI’s Impact:
   • “Mitigating the negative impact of AI in our careers.”
   • “What AI can’t do but I can, and in this particular area, what can I do to help create a better community.”

This indicates an awareness of potential negative consequences of AI and the need to strategize around them.

From this qualitative analysis, it’s evident that students are not only considering the direct applications and benefits of AI but also the broader societal, ethical, and personal implications. They seem to be critically thinking about how AI will shape their careers, the opportunities it might present, and the challenges they might need to overcome.

Question 3: How do you think being a WAB learner will help you adapt in the future?

ChatGPT Advanced Data Analysis interpretation (qualitative analysis):

Here are some of the responses to the question about how being a WAB learner will help students adapt in the future:

1. “Being a WAB learner in the IB has taught me to think critically and to approach problems with a global perspective.”
2. “Having lived in a foreign country and coming into contact with different cultures will help me in the future.”
3. “WAB has allowed me to be very innovative, which will be crucial in adapting to the fast-paced changes in the future.”
4. “WAB has developed critical thinking for us to consider different perspectives.”
5. “I will bring a global perspective to whichever field I choose to enter.”
6. “I will be able to responsibly use AI to conduct research and complete assignments.”
7. “Being a WAB learner will help me adapt in the future by teaching me how to approach problems with a solution-oriented mindset.”
8. “WAB is helping me develop communication skills and an understanding of different cultures.”
9. “It helps build skills jobs require.”
10. “Being a WAB learner keeps me open to all sorts of new ways of learning in terms of how to tackle a challenge and think critically.”

From these responses, it’s clear that students value their WAB education for several reasons:

• Development of critical thinking skills.
• Exposure to global perspectives and diverse cultures.
• Gaining skills that will be crucial in the evolving job market.
• Being equipped to handle fast-paced changes in the future.
• Fostering innovation and adaptability.

Overall, students appear to feel that their WAB education is equipping them with skills, perspectives, and experiences that will be invaluable in the future.

Question 4: What are some ways (if any) AI tools have helped with your studies?

ChatGPT Advanced Data Analysis interpretation (qualitative analysis):

1. Feedback on Work:
   • “I’ve used chatgpt for feedback on my papers.”
   • “I use AI to give me feedback on my work, generating ideas and insights.”

Students seem to leverage AI tools like chatgpt to get feedback on their academic papers and other assignments, suggesting the tools offer valuable input.

2. Research Aid:
   • “It has helped me do research and find helpful sources.”

AI tools might be used to assist in research, perhaps in terms of data collection, source validation, or even in sifting through vast amounts of information.

3. Idea Generation & Brainstorming:
   • “Chat GPT and elicit, they’ve helped me generate ideas for my assignments.”
   • “Helping me to brainstorm ideas.”

Students seem to value the idea generation capabilities of AI tools, which could be particularly useful for creative or open-ended assignments.

4. Data Compilation & Editing:
   • “I have used AI to help compile data and edit graphs for physics.”

For subjects like physics, where data representation is key, AI tools appear to play a role in data processing and presentation.

5. Question Answering:
   • “chatpdf – it answered questions I had about the topic.”

Tools like chatpdf might function as AI-powered tutors, answering questions and clarifying doubts.

6. Customizability & Focus:
   • “Perplexity can choose various focuses, which can help in studying specific topics.”

Some AI tools offer customizability, allowing students to target specific areas of study or topics, tailoring the AI’s feedback or assistance.

7. Fact Checking:
   • “AI tools have helped me come up with some factual data when needed.”

AI’s vast knowledge databases seem to be used by students for fact-checking or gathering factual data quickly.

From this analysis, it’s clear that students are making diverse uses of AI tools in their academic pursuits. These tools seem to be aiding in everything from research to feedback, from idea generation to fact-checking. The integration of AI in studies highlights the potential of these tools to revolutionize education and self-driven learning.

Question 5: What else would you like to learn about in order to prepare for the future of work?

ChatGPT Advanced Data Analysis interpretation (qualitative analysis):

1. Data Management:
   • “Data and evidence curation.”
   • “Data analysis and statistical software.”

Students recognize the importance of data in the modern workplace and express a desire to learn more about data management, curation, and analysis.

2. Technological Proficiency:
   • “Getting better with technology and IT as I think it will be very crucial in the future.”
   • “I would like to be more familiar with different software and technology.”
   • “Technology and AI.”

The emphasis on technology suggests that students understand its pivotal role in future work environments. They wish to enhance their proficiency in IT and various software to be better prepared.

3. Understanding AI:
   • “The awareness of AI and the tools available.”
   • “Understanding the capacities of AI, as well as its limitations.”

There’s a keen interest in understanding AI more deeply, not just in terms of its capabilities but also its limitations. This holistic understanding is seen as essential for the future of work.

4. Trends & Skills in Jobs:
   • “Trends in jobs and the skills people are looking for.”

Students are forward-thinking, wanting to stay updated on job trends and the evolving skill sets that employers will value.

5. Workplace Evolution:
   • “How workplaces are evolving (working from home, flexible hours, etc.).”

Beyond just technical skills, students are also considering the structural and cultural shifts in workplaces. They’re curious about changes like remote work, flexible hours, and other evolving workplace norms.

6. Independence & Resilience:
   • “Learn how to be independent and how to get through tough times.”

Personal development and soft skills like resilience and independence are also on students’ radar. They understand that adaptability and mental fortitude will be just as crucial as technical knowledge in the future work landscape.

From this qualitative analysis, it’s clear that students are thinking holistically about their future careers. They’re considering both hard skills, like technology proficiency and data analysis, and soft skills, like resilience and adaptability. Their responses reflect a comprehensive view of the challenges and opportunities the future of work might present.

Here’s one more little trick: using the Diagrams: Show Me plugin for ChatGPT, by inputting the raw comments, a mermaid diagram was generated to represent key themes from the question about WAB learning.

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Here’s a screencast of using Advanced Data Analysis in ChatGPT Plus:

This is not a recording of the session I used for this post (I didn’t record that one), so tried again. You need to be very clear about what you are looking for and how you want the outcomes presented.

• Advanced Data Analysis seems to work better with “qualitative content analysis” included in the prompt, and the negative prompt “do not count frequency of words”, or it wants to add up how many times each word is used.
• If you try this yourself, remember: don’t upload any personally identifiable or sensitive information into any AI system. If your survey collected emails or names, remove them first.

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Reflection

From the conversations in the space, to the reflections on the survey, this was a worthwhile session to run. The setup only took a couple of hours, and we were very careful about framing and ensuring that the opportunity was not missed to discuss ethics and integrity. It could have run for longer than an hour, though hopefully it will spark some new thought (and some new tools) for the students.

Some students missed the extended prompt for Activity 2 (they put in more basic queries like they were Googling) and were not enthusiastic about the response. A gentle redirect to the session resources got them unstuck and they got much better responses.

A big shout-out needs to go to the Grade 12 team who have been with the students this week while Grades 9-11 have been on China Studies trips, creating the space for them to have a focused and enjoyable week. An extra special thanks goes to our fab library & tech team in High School who have been supporting students through the last year with safe and purposeful approaches to AI in research (such as Elicit) for extended essays and more.

Every time I have the opportunity to work with WAB students directly, I am encouraged by their open-mindedness and approaches to learning and inquiry. It was really affirming to read and hear their reflections on how the school and the IB programmes have helped shape them. We will create opportunities to run this session with other students in the High School.

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*Trove popped up on my Twitter feed the night before the workshop, so I tested it out and figured it was worth a go for this session. It is very easy to use, and the participants I spoke to liked the chatbot style, rather than a regular form. Data are easy to download as .csv. It will summarise the chat from each individua, but doesn’t yet provide graphical previews for quantitative questions, or summaries of all responses to a single question. Max surveys 25, with total max 100 respondents per month in free mode. Details here.

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Stephen is Director of Innovation in Learning & Teaching at the Western Academy of Beijing and an EdD student at the University of Bath, currently focusing on GenAI in education. To find out more about WAB, visit our news page. To connect with Stephen, please use LinkedIN.