According to the World Economic Forum, AI will create 2 million net new jobs by 2030. Across every industry, companies need AI-proficient talent. The question is whether the current pipelines can actually deliver at that pace.
In a recent Forbes piece, Brittany Murrey, EVP of Talent Solutions at Per Scholas, argues they can't, and lays out what closing the gap requires.
The Pipeline Problem Is Structural
Higher education isn't built to keep pace with the speed of AI. The shelf life of IT skills has dropped to under two years. Establishing a new degree program takes two to three years on average, and curriculum changes must clear committees, accreditation bodies, and state regulators before a single student sees them. Employers recruiting exclusively from campus pipelines are betting on candidates who upskilled largely on their own.
Meanwhile, degree requirements in job postings were climbing back toward 2019 levels by late 2025, after 5 years of decline. In a low-hire environment, that's predictable, but a hiring strategy built around credentials rather than demonstrated capability has a real competitive cost when AI fluency is what roles actually demand.
What is Working
Murrey points to two practices. First, treat upskilling as an investment, with learning paths tied to the tools and decisions each function uses daily. Success should be measured by active tool adoption and workflow shifts rather than simple course completion.
Second, widen the external hiring aperture. Certifications from CompTIA, AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud signal demonstrated capability. Structured skills exercises during interviews surface who can apply knowledge under real conditions. Relationships with tech training programs and registered apprenticeships open access to a qualified pool that campus recruiting alone won't reach.
Per Scholas partners with employers on both, co-developing curricula tied to active workforce needs and delivering technologists with the certifications and applied skills roles require from day one.
Read Brittany's full Forbes piece for the complete breakdown.