AI Literacy and the Future Workforce: Reflections from Our Industry Advisory Board with Amanda Bickerstaff

At The Event School London, we pride ourselves on remaining at the forefront of innovation in education. As part of this commitment, we were honoured to welcome Amanda Bickerstaff—Founder and CEO of AI for Education—as a guest speaker at our recent Industry Advisory Board meeting.

Amanda brings with her a wealth of experience as a former high school teacher, EdTech executive, and a thought leader in the ethical and effective integration of AI into education. With over two decades of experience in the education sector, she now dedicates her work to supporting schools, teachers and institutions in navigating the challenges and opportunities that AI presents.

Her session with our board was both insightful and timely. As an education provider focused on preparing graduates to thrive in dynamic, real-world environments, it’s critical that we understand how AI is shaping the skillsets of the upcoming generation. Amanda's briefing helped bridge the gap between what’s happening in schools and what employers can expect from tomorrow’s graduates.

Why AI Literacy Matters to Employers

One of the most compelling takeaways from the session was the realisation that many of today’s students—whether in secondary school or higher education—are already acquiring AI competencies. Some are being taught directly in classrooms; others are self-educating through the wide availability of tools and platforms.

In both cases, the outcome is the same: the next generation of employees will enter the workforce with expectations around the integration of AI, and many will possess a level of digital fluency that far surpasses that of their predecessors.

For employers, this represents both an opportunity and a challenge. While AI-literate graduates will bring fresh perspectives and new capabilities, organisations must also be prepared to harness this potential. It requires a workplace culture that not only understands AI but also fosters its responsible and effective use.

This point resonated strongly with our Industry Advisory Board Members, many of whom expressed a desire to better understand how to prepare their own teams—and their organisational structures—for the AI-native professionals who will soon be entering the workforce. The conversation prompted valuable reflection: how do we ensure that our organisations remain agile, adaptive and relevant in the face of such rapid technological change?

Our Own AI Journey

At The Event School London, we are on our own journey towards deeper AI integration. We are encouraging our lecturers, tutors, coaches and mentors to engage with professional development opportunities in AI literacy so that they can support learners with confidence and integrity.

We know that embracing AI is no longer optional—it is essential. But like many institutions, we are still learning. As we often say, we’re definitely on the AI literacy train... just not quite driving it yet.

Amanda’s contribution has helped us—and our board—clarify the road ahead. Her balanced, thoughtful approach offered both reassurance and challenge, reminding us that ethical, equitable adoption of AI must remain our guiding principle.

Looking Ahead

We extend our sincere thanks to Amanda for sharing her time, expertise and insights with our Industry Advisory Board and Education Team. Our industry board is an essential part of our strategic direction, ensuring that our programmes remain relevant, rigorous and reflective of real-world expectations.

As we look to the future, one thing is clear: AI literacy will be a defining characteristic of successful graduates. And it is our responsibility—as educators, employers and industry leaders—to ensure we are ready for them.