Abstract:

The PREDICT: JOBS OF THE FUTURE WITH AI 4 VET INCLUSION project intends to tackle current and upcoming challenges related to the next generation workforce, mainly those finishing VET programs or found in other similar training scenarios. The project team believes that developing innovative and tailored solutions to close the digital mismatch gap of this target group is one of the most critical priorities leading towards a digital society and its needs. Besides, providing valuable tools and adapted curricula on digital skills for those who need or face reskilling is also a vital aspect this project wants to cover.
According to Eurostat (2021), in 2020, 7% of enterprises in the EU with at least ten people employed used AI applications. If we analyze these numbers within our consortium, Portugal had 9% of AI used on its enterprises, followed by Spain with 9%, Estonia and Romania with 6%, and Cyprus with 3%. However, these numbers are still far from being sufficient and self-aware of how AI can benefit or contribute to higher autonomy, management, assessment, monitoring, and other aspects.
The project aims to provide solutions based on AI, showing that these can aid people in their skills acquisition by having tailored mechanisms which better understand their needs, progress, and curve of apprenticeship. Also wants to build new approaches and methods by defining holistic strategies that incorporate inclusiveness, lifelong learning, and other mentor-related aspects that are crucial for the career path of this target group. VET students must have proper guidance and mentorship to achieve these new skills, mainly digital, properly. The challenges are various, and this project wants to enable the necessary triggers to help these students, pupils, or other people that also suffer from disadvantageous backgrounds and do not have the same opportunities to achieve or develop these skills.

The project activities will highlight the following breakthroughs stemming from its objectives:
• produce, contribute, and update with several resources of evaluation and assessment of the current state of green digital tools and their relation with future jobs. it will be displayed an innovative learning toolkit for VET to raise awareness on the importance of green digital tools and how these can apply to employment scenarios;
• develop a set of digital components that focus on the reskilling of VET target groups. This activity will create a set of accessible and intuitive resources available on a digital platform that anyone can access and follow as tailored training scenarios;
•focus on the hard skills on the reskilling process of VET. The participants will create 3D and AR devices to showcase their skills and integrate them into a digital portfolio;
• create all the methodological and pedagogical guidelines. In addition, it will also develop mentoring and counseling programs and guides for the training experiences.

In this sense, several layers make this project innovative. Firstly, the central concept is that it contributes directly and efficiently as a European milestone to the Digital and Social Dimensions. Therefore, demonstrating that technologies work for people and are a force for good in society. Secondly, this project also wants to raise awareness and promote the advantages of AI (Artificial Intelligence) systems and robotics as benefits for the labor market and each individual.

Keywords:

Jobs, AI, digital society, skills, VET, education.