Schools still figuring out how to prepare grads for an AI-driven workforce

Writer: Andrea Teran

March 2025 — As AI reshapes industries and businesses struggle to find qualified talent, higher education institutions are rethinking their roles in workforce development. The question is whether education leaders can evolve — and fast. 

“The pace of change is accelerating faster than anyone expected, and the growing number of job functions and processes being automated, not just in entry-level jobs but in every industry and at every level, is truly staggering,” said Michael McPherson, provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of North Texas (UNT), during the Invest: Dallas-Fort Worth leadership summit, held at the Esports Stadium Arlington on February 27. 

McPherson noted that this shift is pushing universities, community colleges, and businesses to approach collaboration through different lenses. Without better alignment between education and workforce needs, North Texas could risk losing both talent and economic competitiveness.

AI and automation were dominant themes covered at North Texas’ regional Invest: conference, with Carol Palmer, president of Amberton University, addressing concerns about AI-driven job displacement.

“People are worried that AI is going to replace them,” she said, pointing out that the likelihood is higher if workers don’t learn how to use it.

Palmer emphasized that Amberton University is embedding AI literacy into every course to ensure graduates can integrate AI into their work rather than be disrupted by it. However, she warned that while technology moves quickly, higher education traditionally does not.

“If universities don’t pivot fast enough, we risk producing graduates who are already behind on day one,” she noted.

Employers aren’t just looking for technical expertise but also in need of graduates with strong communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills. Palmer noted that industry feedback continues to highlight a gap in these areas.

“We’ve heard from businesses that they need graduates with better soft skills,” she said. “They’re coming out with degrees but may not be able to resolve a workplace conflict, manage their time well, or communicate effectively.”

Amberton has responded through the launch of soft skills and customer service certifications, integrating them into degree programs to ensure graduates enter the workforce ready to lead.

Marilyn Wiley, dean of the G. Brint Ryan College of Business at UNT, reinforced that graduates must be ready for continuous career shifts as AI reshapes industries.

“The jobs we’re training students for today may not even exist in two years,” Wiley said. “AI is taking over many of the entry-level jobs that our graduates used to perform. Students must be prepared to say, ‘If my job is different, I still have the ability to analyze, critique, solve problems, and present solutions.’”

With automation making technical skills more fluid, problem-solving and adaptability will be just as important as industry-specific knowledge.

Beyond preparing students for the future, higher education institutions are responding to a fundamental shift in how people want to learn.

“The traditional model of students coming straight out of high school, living on campus, and following a rigid schedule isn’t the reality for most learners anymore,” said Pamela Anglin, chief financial officer of Tarrant County College (TCC) during a panel discussion on AI and workforce development.

Colleges are expanding online, hybrid, evening, and weekend options to accommodate working professionals and nontraditional students. Micro-credentials and certificate programs are gaining traction.

A recent UNESCO-led international conference on micro-credentials highlighted both their potential and the need for clearer quality assurance and regulatory frameworks, as learners seek targeted skills they can apply immediately.

“If a student completes 15 college hours in high school, they’re more likely to continue after high school and actually achieve a degree,” Anglin said. “We have 12,000 students this spring enrolled in dual credit in the high schools.”

TCC’s dual-credit programs, which allow high school students to take college-level courses for free, are helping bridge the gap between secondary education and the workforce.

“This is about more than convenience — it’s about keeping students engaged in learning throughout their careers,” Anglin added.

For education to align with workforce needs, businesses must play a more active role in shaping curricula and training programs.

“We didn’t want to be another university coming in and saying, ‘Here’s what we do. Do you want any of it?’” said Robert Ahdieh, vice president for professional schools and programs at Texas A&M University and chief operating officer of Texas A&M-Fort Worth. 

“Instead, we asked businesses, ‘What are your workforce needs, both in hiring and upskilling? What research partnerships do you need?’ That was the framework,” Ahdieh added.

This approach led to the creation of the Fort Worth Tarrant County Innovation Partnership, a joint initiative between Texas A&M-Fort Worth, the city of Fort Worth, and Tarrant County. The goal is to ensure higher education remains responsive to business needs.

At UNT’s Frisco campus, students work directly with the Dallas Cowboys, PGA, and the city of Frisco, gaining hands-on experience through internships, networking events, and project-based learning. McPherson noted that these partnerships create career pathways that extend beyond graduation.

Texas policymakers are also shaping how higher education supports the workforce. House Bill 8 (HB8), which took effect in 2023, ties community college funding to student outcomes, including degree completion and post-graduate earnings. The impact has been swift — 1.5 million dual-credit semester hours have been provided at no cost to students, and 48 community colleges have seen funding increases.

“We are now funded on performance outcomes,” Anglin explained. “Completing a certificate, a non-credit industry credential, an associate degree — credentials of value — ensuring that students leave us earning more than a living wage.”

With state funding now linked to career success, colleges are increasingly focused on high-demand fields and job-ready skills.

For the region to sustain its economic momentum, businesses and higher education must collaborate more closely.

“We want to hear from you,” Ahdieh said, addressing employers. “Tell us what you need. Tell us how we can help. Because we want to meet those needs. Not because we serve business — we have a broad mission — but because our students’ success depends on collaboration with industry.”

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