PwC bets on 'skills, not titles' as it rethinks how to train workers in the AI era

"AI is forcing the Big Four to rethink how work - and workers - are defined. The generalist consultant is out, and technical skills and deep industry expertise are in. PwC has launched what it's calling the "Learning Collective," a new workplace training initiative designed for the realities of the AI era. It's a broad rethink of how learning happens inside one of the world's largest professional services firms. "Skills, not titles, are the currency of this new era," the firm said in a press release."

""We're not changing our titles," Yolanda Seals-Coffield, chief people and inclusion officer for PwC US, clarified to Business Insider in an interview. Still, PwC's approach to talent echoes the industry shift. What that "skills, not titles" ethos means is that, as employees apply for projects, move around the organization, and progress in their careers, it's their portfolio of skills that will set them apart rather than a job title, said Seals-Coffield."

PwC launched the Learning Collective, a new workplace training initiative aimed at preparing staff for the AI era. The program centers on three major learning tracks and emphasizes 30 key skills: 15 AI-centric and 15 human-centric skills that PwC considers critical to success. The initiative prioritizes skills over traditional job titles while maintaining existing titles. Employee movement across projects and career advancement will be guided by individual skill portfolios rather than by generalist job labels. The broader industry trend favors technical abilities and deep industry expertise over the generalist consultant model.

Read at Business Insider