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The share of employers valuing AI skills in graduate hires jumped from 26% to 31%, one of the biggest YoY shifts to date “AI fluency is no longer a "nice-to-have,” I was told in an email from GMAC (Graduate Management Admission Council), the leading body globally that determines whether you can enter a top business school and study master’s degrees like the MBA. Within just one year, the share of employers valuing AI skills in graduate hires jumped from 26% to 31%, one of the biggest year-over-year shifts witnessed to date, according to GMAC’s Corporate Recruiters Survey. "With generative AI reshaping the workplace, employers have taken notice and are in demand for AI fluent graduates," GMAC continued. Degrees are no longer enough. Graduating from a top college is static. Today’s workplace, and the workplace of the future, requires workers to be dynamic. Or, as Greg Hart, Coursera CEO told me a few weeks ago, “The number one skill that will be needed 10 years from now is adaptability and the eagerness to continue learning.” Recent studies confirm this, with research from Lightcast revealing that job postings with AI skills pay at least 28% more than those without. He explained, “Now with AI, it’s shifting from not just knowledge but to skills and applied skills that you can demonstrate you have. And so I think that, you know, in 10 years time, if you’re not somebody who is continuously learning all the time, you really face a real risk of being left behind in the job market because of the pace of Gen AI and the changes that it is creating across every aspect of work in every domain.” MORE FOR YOU 3 Free AI Certifications You Can Start Now With AI set to determine everything in the workplace from rising salaries, to layoffs, to non-degree paths, here are three totally free AI certifications you can take to boost your value in the job market and workplace, beyond your degree. 1. AI for Marketing Certification Course, HubSpot HubSpot offers a range of completely free courses with certifications via its HubSpot Academy. One of their applied AI courses includes their AI for Marketing course which teaches you how to “optimize your marketing strategies and personalize customer experiences by leveraging the power of AI,” according to the website. You'll also learn about AI-powered tools for reporting and analytics within marketing, as well as strategic prompting for content creation. 2. Google Prompting Essentials Specialization (Via Coursera) This Google Career Certificate is perfect for beginners, and only takes an estimated four hours to complete. It consists of a four-course series that covers prompting frameworks and techniques for generative AI, as well as how to do AI prompting for complex tasks including creating AI agents. The Google certification is included as part of Coursera’s free trial, and since it only takes four hours to complete, you can literally finish this within a week and receive your certificate, which you can proudly share on LinkedIn or within your resume. 3. Google AI Essentials Specialization (Via Coursera) The Google AI Essentials specialization course walks you through prompting, AI ethics so you can use artificial intelligence responsibly, and how to maximize productivity and streamline business and workflow processes with AI. The specialization consists of five courses in a series and is highly recommended for beginners. How To Prove Your AI Skills To Employers Sian Phillips, GMAC’s head of editorial, recommends: Learn and experiment with AI tools relevant to your field Demonstrate strategic use of AI, showing how it drives decisions, generates insight, and supports strategy Hone in on core human skills, which remain highly valued Connect AI to real impact, not just technical execution Use AI ethically and responsibly Degrees are static; certifications are dynamic Start your learning journey today, and pace yourself to complete one of these courses within a week or weekend. Once you’re done, share the certificate on your LinkedIn profile, include it in your resume, and share at least three insights from your studies as content on LinkedIn--whether that’s a 90-second video, carousel, or short post. Build an AI portfolio and share your results online. And last but not least, stay connected with others who are on the same learning journey as you, as well as professionals who are experts in AI and workflow optimization. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions
