A STATE OF DESIGN & MAKE SPECIAL EDITION

Spotlight on Skills in the Age of AI The impact of emerging technology on skills, training, and talent

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Skills training is essential for the future of work To succeed, businesses need to develop talent that can wield the tools of future innovations

Students transitioning to employment are entering the new world of work on uncertain footing. In recent years AI and other emerging technologies have paved the way for rapid innovation. But with sudden change comes disruption and the skillsets needed for jobs across Design and Make industries are already changing to adapt to a more tech-aided future—leaving students short of the skills needed for their new careers, and employers short of the talent they need to retain their competitive advantage.

To avoid the skills gap, training programs are essential and business leaders should embrace a multi-faceted approach to upskilling, in partnership with educators and students.

“In terms of upskilling programs, I think you will get your money back tenfold if you are trying to run a business,” says Racel Amour, head of generative design at Autodesk. “Helping your workforce develop new skills is key to getting your business to run as successfully as you want it to.”

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Employers value soft skills over technical skills Problem-solving and communication are seen as critical for success

“There’s a lot of ways people can learn now. I’m definitely looking at a slightly different angle when I try to add people to teams. We think that technology or technical skills can be more easily acquired over time with experience, but people’s soft skills, like communication, aptitude to learn, and to drive various initiatives are more difficult to teach.”

— Racel Amour, Head of Generative AI, Autodesk

“We’re investing heavily in our own workforce. We have training and upskilling programs focused on not only technical training and how to use the latest technologies, but also leadership and soft skills like communication and problem-solving.”

— Damir Jaksic, CIO, KEO International Consultants

Key Insight

85 % 83 %

Soft skills Hard skills

83 % 83 %

81 % 78 %

76 % 74 %

72 % 71 %

70 % 69 %

69 % 68 %

66 % 65 %

65 % 64 %

60 % 59 %

Problem-Solving Skills

Adaptability and Flexibility

Creativity and Innovation

Critical Thinking

Data Analysis (e.g., Excel, R, SPSS)

Cybersecurity Knowledge

Mentoring and Coaching Skills

Machine Learning and AI

Data Visualization (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)

Programming Skills (e.g., Python, Java, SQL)

Communication Skills (Verbal and Written)

Collaboration and Teamwork

Leadership and Management Skills

Networking and Relationship Building

Project Management Tools

Emotional Intelligence

Digital Content Creation Tools (e.g., Adobe Premier, Power Point)

Cloud Computing Skills

User Experience (UX)

3D Modeling and Visualization

Survey question: How important are the following technical / soft competencies for professionals to have success in the current and future job markets? 5-point scale. Read as: 85% of survey respondents say problem solving skills are extremely or very important.

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Key Insight AI skills specializations are growing Data analytics is an in-demand skills across industries

Q11 Most important AI skill for each industry

43% AI for Construction

Automation

43% AI in Video Production

and Editing39% Building Information

Modeling (BIM) Technology

33% Generative

Design

33% Deep Learning for Image and Video

Recognition

32% Real-Time

Data Analytics

29% Audio

Processing and Enhancement

28% Audience

Segmentation via AI

45% Data Analytics for

Production Improvement

38% Generative AI

Software

25% Customization

through AI

25% Supply Chain Optimization

25% Data-Driven

Decision Making

24% Predictive Analysis

33% Quality Control

with AI Vision Systems

65% of business leaders and experts say AI skills are extremely or very important“I think a lot of the future is going to be very much about domain specificity. So it’s not

enough for you to have understand the latest ML architectures, but choose a space that interests you and something that you actually want to make an impact in.”

— Racel Amour, Head of Generative AI, Autodesk

“One key role for the future is some kind of data librarian. With so much data in every company now, one should be able to quickly find that one piece of data you need and guarantee it is correct.” — Robert da Silva Bressan, Engineer, Cultural and Transformational Change Management, Petrobras

Survey question: When looking for employees with AI skills, which competencies do you find most important? Please select up to 3 options.

Design and ManufacturingArchitecture Engineering Construction Operations Media and Entertainment

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Key Insight Engineers and designers feel the strongest impact from AI AI is impacting jobs across sectorsQ12 Jobs most affected by AI for each industry

Architects 44%

Software developer 44%CAD designer / drafter 48% Industrial designers 51%

Production engineers 52%

%

Systems engineer 48%

Multimedia designer 47%

Content writers 49%

Digital content / video producer 59%

Graphic designer 60% Manufacturing engineers 56%

Mechanical engineers 36%

Civil / architectural designer / drafter 39%

Systems engineers 32%

Structural engineers 36%

“AI is going to be a massive driver for us. I think every organization in the world is going to be impacted—it’s just a question of the extent. We’re identifying use cases where we can eliminate very manual or antiquated workloads.”

— Severin Tenim, Head of Strategic Projects & Development, ALEC Engineering & Contracting

“When I was a student, AI wasn’t hugely impactful. But now, in the recent few years, it is massive. As a teacher, I can use AI in a good way to help me create a rough lesson plan. I would still need to tweak it myself, but it’s a good starting point.”

— Eva Voma, Teacher, Coleg Llandrillo

Survey question: Which job types/functions do you anticipate will be affected in your industry as a result of AI and emerging technology. Please select all that apply.

Media and EntertainmentArchitecture Engineering Construction Operations Design and Manufacturing

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Key Insight Online courses are the top choice for upskilling In-house training and onboarding programs are also highly favored

Job Rotation Programs 24 % 24 %30 %

Apprenticeships 38 % 34 % 26 % Certifications 31 % 37 % 25 %

AECO D&M M&E

Scholarships for Further Education 21 % 20 % 22 %

Conferences and Seminars 32 % 38 % 33 %

In-house Workshops 36 % 44 % 36 % Leadership Development Programs 33 % 39 % 34 %

Mentoring Programs 34 % 36 % 32 %

Onboarding Training 36 % 43 % 37 %

Online Courses/Learning Platforms 42 % 48 % 45 %

Q14 Industries differ in type of upskilling

“We have an engagement with a technical university nearby to train people. And they do some trainees at our company and we hope they stay at the company”

— Christian Ahlers, CAD Systems Administrator, Linder Group

“We have been running an onboarding and training program where new employees can gain real-world work experience in a systematic way after joining the company. They receive intensive mentoring and training from senior developers while coming together in smaller groups to create games.” — Ji-Woong Hong, Executive Vice President of BF

Production, COM2US

Survey question: What types of training programs or professional development opportunities does your organization offer to enhance employees’ skills? Please select all that apply.

Media and EntertainmentArchitecture Engineering Construction Operations Design and Manufacturing

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Key Insight Sustainability skills are crucial for business success Rise of sustainability initiatives will require new skills

Q19/Q20 Stainability is important

76% say sustainability is extremely or very important for their organization in the next few years

77% believe understanding sustainable business practices will be extremely or very important for career success in the next decade

“Sustainability is about environment, but also about talent. It’s about sustainable business models and providing well-being for employees. It’s about providing learning and equitable access to opportunity—everything from our business inclusion groups, all the way up to executive compensation being tied to DEI progress.”

— Kim Dabbs, VP, ESG and Social Innovation, Steelcase

Survey question: How important do you believe understanding sustainable business practices will be for career success in the next decade?

Survey question: In your opinion, how important is sustainability for your organization in the next few years?

“Our sustainability efforts most certainly attract talent. The workspace is an environment where we need to have shared values. And all this work we’re doing towards sustainability can not only differentiate us with the client, but it also helps attract the right people.”

— Mohamad Kassir, Global BIM Manager, Egis

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Key Insight

“Everybody looks at sustainability from an environmental perspective. But we want to be socially sustainable as well. We want to build an industry where there is a career path and we have people from all generations and all walks of life included in our workforce. That’s good for creativity, and it’s good as a sustainable social environment for our business.”

— David Spilsbury, Chief Technology Officer Axis Studios

Survey question: How do you believe AI can contribute to achieving your organization’s sustainability goals?

AI tools are helping organizations achieve sustainability goals The biggest benefits are seen in manufacturing and supply chain

Analyzing and improving supply chain sustainability 41 % 53 % 34 %

Enhance engineering creativity 40 % 37 % 33 %

Enhancing waste management and recycling processes 34 % 37 % 30 %

Facilitating data-driven decision-making for sustainability initiatives 36 % 37 % 34 %

Improving customer engagement and awareness of sustainability 34 % 36 % 43 %

Increase manufacturing efficiency 39 % 59 % 37 %

Monitoring and reducing carbon footprints 31 % 38 % 30 %

Optimizing energy consumption and efficiency 44 % 50 % 30 %

AI cannot contribute 4 %2 1

Supporting product design for sustainability 34 % 44 % 36 %

Q22 Agreement that AI can help with sustainability goals

AECO D&M M&E

Media and EntertainmentArchitecture Engineering Construction Operations Design and Manufacturing

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Autodesk, Inc. does not guarantee that you will achieve any specific outcomes or results if you follow any advice in the report.

© 2024 Autodesk Inc. All rights reserved

About the State of Design & Make: Spotlight on Skills in the Age of AI report Data for the State of Design & Make: Spotlight on Skills in the Age of AI report was compiled from the Autodesk 2024 Skills in the Age of AI survey data and report. For the report, Autodesk surveyed 1,654 industry leaders, futurists, and experts in the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations; design and manufacturing; and media and entertainment industries from countries around the globe. This report contains key findings from this research, including details at the sector and regional level. Autodesk partnered with Qualtrics for the collection of this data. Autodesk also partnered with Lightcast for the collection of jobs and skills data contained in the report.

In addition to the quantitative data, qualitative interviews were conducted with educators, business leaders, and futurists.

The Spotlight on Skills in the Age of AI report contains quotes from panel discussions that occurred during the 2024 Autodesk Educator Summit.

About Autodesk Autodesk is changing how the world is designed and made. Its technology spans architecture, engineering, construction, product design, manufacturing, and media and entertainment, empowering innovators everywhere to solve challenges big and small. From greener buildings to smarter products to more mesmerizing blockbusters, Autodesk software helps customers design and make a better world for all. For more information, visit autodesk.com or follow @autodesk on social media.”

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