Enhancing Employability through Generative AI: Policies, Perspectives, and Pathways for Skills Development in Education

Nartey, Emmanuel Kojo (2025). Enhancing Employability through Generative AI: Policies, Perspectives, and Pathways for Skills Development in Education. United Kingdom: Routledge (In press).

Abstract

The rapid integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into higher education and institutional structures is redefining the conceptual foundations of professional competency, knowledge production, and employability in the 21st century. This book engages in a comprehensive conceptual and philosophical discourse, critically examining how AI is reshaping education, professional preparedness, and the evolving nature of work itself. At the core of this inquiry is an examination of how GenAI not only enhances technical efficiency but also challenges traditional paradigms of knowledge acquisition, human agency, and ethical responsibility. The book argues that the future of higher education must be reimagined through an interdisciplinary framework that bridges technological innovation, ethical reasoning, and the cultivation of adaptable, future-ready professionals. Central to this discussion is the concept of professional competency, reconceived as an evolving interplay between technical proficiency, cognitive adaptability, ethical awareness, and creative problem-solving. The traditional model of fixed curricula and standardised skill sets is increasingly inadequate in the face of AI’s generative capacities, which demand fluid, interdisciplinary, and context-responsive competencies. This book interrogates skills dynamics, positioning AI not as a replacement for human intelligence but as an augmentation that reshapes how individuals learn, apply knowledge, and navigate an AI-mediated professional landscape.
Employability, in this context, is no longer about static qualifications but about cultivating resilience, critical thinking, and the ability to ethically and reflexively engage with technology-driven systems. From a philosophical perspective, this discourse draws upon John Rawls’ theory of justice, Hannah Arendt’s critique of modernity, and Jean-Paul Sartre’s existentialist thought to explore the broader implications of AI for meritocracy, fairness, and intellectual autonomy. The book critiques deterministic narratives of AI-driven progress and instead advocates for a human-centred paradigm that prioritises epistemic responsibility, inclusivity, and ethical governance in the adoption of AI within education and professional development. In doing so, it challenges reductionist views of AI as merely a tool of economic efficiency, instead framing it as a catalyst for rethinking the relationship between knowledge, learning, and employability in an era of digital transformation. In addition to its conceptual and philosophical contributions, the book offers practical frameworks for integrating AI into higher education and institutional strategies. It provides policy recommendations, pedagogical insights, and institutional case studies from diverse global contexts, including the United Kingdom’s AI-driven employability initiatives, Singapore’s SkillsFuture programme, and Finland’s AI literacy strategies. These examples illustrate the varied ways in which nations and institutions are aligning AI adoption with workforce development, lifelong learning, and sustainability objectives. Ultimately, this book advances a holistic and interdisciplinary perspective on how AI is transforming professional preparedness and higher education. It argues that AI’s role in education must be guided by a balance between technological innovation and the preservation of ethical and philosophical integrity. The book concludes with a call for a new educational ethos—one that embraces AI’s potential while maintaining a critical focus on justice, adaptability, and lifelong learning. By situating AI within a broader conceptual discourse on knowledge, education, and human flourishing, this book redefines employability for the 21st century, ensuring that higher education remains an engine for both technological progress and human-centred development.

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