53% of Employers Struggle to Find AI-Ready Graduates as Pearson and AWS Highlight Structural Gaps — Pearson plc

Event summary

53% of employers globally cannot find graduates with the AI skills they need, according to a Pearson and AWS study.
Nearly 80% of university leaders believe they are meeting employer expectations, highlighting a disconnect in the education-to-work transition.
The report identifies six structural friction points: curriculum pace, governance, faculty readiness, education-employer alignment, hands-on AI experience, and skills development.
Graduate unemployment in Indonesia rose to 6.23% in early 2025, with tens of thousands more graduates stopping their job search altogether.
Pearson introduced the AI Readiness Friction Framework, a tool for universities to assess and address specific friction points.

The big picture

The study underscores a critical misalignment between higher education and the evolving demands of the job market, particularly in AI-driven roles. With entry-level postings shrinking due to automation and new job opportunities emerging for AI-ready graduates, the pressure is on educational institutions to bridge this gap. The World Economic Forum's projection of 78 million new jobs by 2030 adds urgency to these efforts, making Pearson and AWS's framework a timely intervention.

What we're watching

Governance Dynamics: How universities in Indonesia will adapt their governance structures to better align with employer needs and the AI Readiness Friction Framework.
Regulatory Headwinds: Whether the Merdeka Belajar framework's IKU 1 metric will drive meaningful changes in graduate employability outcomes.
Execution Risk: The pace at which universities and employers can collaborate to build credentialling bridges that define workforce readiness in Southeast Asia.