Three-quarters of employers recognise significant industry skills shortages, yet 97% of workers believe they already possess the capabilities their jobs will require over the next year, according to research from Imperial College London.
The findings reveal a substantial difference between employer concerns about workforce readiness and employees’ confidence in their abilities as artificial intelligence changes working practices across British businesses.
Imperial College London surveyed 2,000 UK employees, including business owners, across five industries experiencing significant technological change.
The sectors included financial services, engineering and manufacturing, technology, energy and sustainability, and healthcare and life sciences.
The university found that 59% of workers believed a significant skills gap existed in their industry, while 66% thought unresolved shortages could seriously affect Britain’s international competitiveness.
However, concerns about wider skills shortages did not necessarily translate into doubts about respondents’ own capabilities.
The contrast is particularly relevant as employers assess whether existing training arrangements are keeping pace with increasingly sophisticated AI systems and changing job responsibilities.
Imperial’s research also identified differences in how employees across age groups use AI and whether they disclose that use to colleagues or employers.
Among Generation Z respondents, 29% said they used AI at work without their employer’s knowledge, compared with 18% of Millennials, 11% of Generation X, and 6% of Baby Boomers.
Some 35% of Gen Z respondents said using AI at work felt dishonest, while 26% worried that colleagues would judge them negatively for doing so.
These results concern reported attitudes and behaviour. They do not establish that undisclosed use necessarily involved breaches of company policy or inappropriate handling of business information.
Training and workplace governance —
The findings accompany the launch of Imperial Lifelong Learning, a new university division providing professional development and training for individuals and organisations.
Its programmes will cover leadership, emerging technologies, and the practical skills required as working practices change.
Heather Haseley, chief lifelong learning officer at Imperial Lifelong Learning, said the rapid adoption of AI created a risk that employees’ capabilities would struggle to keep pace with developments in the technology.
She highlighted the importance of understanding how AI systems should be used responsibly, including the need for appropriate governance and human judgement.
For employers, undisclosed AI use can complicate efforts to establish which applications are being used, what information employees share with external services, and whether existing internal controls remain effective.
At the same time, restricting use without providing suitable training or approved alternatives can leave organisations without a clear picture of employees’ developing skills.
The survey suggests that confidence in current job performance and recognition of broader industry skills shortages can coexist within the same workforce.
Those perceptions should not be treated as direct assessments of competence. The research did not independently test whether workers possessed the technical or professional skills they believed they had.
Independent research agency Censuswide conducted the survey between 4 and 15 September 2026, recruiting at least 100 respondents from each of the five target sectors.
Ten interviews with senior leaders provided additional qualitative perspectives during September and October.
Imperial Lifelong Learning will deliver courses and tailored programmes for professional learners and organisations, including training addressing responsible technology adoption and leadership.
The launch adds a new source of professional education as employers consider how to align workforce development, AI governance, and the skills required for changing roles.
