Last week, I discussed with about 20 HR leaders and presented my thoughts at the Josh Bersin conference in Los Angeles. Here are the key findings from my discussions.

• We seem overly focused on AI skills, neglecting the foundational engineering and science skill gaps. We must not lose sight of these essential foundations as we accelerate AI skills development.

• Quantifying the skills gap effectively requires an understanding of the tech stack a company operates within. HR has progressed in understanding skills but still has a way of grasping the tech stack associated with job roles. This understanding will enhance credibility with business and tech leaders.

• Within emerging roles, the complexity of transitioning workloads varies. For example, a business analyst can learn and perform some tasks in prompt engineering, while others require a software engineering background. Recognizing this distinction is crucial.

• As organizational hierarchies become flatter, prioritizing skill-centricity and problem orientation becomes crucial. Smaller teams with specialized skills tend to innovate more rapidly.

• Talent acquisition cannot function merely as fulfillment centers; they should operate as growth centers. This involves understanding the interconnectedness of skills and providing the necessary advancements.

As I began reflecting on the discussions, the importance of our study on the most difficult-to-hire skills became even more apparent. We have been making good progress, but there has been a slight delay. Here is the table from our ongoing study  (To give you a flavor, we have chosen a combination of Software, Science, and Corporate Function Roles)

Summary:  Understanding difficult-to-hire skills is crucial for HR to play a strategic role.