Feature
Demand is up for artificial intelligence skills. Employers across industries are seeking candidates with AI knowledge, and job-seekers and employees are taking steps to acquire this expertise.
“Even if you're not going into an AI career, it's still important to understand AI and machine learning, how they work, how they impact your role, and your company's AI initiatives,” said tech career coach and consultant Kyle Elliott.
One way to gain the sought-after AI skills is by getting a certification. But are those certifications all they’re made out to be? We asked some experts in the field.
A Resume Bonus
Job posts mentioning AI skills have increased by 2,000% in the past few months, according to a Randstad report. In fact, more than 40% of HR managers believe their companies will experience a skills gap with the rise of AI, according to TalentLMS research.
And yet while more than half of employees believe that having AI skills will future-proof their careers and improve promotion prospects, only 13% have been offered AI training at work.
Raja Renganathan, chief growth officer at Randstad Digital, said AI certifications are in high demand among employers, who are sometimes requiring it for new candidates, while also upskilling their current employees to ensure they have AI expertise.
Elliott said that while getting an AI certification isn’t a silver bullet, it can help employees advance their careers. Here’s what you should know about AI certifications.
Related Article: AI Is Changing Learning & Development. Here's How
The Most-Needed AI skills
An increasing number of universities, including The University of Texas at Austin and Northwestern University, now offer AI certificates, as do some large tech companies, including IBM, LinkedIn and Google.
But there are several other ways to acquire the skills needed to thrive today.
Sean Shahkarami, CEO of Opilio, a machine learning health-care tech company, doesn’t require new employees to have an AI certification but he does look for people eager to learn about the technology.
He sends his employees through the Domo certification to learn data connectivity, machine learning, and other skills for using the Domo cloud software. He himself has taken AI courses through Udemy, Coursera and IBM.
“I think people need to be moving with urgency to really learn these skills before it’s too late,” he said.
According to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index released in May, the top skills needed for an “AI-powered future” include analytical judgment, flexibility, emotional intelligence, intellectual curiosity, bias detection and AI prompts.
Machine learning, natural language processing, and the ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences are related skills Elliott said he’s seeing more employers seek.
Related Article: Everyone Wants to Get Schooled in AI
Do AI Certifications Boost Your Career?
Listing an AI certification on a resume can help candidates differentiate themselves, Elliott said, but it’s not the be-all-end-all.
“I would think about a certification as a side dish,” he said. “It’s not the entree that’s going to land you the job. It’s the side dish that’s going to help set you apart.”
AI certifications can help close the skills gap and teach about the foundations of AI, but won’t necessarily make an employee an AI expert, said Kumar Muthuraman, faculty director of the Center for Research and Analytics at the UT McCombs School of Business, who helps administer the university’s AI certification.
Plus, since AI terminology is relatively new, some hiring managers may not be familiar with the specific certifications, Elliott said.
He instead suggests employees list the individual courses or projects they’ve completed on their resume to ensure it features the keywords that match a job post.
Volunteer or freelance AI projects can also help. “Look for opportunities to bolster your skills beyond a certification,” Elliott said.
In Shahkarami’s view, an AI certification “communicates to me that someone has the discipline and mental fortitude to do hard things and see something through to the end, which I think is important.”
Another option is to request sponsorship of AI training from your employer. Muthuraman said many of the students enrolled in UT’s program are sponsored by their employers.
Related Article: All Certifications Are Not Created Equal
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What to Look for in a Certification
There isn’t a standard AI certification, and the organizations offering them may structure them differently and cover different topics, Muthuraman says.
To decide which one is best for you, Elliott suggests talking to people you know or finding people on LinkedIn who’ve completed the program to learn about their experiences. Also, read what others have to say about them on online communities, like Reddit and Fishbowl.
“You can learn a lot by conducting your own research and doing your due diligence,” beyond what’s listed on the website of the organization offering the certification, which may only include positive aspects, he says.
Look for certifications offered by reputable organizations, such as a well-known university or tech firm, Muthuraman adds. Then, examine the curriculum to see if it aligns with the skills you want to learn.
Renganathan suggests seeking out instructor-led certifications, which can help ensure you grasp the concepts. If you choose a university certification, Muthuraman says to check that the school’s faculty is teaching the courses versus partnering with a third-party group with instructors not vetted by the university.
Certifications offered by tech companies, such as Microsoft or Amazon, are often open to anyone. They also usually only focus on their own software, terminology, and technology — rather than core AI concepts, Muthuraman says.
Choose a program with a time commitment and cost that matches your availability and budget, Renganathan says. Many companies, like Google and Microsoft, offer free AI courses and certificates, while university certification programs can run $3,000 or more.
As the use of AI continues to expand across sectors, Muthuraman says everyone can benefit from learning about AI. He believes more AI certification programs will pop up as the demand for skills increases.
“AI is going to be here with us and being able to adapt to it and at least understand the basics, even if you don't get a certification, can be helpful,” Elliott adds. “A certification provides a container to learn in a structured format and gain more skills and knowledge around it.”
