ISE joint-CEO Stephen Isherwood hosted a webinar exploring how organisations and educational institutions can adopt a skills-first approach to emerging talent strategies.
As technology changes work at a rapid pace, core skills requirements are set to play a bigger role in how employers hire and develop talent.
ISE’s webinar explored insights on Kingston’s innovative Future Skills approach, how Expedia are developing their global emerging talent strategy, and how Future Talent Learning are delivering personalised learning at scale.
The session offered a rich discussion on aligning education, recruitment, and development around skills.
Why skills-first matters now
The transition from education to employment is becoming increasingly complex. As Jim Carrick-Birtwell, CEO of Future Talent Learning, noted, employers are seeing a disconnect between the content of polished job applications and the real-world skills needed to thrive in the workplace.
This gap is driving a shift toward skills-based hiring and development, where attributes like adaptability, collaboration, and digital fluency are prioritised.
Whilst these skills aren’t new, their importance has surged due to technological disruption, hybrid work models, and evolving employee and employer expectations.
Today’s talent wants more than a job – they seek growth, purpose, and the opportunity to become more employable over time.
Embedding skills into the curriculum
Ali Orr, Director of Student Development at Kingston University, shared how the institution has embedded a skills-first mindset into its academic framework.
Through its Future Skills programme, Kingston ensures that every undergraduate course includes credit-bearing, assessed components focused on nine graduate attributes, including creative problem-solving, resilience, empathy, and digital competency.
This initiative is a core element of the university’s strategy. It’s supported from the VC down and co-led by academic and professional services teams. The programme scaffolds skills development across three years:
- Year 1: Students are introduced to the graduate attributes and complete self-assessments.
- Year 2: Work-integrated learning, such as live employer projects and assessment centres, provide real-world feedback.
- Year 3: Students take ownership of their development, choosing from a range of opportunities aligned with their strengths and career goals.
Ali highlighted that this approach not only prepares students for employment but also fosters a mindset of lifelong learning—critical in a world where the need to reskill through a longer working life will be essential.
Skills-based hiring and development
From the employer perspective, Hayley Bowd, Director of Emerging Talent and Careers at Expedia, outlined how the company is integrating skills into both recruitment and development.
With high application volumes and the rise of AI-assisted job applications, Expedia has shifted focus when assessing candidates to place a greater emphasis on potential and core skills, rather than just experience or education.
Expedia has identified eight key skills for early talent, which are assessed through the recruitment process. These same skills are then embedded into development programmes for interns, graduates, and apprentices.
Hayley emphasised the importance of learning agility, resilience, systems thinking, and AI literacy—skills that are increasingly vital across all roles. She also noted the growing demand among young professionals for in-person experiences and community, a trend shaped by the isolation of the pandemic years.
Bridging the gap: collaboration between employers and educators
A recurring theme throughout the webinar was the need for stronger collaboration between employers and educational institutions.
Both Ali and Hayley stressed that skills development is a shared responsibility. Kingston’s employer-led projects and Expedia’s year-round campus engagement are examples of how this partnership can work in practice.
Jim added that employers must articulate what ‘good’ looks like in terms of skills and behaviours. By aligning learning outcomes with business needs, organisations can create more effective development programmes and build stronger business cases for investment in talent.
Human skills in the age of AI
As AI continues to reshape the workplace, the value of human-centric skills is only going to increase. The panel agreed that while AI may automate certain tasks, it also amplifies the importance of creativity, empathy, and critical thinking. These are the skills that machines can’t replicate—and the ones that will define future-ready talent.
Final thoughts
A clear message from all panellists is that a skills-first approach is no longer optional—it’s essential. Whether through curriculum transformation, inclusive hiring practices, or scalable development programmes, organisations and educators must work together to equip emerging talent with the capabilities they need to succeed.
As the world of work continues to evolve, those who invest in human and digital skills today will be best positioned to thrive tomorrow.