NFER Warns of Mass Low‑Skilled Job Losses by 2035 as AI Uptake Accelerates
A new study by the National Foundation for Educational Research warns that rapid AI adoption may cost up to 3 million low‑skilled UK jobs by 2035, urging urgent reform in education and workforce planning.
A report published in the last 48 hours by the National Foundation for Educational Research projects that as many as three million low‑skilled jobs in fields such as sales, customer service, administration, and manual roles could vanish by 2035 due to AI and automation. The analysis emphasises that while overall employment may grow by 2.3 million, these benefits will concentrate in professional and managerial roles, leaving many workers behind without retraining or support. The shift is already evident: since 2021, roles in sales and customer service have dropped by over 10 per cent and plant and machine operator roles by 5 per cent.
The report underscores the risk of deepening inequality if workers displaced by AI are not equipped to navigate new opportunities. Lower‑skilled individuals face significant reskilling barriers, limiting their ability to re‑enter the labour market. The authors argue that the current English education and skills framework must be reformed to emphasise soft skills such as creativity, collaboration, and adaptability, rather than purely technical competence.
Compounding this concern, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has criticised the government’s skills strategy as incoherent, lacking clear objectives and funding commitments tailored to the looming upheaval. Together, the analysis and expert commentary demand a coherent national strategy that mobilises resources across education, business, and government to upskill vulnerable workers at scale.
This narrative outlines a critical junction for skills policy, pointing to the urgency of cooperation across sectors to shape a fair transition to an AI‑enabled economy. Without prompt and substantial intervention, the report warns, whole swathes of the workforce risk obsolescence in coming decades.
The challenge is urgent: without substantial reform in skills policy, millions risk being left behind in the AI‑powered labour market.
This article has been generated by AI.
