In the age of AI, we need a system of career navigation for all

The United States is in the midst of major job disruption driven by the rise of generative artificial intelligence. Widespread labor market restructuring and potential worker displacement will place a new onus on this country, while creating opportunity: either we can be at the vanguard of the AI revolution and leverage technological transformation to build a more equitable economy, or ride the wave created by the actions of the emerging technological oligopoly.

Generative AI offers the means to radically improve the economic prospects of millions of marginalized Americans. But, seizing that opportunity requires building a system of career navigation that enables all workers and learners to adapt as the ground beneath them shifts — particularly individuals of color and those from low-income communities. Such a system would enable individuals to acquire accurate information, make personally relevant career plans, and integrate education, training, and work experiences to advance along fulfilling, good-paying career paths.

Historically, the U.S. has struggled to adapt to technological change in ways that advanced equity. Many workers without college degrees have been left behind, while those with advanced credentials and access to social assets have generally benefited. The shift to generative AI is likely to unleash change on an unprecedented level. It will ultimately change the composition of a significant majority of jobs and the associated job requirements. History is primed to repeat itself. Low-wage workers, primarily consisting of women and people of color, are the most vulnerable to both bearing the brunt of the transition and being excluded from taking advantage of the opportunities it will create. However, AI could also catalyze a major improvement in the prospects of marginalized workers by eliminating barriers that have contributed to occupational segregation.

For too long, pathways to high-paying careers have been opaque and inaccessible, contributing to many workers becoming stuck in a “low-wage trap.” Those workers lack onramps to careers that offer the prospect of advancement and access to accurate data about job opportunities. They, therefore, often end up in jobs that are unlikely to translate into credentials with value in the labor market and find themselves moving from one low-wage job to another, with each position making advancement less likely. AI can interdict that cycle, by providing personalized career navigation and providing hugely better matching between candidates and positions. It can be the tool that allows America to realize the promise of skills-based hiring.

That will only occur, however, if we create the systems required for success. In our recent paper, Unlocking Economic Prosperity: Career Navigation in Times of Rapid Change, we outline a vision for this future career navigation system. Our research revealed that career navigation is driven by:

–                 career information accuracy and access.

–                 skills and credentials.

–                 social capital.

–                 wraparound resources and supports.

–                 social structures and ecosystems.

The inequitable access to these assets has left many learners and workers from under-resourced communities locked out of pathways that lead to positive outcomes. They are more likely to face structural barriers that limit their ability to seek out and benefit from education and career opportunities. Those barriers include deficient childcare and transportation systems, inadequately resourced education systems, and lack of access to high-speed broadband and other crucial work-related resources. In addition, our research found that social networks often determine career exposure and connections. Low-income communities and workers of color are often disadvantaged by structures, norms, and policies that perpetuate occupational segregation.

To broaden access to career navigation resources, policymakers, employers, educators, intermediaries, and philanthropy must take a systems approach to enable upward mobility for all learners and workers. That will be no easy feat. Here are the most crucial steps involved:

1. Build transparent career pathways. Employers must develop and communicate clear pathways from entry-level jobs to upper-level positions that are mapped to skills, articulating the actions workers can take to move up the ladder.
2. Expand career exposure opportunities. Students’ knowledge of career possibilities is often limited by their network and surroundings. We must ensure all individuals are exposed to a variety of fulfilling careers as early as elementary school—and when they are well into the workforce, as adults seeking to pivot careers.
3. Provide information and services to individuals where they are. To reach all learners and workers, we must focus on service delivery models that extend beyond traditional venues into a range of community-based settings. We must provide information and support in new ways.
4. Build foundational and navigation skills. Decision-making, adaptability, resilience, and communication are all critical career skills—particularly in the age of AI. But our current education system is not designed to foster those skills. Educators must embrace experiential and work-based learning approaches to prepare learners for today’s economy.
5. Invest in career coaching and wraparound support. The evidence shows that access to coaches and mentors who can provide career guidance is essential. Given the chronic shortage of coaches, this will require making career coaching a more attractive profession and acknowledge its centrality in our system. However, to capitalize on career opportunities, workers must also have access to other resources such as time, finances, transportation, and technology, all of which require systemic policy changes.

Above all, we must uplift worker voices and make sure learners and workers take center stage in any system redesign. AI has the potential to make career navigation more equitable and efficient by supporting people along personalized pathways and improving talent practices. But we can only harness its true potential by ensuring AI is supporting a system designed to give everyone a shot at economic prosperity. It’s time to shift toward an equitable future and chart a new path. 

Joseph Fuller is Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School, and Amanda Cage is CEO of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions.