“Hiring for the Unknown: What Graduates Need (and Don’t Need) in the Age of AI”
with Professor Philip Hanna
We invite business leaders and those interested in how AI is shaping future jobs, especially graduate skills, to the next Access the Expert event.
Over lunch, learn from Professor Philip Hanna, Dean of Education for the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences. His work focuses on the role of technology in shaping the future of education, skills, and employability in a rapidly changing world. These Access the Expert events are designed as a focused, small roundtable-style format to allow business leaders space to discuss the topic with fellow attendees.
Date & Time: Monday, 23 March 2026 | 11:30 – 1:00pm
Location: Auditorium, McClay Library, Queen’s University Belfast
Key takeaways for attendees include:
- A clearer understanding of how AI is already reshaping roles, tasks and workflows
- Insight into the skills that will remain critical as AI adoption grows, including those that complement, supervise, or work alongside AI systems
- Practical approaches for employers and education providers to collaborate more effectively on skills development, placements, and curriculum design.
Who Should Attend:
This event is designed for business leaders, industry professionals, policymakers, and anyone interested in the future of graduate skills and how AI is influencing the job market.
Event Description:
The pace of AI development over the past three years has been remarkable. Alongside this progress, debate about AI’s impact on jobs has intensified. While many forecasts remain speculative, changes are already evident in a growing number of sectors, where roles are being reshaped, and questions are emerging about how people and AI best work together.
These shifts have significant implications. Employers are rethinking how work is organised and what skills they need from their workforce, while education providers face increasing pressure to anticipate future skills requirements and ensure programmes equip learners accordingly.
This interactive session explores how work is likely to change, what current evidence suggests about future skills, and how local and sector-specific contexts shape these trends. The session will also create ample space for open discussion – exploring what employers are seeing on the ground, where skills gaps are emerging, and how we should better prepare future graduates.
The session will conclude with a roundtable discussion over lunch and Q&A, providing a unique opportunity to discuss your perspectives and explore potential partnerships.
Reserve your place:
Spaces are limited. Please confirm your attendance by registering via Humanitix HERE.
We look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be an insightful and valuable discussion.