Over lunch, learn from Prof Phil Hanna, Dean of Education for the Faculty of EPS, on how technology is shaping the future of education, skills, and employability in a rapidly changing world.
- Date(s)
- March 23, 2026
- Location
- The Auditorium, The McClay Library
- Time
- 11:30 - 13:00
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.
About Our Speaker
Professor Phil Hanna is Dean of Education for the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast. A Professor of Computer Science Education, his work focuses on the role of technology in shaping the future of education, skills, and employability in a rapidly changing world. He is especially interested in how education systems can better align with evolving workforce needs in a rapidly evolving world.
Phil is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship for his work on improving alignment across primary, secondary, and tertiary education.
Key Takeaways
• A clearer understanding of how AI is already reshaping roles, tasks, and workflows, and what this is likely to mean over the next few years.
• Insight into the human skills that will remain critical as AI adoption grows, including those that complement, supervise, or work alongside AI systems.
• Local employer perspectives on how skills demand is changing in practice, not just in theory, as well as an understanding of what is working locally.
• Practical approaches for employers and education providers to collaborate more effectively on skills development, placements, and curriculum design.
Please note that this is a small, roundtable event that invites business leaders to discuss the topic in an informal setting. It will allow for time at the end for a group roundtable discussion, Q&A, and informal lunch networking session.