Which skill should I acquire next? Data-driven Upskilling for Platform Workers and beyond

We will present and discuss a state-of-the-art tool "Upskill" that utilizes the data of digital labour platforms such as Upwork with its 18 Mio. users to guide workers in their upskilling by providing tailored pathways to improve their income and careers. It does so by using a skills complementarity matrix developed by Dr. Fabian Stephany, Departmental Research Lecturer in AI & Work at the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), University of Oxford . Workers can enter their current skills and sector to receive a data-based overview of the "nearest" next suggested skills to acquire. Suggesting the monetary added value based on the global demand/supply of the online cloudwork labour market.

 Digital platforms provide work for millions of people worldwide. With current estimations varying between 150-423 Mio. workers globally. With the AI revolution requiring ever more human labour to train the algorithms on which so many modern technologies now depend, this number is only set to rise. Online platforms play a pivotal role in connecting the societal demand for artificial intelligence technology with a global supply of online tech workers. Imbedded within this exchange is the potential of the masses of skills-related data that platforms currently only marginally use for their business. While huge amounts of data are collected that could benefit workers, TVET authorities and policymakers alike, the insights have yet to be drawn on more systematically. This is why we have developed a tool that informs workers and policymakers about in-demand skills (and gaps) and the interplay between those skills and local realities.

Attendees will be introduced to the tool and hear a discussion on the future of upskilling and reskilling in the digital economy. Followed by the opportunity to network and test the tool based on your own skill set!