New Pearson and AWS Global Research: 53% of Employers Struggle to Find AI-Ready Graduates

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Pearson (PSO) and AWS launched global research showing significant higher-education misalignment with employer needs for AI-ready graduates. Key findings: 53% of employers struggle to find AI-ready hires, 78% of educators think they meet employer needs, and only 14% of graduates report high AI proficiency.

The report introduces a six-point AI Readiness Friction Framework and offers concrete actions to connect curriculum, assessment, and workplace capability; the report is available today and will be discussed at the 2026 ASU+GSV Summit.

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New six‑country study offers solutions to bridge higher education and the workforce.

HOBOKEN, N.J., April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pearson (FTSE: PSON.L), the world's lifelong learning company, and Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. company (NASDAQ: AMZN), today announced the launch of new global research revealing the misalignments between higher education and employers that are slowing progress in building an AI-ready workforce.

The Data
The report, AI Readiness: Building the Bridge from Higher Education to Work, draws on more than 2,700 survey responses from learners, higher education leaders, and employers across six countries, including the U.S., U.K., Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Malaysia, and is supplemented by in-depth interviews with higher education leaders. The findings provide rare insight into the perceptions from all along the learning‑to‑work continuum.

Key findings include:

• 53% of employers say their primary challenge is finding graduates with the right AI skills.
• 78% of higher education leaders believe they're meeting employer expectations.
• 14% of current graduates report they have achieved a high level of proficiency in applying AI tools to a professional workflow.

This data comes at a moment when artificial intelligence is reshaping entry‑level roles, the durability of skills is rapidly decreasing, and workforce readiness is at risk worldwide. While AI adoption is accelerating across industries, the research shows that AI readiness is breaking down at the point of execution, where learning must translate into applied workplace capability, rather than from a lack of ambition or access.

"This AI readiness research with Pearson reveals that our primary opportunity is to help translate AI tool engagement into real workplace capability. AWS is committed to working alongside our education partners to ensure every learner develops AI literacy, in addition to the judgment, adaptability, and hands-on experience employers need," said Kim Majerus, Vice President of Global Education and U.S. State & Local Government at AWS.

"It is clear that basic AI literacy is no longer enough. Schools that lead in AI readiness today will shape the future of workforce readiness tomorrow. Building an AI-ready workforce depends on structured, shared systems that amplify human skills and connect curriculum to real work. Pearson and AWS are working together to bridge the gap between higher education and employers and help prepare the workforce of tomorrow," said Tom ap Simon, President of Higher Education and Virtual Learning at Pearson.

The Solution
AI readiness doesn't emerge by accident. It depends on structured, shared systems that connect curriculum to real work. Readiness is built where learning and work connect.

To help leaders across education and enterprise move from diagnosis to action, the report introduces the AI Readiness Friction Framework, a practical tool that identifies six compounding frictions that slow progress across the education‑to‑work pathway. The report also provides concrete actions to be taken to remediate each friction point:

• Pace Friction: The widening gap between the speed of AI-driven workplace change and the slower cadence of curriculum and institutional decision-making.
• Connection Friction: Weak feedback loops between education and employers, reducing alignment between workforce needs and learning design.
• Capability Friction: Uneven faculty and instructor AI capability, limiting consistent integration of AI into learning experiences.
• Governance Friction: The absence of clear, practical guidance translating AI access into responsible, governed practice, resulting in shadow AI use that carries risk into the workplace.
• Experience Friction: A disconnect between access to AI tools and structured opportunities to practice, apply, and demonstrate real-world capability.
• Skills Friction: Misalignment between the capabilities graduates demonstrate and the applied judgment, adaptability, and collaboration employers require in AI-enabled roles.

By combining Pearson's expertise in education systems, assessment, learning science, credentialing, and workforce skills with AWS's deep insight into how AI is built, deployed, and governed in modern organizations, the report offers a shared framework to help institutions and employers align around a common definition of AI readiness and a clearer path forward.

AI Readiness: Building the Bridge from Higher Education to Work is available beginning today. Pearson and AWS are hosting a launch event at the 2026 ASU+GSV Summit.

About Pearson
At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. That's why our c. 18,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the world's lifelong learning company, serving customers in nearly 200 countries with digital content, assessments, qualifications, and data. For us, learning isn't just what we do. It's who we are. Visit us at plc.pearson.com.

About Amazon Web Services
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is guided by customer obsession, pace of innovation, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. By democratizing technology for nearly two decades and making cloud computing and generative AI accessible to organizations of every size and industry, AWS has built one of the fastest-growing enterprise technology businesses in history. Millions of customers trust AWS to accelerate innovation, transform their businesses, and shape the future. With the most comprehensive AI capabilities and global infrastructure footprint, AWS empowers builders to turn big ideas into reality. Learn more at aws.amazon.com and follow @AWSNewsroom. 

Media contacts
Pearson
Sami Miller: sami.miller@pearson.com

AWS Communications
Imani Pope-Johns: ipopej@amazon.com

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SOURCE Pearson

FAQ

What did Pearson (PSO) and AWS reveal about employer demand for AI-ready graduates on April 13, 2026?

They reported that 53% of employers identify finding graduates with AI skills as their top challenge. According to the company, the research surveyed 2,700+ learners, educators, and employers across six countries, highlighting a global skills alignment gap.

How do higher education leaders view AI readiness compared to employer perceptions in the Pearson/AWS study?

Higher education leaders are more optimistic: 78% believe they meet employer expectations. According to the company, this contrasts with employer views, indicating a perception gap between institutions and hiring organizations.

What proportion of recent graduates report strong AI proficiency in the Pearson and AWS report?

Only 14% of current graduates report high proficiency applying AI tools in professional workflows. According to the company, this suggests access to AI tools has not translated into widespread applied workplace capability.

What is the AI Readiness Friction Framework introduced by Pearson and AWS?

The framework identifies six compounding frictions—pace, connection, capability, governance, experience, and skills—that slow education-to-work alignment. According to the company, it provides targeted actions to remediate each friction and improve workplace readiness.

How can colleges use the Pearson/AWS findings to improve AI workforce readiness for PSO investors?

Colleges can align curriculum with employer feedback, upskill faculty, and create applied AI experiences tied to assessment. According to the company, these steps aim to convert AI tool exposure into demonstrable workplace capability that matters to employers.

Where and when is the Pearson and AWS report on AI readiness available and presented?

The report is available beginning April 13, 2026, and will be discussed at the 2026 ASU+GSV Summit. According to the company, the launch event will outline practical steps for institutions and employers to align on AI readiness.