In the Age of AI: Why IT Professionals Need a Course in Professional Skills and Ethics

This new status quo is changing the qualities that companies most value in their IT professionals. Since AI is so effective in the automation of representative tasks, IT workers still need to have hard skills, but are no longer valuable enough to employers if that’s all they offer. For example, an SDI survey of IT professionals found emotional intelligence is the skill service desk professionals will need most in the next 2-3 years.

Another trade off is AI programs such as ChatGPT have recalibrated the floor for writing skills, as anyone can deliver a serviceable written message of any length through a series of quick prompts. That puts more of a premium on employers being effective communicators when speaking with coworkers. For instance, a study by the USC Marshall School of Business found 72% of frequent AI users reported that oral communication will become more important.

AI has also increased the need for IT professionals to engage in critical thinking, particularly around ethical considerations. Generative artificial intelligence is only as accurate as the data set it’s trained on, and 53% of executives in an Asana survey expressed concern people will make decisions using unreliable information from AI.

There’s always a risk with AI and algorithms that, without ethical oversight, the technology will just reinforce systemic inequalities. For example, a study published in Science found a massive flaw in a widely used healthcare risk-prediction algorithm used to choose patients who would most benefit from extra intervention.

The algorithm incorrectly assumed White patients proportionally were more at risk than Black patients around issues like diabetes or hypertension. What the algorithm missed is not all patients receive the same quality of care: Black patients receive lower risk scores, even when they have identical symptoms to White patients.

A 2019 survey by the Capgemini Research Institute found 62% of consumers said they’d put a higher trust in companies whose AI interactions they perceive as ethical. IT workers considering ethics and cultural sensitivities in how they use AI will go a long way in winning back the public trust and providing more accurate data.

How MedCerts Delivers Better Ethics and Soft Skills Training for IT Teams

While it’s a big topic, the MedCerts IT Professional Skills, and Ethics in the Age of AI speciality course condenses what aspiring and established Information Technology professionals need to know to integrate this transformative technology into their skill-set while maintaining ethical awareness. The 1-week, 16-hour course focuses on soft skills relevant to modern IT roles such as effective communication, problem-solving, time management and adaptability. It also explores other durable skills including critical thinking, ethical awareness, cultural sensitivity and conflict resolution.

Taught by seasoned IT professionals and professional educators, the course also provides relevant instruction and purposeful practice around such hard skills as AI foundations, Generative AI essentials, prompt engineering standards and protocols and ChatGPT best practices.

The IT Professional Skills, and Ethics in the Age of AI course is most relevant to professionals in IT Support, Networking, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Programming, Project Management and Artificial Intelligence. It will both deepen their understanding of IT and AI while also providing the soft skills needed to collaborate effectively, lead teams and enhance workplace communication.

The online, on-demand course allows students to learn at their own pace and provides an engaging education experience through eLearning elements such as 3D scenarios, conversational AI interaction, real-world case studies and a capstone simulation. The curriculum includes the following course objectives.

Course Objectives

• Develop adaptability skills
• Identify and apply skills for keeping pace with rapid technological advancements and industry trends
• Deconstruct and develop these strategies; continuous learning and staying updated about IT trends
• Facilitate clear interaction with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Develop effective communication skills
• Examine and deconstruct these strategies: Active listening, providing and receiving feedback, clarity in technical explanations and stakeholder engagement.
• Apply communication concepts to ensure project requirements are understood and met
• Develop skills for effectively communicating IT and AI concepts
• Diagnose and address technical and ethical issues efficiently
• Develop problem-solving skills
• Understand and apply root cause analysis, known as R-C-A
• Develop brainstorming solutions and examine structured problem-solving frameworks
• Develop time management skills
• Perform best practices using AI tools for the following: task automation, prioritizing tasks for projects and developing efficient workflows
• Analyze how to enhance productivity and ensure timely project completion
• Deconstruct and develop strategies for accuracy, efficiency and staying updated about ethics in AI projects

The IT Professional Skills, and Ethics in the Age of AI course is being offered as a standalone speciality course by MedCerts for the first time. For employers who want to upskill their IT team around AI best practices, this provides the quickest, most efficient path.

However, the IT Professional Skills, and Ethics in the Age of AI course is also a required component of larger MedCerts training programs. Completing the course gives learners a head start on taking the following training certification programs, if employers choose to continue supporting their employees on an IT Support and Networking educational pathway.  

The following programs don’t contain IT Professional Skills, and Ethics in the Age of AI, but the course is considered a stackable add-on. That means these IT programs may be enhanced by adding the Professional Skills and Ethics course.  

The à la carte cost of the IT Professional Skills, and Ethics in the Age of AI course is $500.

Want more information about how your IT team would benefit from MedCerts Partner Solutions teaching them more about soft skills and ethics in the context of AI? Contact us today at [email protected] to learn more!