AI is creating an interesting gap for college students. You may have professors telling you not to use it, while the employers you’ll be interviewing with increasingly expect you to understand it. According to Handshake, 58% of the Class of 2026 believes they’ll need stronger AI skills to succeed at work, but only 28% say their academic program has meaningfully integrated AI.
So how can you start building those skills now?
- Learn the AI policies for your classes and understand where AI use is and isn’t appropriate.
- Pick one or two AI tools and get comfortable actually using them.
- Don’t just ask AI for answers. Practice using it to brainstorm, research, analyze information, organize your thinking and improve work you’ve already created.
- Learn to fact check it. Being able to recognize when AI is wrong may be just as valuable as knowing how to prompt it.
- Keep track of real examples of how you’ve used AI to solve a problem, save time or improve an outcome.
- Pay attention to job and internship descriptions. What AI skills or tools are employers in your field starting to mention?
- Be ready to talk about it in an interview. Instead of simply saying “I use AI,” be able to explain what you used, why you used it, what you did with the output and where your own judgment came in.
You don’t need to become an AI expert before graduation. But learning how to
use AI thoughtfully, ethically and critically is quickly becoming part of being
career ready.
#ElevateYourCareer
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