AI has dominated the education technology landscape of 2024. And things will be no different in 2025.
At Graide, we’re tech optimists and unashamed AI enthusiasts.
“AI is evolving as human use of AI evolves. Before we reach the point where humans can no longer keep up, we must embrace how much better AI can make us,” distinguished VP Analyst, Chief of Research, and Gartner Fellow Daryl Plummer, recently asserted.
We concur.
For educators, AI opens up exciting opportunities to improve systems and processes.
For students, AI speeds up the work submission and feedback loop, boosting skill development and job preparedness.
The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report (2023) highlights AI and big data as top priorities for company training strategies, while the UK government continues to invest in digital skills and EdTech solutions to improve educational outcomes. The Department for Education (DfE) has supported various initiatives to incorporate AI into the learning process, aiming to enhance personalized learning experiences for students across the country.
So, let’s dig deeper and look at key trends that will shape education, focusing in particular on how AI will transform the world of vocational training.
1. AI-assisted grading will continue to transform personalized learning.
The rise and rise of AI-assisted learning, teaching, and grading is one of the most significant developments on the horizon for 2025. AI will increasingly be used to guide learners through personalized pathways based on their progress.
This brings manifold benefits.
First, there’s greater efficiency. Artificial intelligence can observe and then replicate how educators mark, speeding up the feedback process—something both educators and students really value. This is especially important in vocational training, where practical skills need to be evaluated quickly and effectively to meet the needs of the job market.
Better still, by evaluating learners' work and analyzing their strengths and weaknesses, AI can then tailor suggestions that help learners improve their skills based on individual performance. Again, this is done in good time, so learners can act quickly, bridge skills gaps, speed up improvement, and supercharge their confidence. A virtuous circle emerges.
It’s worth adding; we’re not talking using the likes of ChatGPT to do the job. It is imperative that experienced educators oversee the process. Deploying proprietary AI that uses only your data and is guided by how your tutors mark ensures consistency, integrity, and transparency, as opposed to generative AI’s biases, inconsistencies, and occasional hallucinations.
2. Hybrid and digital learning models will bridge the gap between theory and practice.
The government's commitment to improving digital infrastructure has played a key role in enabling hybrid learning, a combination of online theory with in-person practical training.
UNESCO's recent Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) strategy (2022-2029) highlights how vocational institutions have increasingly turned to digital modes since the pandemic to offer students continuity and support in their studies.
(https://unevoc.unesco.org/pub/unesco_strategy_for_tvet_2022-2029.pdf)
We’re not just talking about online lessons here.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies allow learners to practice skills in a simulated environment. Engineering apprentices can use VR to learn how to operate complex machinery without needing access to physical equipment. Medics can practice surgical procedures without the need for costly dummies or other tech. All this has so much potential and promises huge financial savings.
By 2025, we can only see these immersive technologies becoming more widespread. Their advantages are increasingly hard to ignore. They offer learners such an engaging and flexible way to develop invaluable practical skills.
3. Microcredentials and modular learning will become increasingly popular.
Greater flexibility comes with microcredentials.
The traditional model of vocational education, with its rigid structures and lengthy courses, doesn’t suit all students, especially when many are still feeling the aftereffects of disruption during the pandemic or the constraints of the cost-of-living crisis.
Microcredentials—short, targeted courses designed to teach specific skills—are gaining popularity in vocational training and higher education as a means of quickly acquiring in-demand skills. These microcredentials are often stackable, so learners can build on them over time to achieve more comprehensive qualifications.
Building skills, step by step, feels far more manageable and affordable for many students.
They’re a great way for educational institutions in the UK to reach a broader audience.
90% of students say that earning a credential will make them stand out to employers and help them land jobs upon graduation, a recent survey showed.
And institutions are responding accordingly.
More than half of higher education leaders already offer microcredentials for academic credit. 82% plan to do so in the next five years.
The UK government's Skills for Jobs White Paper emphasizes the need for flexible learning approaches, such as modular and microcredential programs, to provide learners with targeted skills in a more accessible format.
Microcredentials play an essential role in addressing labor market mismatches by allowing learners to upskill or reskill quickly. This flexibility is particularly important in industries experiencing rapid technological change, where workers need to keep pace with new developments to remain relevant. The UK government has also been working with educational institutions to promote the use of microcredentials as part of its lifelong learning agenda, ensuring that individuals have access to continuous learning opportunities throughout their careers.
The UNESCO TVET strategy also supports modular learning as a means of promoting lifelong learning and social inclusion.
4. There will be stronger industry partnerships and work-integrated learning.
The UNESCO TVET strategy also emphasizes the need for closer ties between industries and educational institutions. As the skills required by industries change, education needs to evolve in tandem. Strong partnerships ensure the relevance of vocational education and training in particular.
T Levels, in the UK, epitomize the power of partnerships.
Developed in collaboration with employers, T Levels are designed to provide students with the technical skills and work experience they need to succeed in their chosen careers. By involving companies in curriculum design and providing opportunities for work-integrated learning, vocational training can bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
The World Economic Forum has also reported that businesses are increasingly investing in reskilling and upskilling programs to address skills gaps in the local labor market.
Companies are recognizing the value of work-integrated learning, where students can gain hands-on experience while studying, aligning their skillset to the job market. By 2025, it is expected that more vocational training programs will adopt this model, allowing learners to gain practical experience that complements their formal education.
5. The focus will be on green skills and sustainability.
With the growing emphasis on sustainability and climate action, vocational education in the UK is increasingly focusing on equipping learners with green skills.
As industries move towards more sustainable practices, there is a growing need for workers who are trained in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and green construction.
The UNESCO TVET strategy emphasizes the role of vocational education in promoting sustainable development and green citizenship. In the UK, the government launched initiatives such as the Green Jobs Taskforce in 2020 to ensure that the workforce is prepared for the transition to a low-carbon economy.
“Green jobs in the UK are growing nearly four times faster than overall UK employment,” says Sarah Mukherjee, CEO of the Institute of Environment Management and Assessment (IEMA), warning of a looming green skills gap. “Demand for green skills [is] growing nearly twice as fast as the growth in green talent.”
The World Economic Forum has also highlighted environmental stewardship as one of the skills that companies are prioritizing in their training strategies. This focus on sustainability is not only important for addressing the climate crisis but also for creating new job opportunities in industries that are rapidly expanding as a result of the green transition.
A future of flexibility, personalization, and sustainability
So, there we have it. Big challenges ahead, but reasons to be cheerful.
These trends represent a real shift towards a more flexible, inclusive, and sustainable approach to, among other things, vocational education, preparing learners for the exciting opportunities that await them. The talent is there, and harnessing tech will better prepare them for what lies ahead.
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