What Employers Actually Expect: Rethinking AI Literacy for Workforce Readiness

Wednesday, September 30, 2026 | 9:30AM–10:30AM MT
Session Type: Poster Session
Delivery Format: Poster Session
As artificial intelligence reshapes professional practice across industries, higher education institutions face growing pressure to ensure that graduates are workforce ready. Yet many assumptions about what employers expect from graduates’ use of AI are untested. This session shares insights from structured employer listening sessions that challenged common narratives about AI literacy and revealed clearer priorities for curriculum design. Presenters will highlight a shared finding across sectors: employers consistently prioritized human judgment, output verification, ethical reasoning, transparency, and authentic communication over advanced technical or tool-specific AI skills. These insights prompted a shift away from tool-centric approaches toward integrating applied, discipline-relevant AI literacy competencies across the curriculum. The session will explore how employer perspectives can be translated into curricular implications, including the design of assignments, learning outcomes, and opportunities for students to articulate AI-related skills through authentic work. Participants will gain practical guidance for aligning AI literacy efforts with workforce expectations while remaining grounded in academic values and learning goals.

Presenters

  • Amy Buechler-Steubing

    Associate Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives and Learning Innovation, University of Texas at San Antonio

  • Rita Mitra

    Professor of Practice, University of Texas at San Antonio

  • Marcela Ramirez

    Associate Vice Provost, University of Texas at San Antonio

  • Rebecca Schroeder

    Associate Dean, University of Texas at San Antonio

  • Mario Vela

    Assistant Vice-Provost, University of Texas at San Antonio