# 53% of Employers Can't Find AI-Ready Grads. New Study Maps Six Ways Forward for Indonesia

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/pr-news/53-of-employers-cant-find-ai-ready-grads-new-study-maps-six-ways-forward-for-indonesia
- Published: 2026-07-09T16:20:00+07:00
- Author: PR Newswire

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_Global research of 2,711 stakeholders identifies six structural friction points
in the transition from higher education to work, and provides Indonesian institutions
a practical framework to strengthen graduate employability and IKU 1 outcomes._

JAKARTA, Indonesia, July 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — [Pearson](https://plc.pearson.com/en-GB)(
FTSE: PSON.L), the world’s lifelong learning company, and Amazon Web Services, Inc.(
AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. company, revealed at a report launch in Jakarta today 
that more than half of employers worldwide cannot find graduates with the AI skills
they need. At the same time, nearly four in five university leaders believe they
are meeting employer expectations — a gap the research traces to how fast the workplace
has changed.

 [⌊Pearson⌉](https://mmx.prnasia.com/media/MS1880280/Pearson.jpg?id=OA2756859&p=medium600)

Pearson

The report, _AI Readiness: Building the Bridge from Higher Education to Work_, surveyed
more than 2,700 students, educators, and employers across six countries. It identifies
six structural friction points — in curriculum pace, governance, faculty readiness,
education-employer alignment, and hands-on AI experience — that compound across 
the path from classroom to career. Pearson and AWS presented the findings at the
Pearson Higher Education Forum at the JW Marriott Jakarta.

For Indonesia, the timing is pointed. Graduate unemployment rose to 6.23 percent
in early 2025 even as the national rate fell, and Universitas Indonesia researchers
estimate tens of thousands more graduates have stopped looking for work altogether.
Under the Merdeka Belajar framework, the IKU 1 metric ties university funding to
graduate employment. Globally, entry-level postings are shrinking as AI takes over
junior tasks — even as the World Economic Forum projects a net 78 million new jobs
by 2030 for economies whose graduates are ready to fill them.

_"As AI transforms the way we work, the skills that set people apart are becoming
even more human._ _Clear communication, critical thinking, collaboration and adaptability
remain essential – and AI can help learners develop them._ _Combined with English
proficiency, these capabilities give people the confidence to participate in a global
workforce and succeed in a rapidly changing world."**— David Lyons, Pearson’s Head
of Institutional Language Learning, APAC**

The study’s central tool is the AI Readiness Friction Framework, which lets a university
find which of the six frictions — Pace, Connection, Capability, Governance, Experience,
and Skills — bite hardest on its own campus. It comes with a self-assessment and
concrete fixes for institutions and employers alike.

_"The gap is not in access to tools. It is in the support that turns access into
capability. The framework shows university leaders in Indonesia exactly where to
act — and that is where the work begins."**— Eklavya Bhave, Pearson’s Head of Higher
Education, APAC**

_"The universities and employers that build credentialling bridges together now 
will define what workforce-ready means in this region for the next decade."**— Craig
McFarlane, Pearson’s Enterprise Learning & Skills Leader, APAC**

The Jakarta launch is the first of a series, with country-level reports, and a Southeast
Asia edition to follow. The full report and self-assessment are available at  [www.pearson.com/power-of-learning/ai-readiness.html](https://bit.ly/4v9CPF7).

You may download the photos with captions from the event [here](https://1drv.ms/f/c/191957827af496aa/IgClDg-iQLeTQYQKBhHXu9JuAUXkEbiUDUBSFSUe9Wp__aY?e=CB8NDD).

**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](http://plc.pearson.com/).

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