53% of Employers Struggle to Find AI-Ready Graduates, New Study Maps Six Strategic Steps for Indonesia

A global study by Pearson and Amazon Web Services (AWS) has found that 53 per cent of employers worldwide struggle to find graduates equipped with the necessary artificial intelligence skills, even as nearly four in five higher education leaders believe their institutions are meeting employer expectations. The report, titled ‘AI Readiness: Building the Bridge from Higher Education to Work’, surveyed over 2,700 students, educators, and employers across six countries. It identifies six structural friction points—curriculum pace, governance, faculty readiness, education-employment alignment, and hands-on AI experience—that collectively hinder the transition from university to career. The findings were presented at the Pearson Higher Education Forum in Jakarta.

For Indonesia, the findings are particularly pressing. The graduate unemployment rate climbed to 6.23 per cent in early 2025, even as the national unemployment figure declined, with University of Indonesia researchers estimating tens of thousands more graduates have stopped seeking work entirely. Under the Merdeka Belajar framework, the IKU 1 indicator directly links university funding to graduate employment outcomes. Globally, entry-level vacancies are shrinking as AI automates junior tasks, though the World Economic Forum projects a net creation of 78 million new jobs by 2030 for countries whose graduates are prepared to fill them.

David Lyons, Pearson’s Head of Institutional Language Learning for APAC, noted that as AI transforms work, distinctly human skills become the key differentiator. Clear communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptability remain essential, and AI can help learners develop these capabilities. Combined with English proficiency, these skills give individuals the confidence to participate in the global workforce. The study’s core instrument, the AI Readiness Friction Framework, allows universities to diagnose which of the six barriers most affect their campus and provides a self-assessment tool with concrete solutions for both educational institutions and employers. Eklavya Bhave, Pearson’s Head of Higher Education for APAC, stressed that the gap is not about access to AI tools but about the support needed to turn access into genuine capability, offering a clear roadmap for Indonesian institutional leaders.