Robot will take your job: Innovation for an era of artificial intelligence

Fear is growing that robots and artificial intelligence will replace many occupations. To remain relevant in this changing career landscape, the worker of the future is expected to be innovative, able to spot opportunities transform industries and provide creative solutions to meet global challenges. To develop such capabilities, work integrated learning (WIL) has emerged as an important approach. The purpose of this study is to investigate the key factors driving innovation among WIL students. Unlike prior studies that have been predominantly qualitative or based on one single snapshot, this quantitative, longitudinal study measures student capabilities before and after participation in a WIL placement at a business. It then undertakes confirmatory factor analysis to compare pre- and post-placement capabilities. The study found that critical thinking, problem solving, communication and teamwork have significant impacts on the development of innovation: vital in the era of artificial intelligence.