Jervan says adaptable IT workers will thrive as AI reshapes jobs

Estonia needs IT engineers who can guide artificial intelligence and apply it safely, rather than only write code, Tallinn University of Technology’s IT faculty dean Gert Jervan told ERR’s Aktuaalne kaamera programme.

Jervan said IT specialists were not surplus to requirements, but the labour market was changing rapidly. He expects more IT work to move into other sectors, where demand for digital skills remains high. Estonia’s relatively low productivity is partly due to digital technologies not being widely used, he said.

Starting next year, Tallinn University of Technology will train IT engineers instead of developers, Jervan said. The aim is to prepare people who can understand the broader picture, analyse what users need and put solutions into practice. He said developers entering the job market can also thrive if they continue developing their skills and learn to guide AI.

Workers using AI tools will need to understand, validate and check the systems’ output for safety and accuracy, Jervan said. He described writing code as “monkey business” in comparison with the more complex work of assessing what AI generates.

Companies that adapt their business models to change are likely to succeed, he said. Jervan also pointed to demand for AI in other fields, including healthcare, where specialists in the technology and the sector will need to work together.