The rapid development of artificial intelligence is forcing employers to rethink their hiring strategies. According to the latest report by EFL titled “Education or Experience? What Helps in Business – Under the Microscope”, nearly half of entrepreneurs (47%) admit that in the age of AI they value a candidate’s practical skills more highly than formal education. This trend is strongest among medium-sized companies and in the manufacturing and services sectors.
The labour market is clearly entering a phase of transformation. While 51% of companies still declare an attachment to the traditional model, in which theoretical knowledge plays the central role, the balance is gradually shifting towards practical competencies. This change is being driven primarily by the need for rapid adaptation to new digital tools.
“Artificial intelligence is changing recruitment criteria. Increasingly, what matters most is what a candidate can actually do, how quickly they learn, and how well they adapt to new models of work—rather than what knowledge they hold on paper,”
explains Paweł Bojko, Vice President of the Management Board at EFL.
He emphasises that in modern business, readiness to work with algorithms and AI-powered tools is becoming a core requirement, not merely an additional asset on a CV.
Bigger Companies Can Do More (and Expect More)
The EFL report clearly shows a correlation between company size and recruitment approach. The larger and more digitally mature an organisation is, the more likely it is to prioritise hands-on experience over formal education.
- Medium-sized companies (50–249 employees):
As many as 71% say that AI has shifted their recruitment priorities towards skills rather than degrees. This is closely linked to the fact that 75% of companies in this group already use AI in their day-to-day operations. - Micro-enterprises:
The situation is very different among the smallest businesses. Only 31% of micro-entrepreneurs have changed their hiring approach, while 68% still prefer theoretical knowledge. This stems largely from low technology adoption—just 17% of microfirms currently use AI-based solutions.
Manufacturing and Services Lead the Shift
The competency revolution is most visible in industries where technology has a direct impact on operational efficiency. Manufacturing and services are leading the way. In these sectors, more than three-quarters of companies (76%) indicate that in the AI era, practical skills outweigh theoretical knowledge.
Automation and working with intelligent systems are becoming everyday realities in these industries. An employee’s ability to operate such tools increasingly determines a company’s competitive advantage. As the report’s authors conclude, moving away from a requirement for “paper-based knowledge” in favour of real-world know-how is not a passing trend, but a lasting consequence of the ongoing digitalisation of business.
Source: ceo.com.pl
