Businesses are facing a critical moment. Talent pipelines are thinning, roles are evolving fast and AI is reshaping the way work gets done. Against this backdrop, World Youth Skills Day (15th July) couldn’t be more timely. With this year’s theme focused on “Youth empowerment through AI and digital skills,” it’s a clear sign for leaders to rethink how they’re attracting, nurturing and integrating the next generation of talent.
At Core3, we believe investing in digitally savvy early-career talent can be a competitive advantage. For CFOs navigating digital transformation and shifting workforce expectations, the real question isn’t if you invest in young talent, it’s how fast you can empower them with the AI and digital fluency your business needs.
Why This Matters Now: Workforces Are Shrinking and Tech Demands Are Growing
The talent shortage is no joke. With retirements outpacing replacements, many finance teams are seeing their experienced workforce shrink just as technology demands surge. We’ve written before about how leaders can navigate this shift, but it’s accelerating faster than ever. We also know that the skills landscape has been reshaped by AI and new technologies. Today’s jobs and roles are shifting incredibly fast, and traditional experience isn’t the only thing that predicts value anymore.
Generative AI, in particular, is changing the rules entirely. AI investment in finance is reaching new heights, reshaping everything from transactional tasks to strategic forecasting. For finance teams, this means a big push toward data-driven analysis, automated transactional work and a clear need for tech-literate professionals who can truly understand, oversee and add strategic value beyond what machines can do.
AI is also reshaping the job market itself. Reports from City A.M. show the Big Four slashing entry-level jobs as AI takes over basic tasks. The paradox? While AI displaces some junior roles, the need for AI-literate professionals, those who can work with, not just alongside, the tech, has never been greater.
How Core3 Can Help You Spot AI-Ready Young Talent
World Youth Skills Day is a powerful reminder that young people aren’t just the future, they’re the fuel for it. But spotting the difference between someone who’s genuinely digitally fluent and a CV polished by ChatGPT isn’t always easy. That’s where we come in.
Hiring Digital Natives Means Hiring for Instinctive Tech Fluency
Gen Z professionals have grown up immersed in technology. For them, using AI tools is as natural as email was for Millennials. At Core3, we help clients widen their hiring lens—bringing in adaptable, high-potential talent who might not tick every traditional box, but who thrive in tech-enabled environments.
Spotting the Skills That AI Can’t Fake
Many early-career candidates or career changers bring powerful strengths: curiosity, analytical thinking, adaptability, and a knack for picking up new platforms fast. These traits are tough to teach, but critical in AI-powered finance functions. We help hiring managers rethink what “qualified” means, so they don’t miss out on exceptional people just because their CV doesn’t follow the usual template.
Human-Led and Tech-Supported to Find the Right Fit
AI can help streamline shortlisting, but it can also mask true potential. Take applications written with ChatGPT. It’s a bit like using a forklift to lift weights. It gets the job done, but removes the effort and any personality that could reveal real strength. That’s why we don’t rely on algorithms alone. Our Core3 Method blends digital tools with deep human insight so coachability, curiosity, and cultural fit aren’t lost in translation.
Attracting Gen Z with a Digital-First Employer Brand
Gen Z talent seeks employers that walk the talk. They want authenticity, purpose and innovation. Clarity is still your best recruitment tool, so you should showcase your culture through video-led job ads, offer behind-the-scenes insights, and create tailored messaging that highlight learning and tech adoption. These tactics don’t just describe the opportunity, they demonstrate it.
What You Really Gain by Backing Young, Digital-First Talent
Investing in digitally fluent young talent helps future-proof your business. Gen Z professionals are just wired for these modern ways of working. They’re comfortable with experimentation, quick to adopt new tools, and thrive in hybrid environments, making them natural accelerators of digital progress.
They also bridge the looming knowledge gap. As senior leaders retire, a well-supported cohort of AI-literate young professionals can bring continuity, fresh thinking and a readiness to lead.
And let’s not forget the brand benefits. Companies that actively invest in empowering young people with AI and digital skills signal innovation, growth and forward-thinking culture. You’re not only appealing to young candidates, but experienced professionals seeking purpose-led organisations.
Let’s Rethink Your Talent Strategy
At Core3, we truly believe that empowering young talent with AI and digital skills is one of the smartest investments a business can make.
We’re here to help you rethink how you recruit early-career professionals, identify digitally native, AI-curious individuals, and integrate them into your finance function with clarity, care and a clear purpose.
If you’d like some expert help building your future-ready workforce, please get in touch. We’d love to help.
