Talent sourcing manager at Fonterra also talks about importance of ‘nurturing’ employees scared of AI
With artificial intelligence (AI) dominating discussions on the workplace, questions remain about finding talented applicants to handle the new tech, according to Lorraine Dooley, Head of Talent Acquisition at Canva.
“We don’t know what we don’t know. This technology is evolving at a rapid pace and we’re all thinking about how jobs are going to be affected. There’s a lot of skills out there and we simply just don’t know what they’re going to be,” she said.
“It’s all about getting people comfortable with the technology. At the moment, we’re trying to really understand what the kind of anticipated skills might be, and how we can drive that through.”
Speaking at LinkedIn Talent Connect Australia 2025, Dooley stated that AI needs to be used as an enabler to help predict the unknown and help navigate key change management decisions down the line.
“I hate to say it, but put your own oxygen mask on first. If you’re leading from the front – people will see it. Where it starts is with small, really visible improvements and learnings from leaders, then being able to show them the efficiencies,” Dooley said.
“We’ve been using AI for the last seven years – so we really understand it’s power. It’s a case of really understanding how it’s used and making people aware of the potential to get the most out of it.”
October 2024 data from LinkedIn says that the skills needed for jobs in Australia are projected to change by 66% by 2030 compared to 2016, as rapid developments in AI accelerate workplace change. Without the influence of AI, the skill shift would be 50% in Australia.
Despite AI becoming more commonplace in the workplace, there are still issues with overall acceptance of the technology.
Marrin-Boyd Andrews, Global Talent Sourcing Manager at Fonterra, cited the headspace of employees – with some unwilling to adapt.
“Some people are really scared of it. It’s important to understand not everyone’s on the same journey and sometimes someone that’s really good at their job needs to understand what’s truly possible,” he said at the LinkedIn event.
“That's been the challenge [for Fonterra] - getting them past that — but that is a real nurturing piece you need. You can't just take everyone as ‘You're all using AI.’ You need to be on the same level. You’ve really got to massage it in – make sure they understand that you're there with them, and it's okay.”
It’s all about being a champion, Andrews said.
“You’ve got to be the champion. Champion AI and be the champion of supporting [employees] through that journey. You’re responsible for their development."
