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PwC US has announced a major overhaul of its workplace artificial intelligence skills development strategy, unveiling a training model hailed by the firm's HR chief as an “industry first.”
The company today launched the Learning Collective, describing it as an “ecosystem for accelerated growth built for the possibilities of the AI age.”
Yolanda Seals-Coffield, Chief People and Inclusion Officer at PwC US, told HR Grapevine that it marks a move away from “periodic, classroom-style learning” for staff, and predicted it will give the firm the edge over rivals in the talent market and with clients.
“PwC is moving first because we’re not treating AI as just a technology investment or learning as a series of programs,” she said. “We’re reimagining the development experience itself.”
What is the Learning Collective?
In a statement, PwC said the Learning Collective is “fundamentally changing” how it upskills employees, and will feature “innovative learning programs, career paths, and development experiences that combine essential human skills with AI capability.”
Staff training and upskilling on AI will no longer take place solely in structured, formal environments.
“Learning can no longer wait for the right time, place, role or ladder. It needs to be a full-immersion experience that accelerates people and their organizations forward at scale and with speed,” she explained. “The Learning Collective does this at scale, expanding our people’s technical and human skills every day.”
Continuous learning, or learning in the flow of work, has become an increasingly popular model for workplace training, as people and business leaders attempt to encourage staff to hone new skills during day-to-day operations, limiting the time they spend away from work in more formal learning environments.
PwC suggested that the Learning Collective, as a continuous approach to AI skills development, is a leading move in the consulting industry.
“The Learning Collective embeds AI and technical development directly into client work, everyday interactions, diverse work experiences, and real-world problem solving, so people learn by doing,” Seals-Coffield continued. “That’s what makes the learning practical, relevant, and connected to outcomes.”
How will it work?
Underneath the new-look workforce development model is the introduction of a ‘Human + AI Skillset’ curriculum, made up of 30 skills – 15 ‘AI-focused’ and 15 ‘human’ – which PwC believes are vital to its mission to build an “AI-native workforce.”
“The Learning Collective is teaching and activating these skills across PwC to upskill while also fostering an environment where everyone is AI native,” the company’s statement said.
The curriculum will be rolled out across the US this year, built on PwC’s belief that its staff are at their most valuable when “combining the power of AI with their human critical thinking, empathy, and creativity skills.”
There are dedicated programs for key groups such as engineers and graduates, as the firm looks to build a “world-class” track for technical talent and get junior associates up to speed.
For example, the model introduces a new career path for engineers, with expanded development opportunities for career advancement in both technical mastery and leadership roles.
‘Associate Discovery’ – a “collaborative development experience” – has also been rolled out for early-career associates at the firm, offering them “immersive, hands-on experiences… in-person and virtual workshops, simulations, applied client scenarios, and PwC-curated learning pathways and certifications.”
Discovery offers associates the chance to take part in career rotations; opportunities to work abroad; and access to peer networks, mentorship and coaching, and hands-on teaching roles – giving them the “skills, opportunities, and connections they need to adapt and lead in an AI-powered world from day one.”
‘Skills, not titles’ – PwC’s plan for AI advantage
In recent years, HR leaders, business executives, and experts have mooted a rethink of how organizations manage talent, pushing for a heavier focus on skills over titles or credentials such as degrees – influencing everything from recruitment processes to progression and pay.
Most employers (85%) now say they take a ‘skills-based’ approach to hiring. But PwC suggested it is prepared to take the approach to new heights within the consulting industry.
“Skills, not titles, are the currency of this new era,” it stated.
Speaking to HR Grapevine, Seals-Coffield claimed that the refined, skills-based approach to learning sets PwC apart from its professional services rivals.
The Learning Collective “brings human skills and AI capability together in a way that’s embedded into everyday work, not separated from it,” she said. “That’s what differentiates us.”
“For candidates, it signals a place where learning is continuous, and careers can grow alongside change,” the HR chief added. “For clients, it reinforces that they’re working with teams who can apply judgment, creativity, and context, not just technology, to solve complex problems.”
But although PwC said it is leading the pack on skills development, it is not the only consulting firm to rethink how it defines roles and manages career progression for its workforce in the era of workplace AI.
Last week, Deloitte US announced a company-wide reset of its job titles.
“We are modernizing our talent architecture to provide a more tailored experience reflective of our professionals' broad range of skills and the work they do,” a Deloitte US spokesperson said.
It followed a presentation to staff about the company reset, in which Chief People Officer Mo Reynolds stated that changes were needed to “support our business of tomorrow.”
Elements of AI learning ‘required’ at PwC
For PwC staff, the new approach to upskilling means AI fluency is now “foundational” to their work, and elements of the learning programs are “required.”
“That’s the reality of operating in an AI-enabled environment,” Seals-Coffield remarked. “At the same time, the Learning Collective goes well beyond mandatory training. It’s about creating a culture where learning is continuous and embedded in the work.”
In a bid to encourage adoption, some employers have made AI usage and skill development mandatory for staff
Microsoft and Meta are among the businesses to tie performance reviews (and, in the latter case, bonuses) to AI usage, as they push for employees to rapidly pick up new skills.
PwC’s CPO has previously spoken to HR Grapevine about the pressure on workplaces to roll out AI tools at pace, warning that “tight timelines, rapid innovation, and rising expectations” can be dangerous if not managed carefully.
In a December interview, she explained that such pressure means critical thinking can “unintentionally take a back seat,” and urged her staff to review the accuracy of output generated by AI tools, ensuring the technology does not lead them to make decisions based on “missing context” or “biased conclusions.”
Discussing the move to make AI usage a foundational part of working at PwC US, the HR leader explained that the Learning Collective will help mitigate one of the “biggest risks” of adoption – when staff lack the skills to “question, interpret, and apply its outputs thoughtfully.”
“The Learning Collective is designed to address that by developing AI capability alongside business skills and human skills like critical thinking, judgment, and accountability,” she said. “By embedding learning into everyday work, we’re helping people slow down when it matters and understand the ‘why’ behind the output, not just the answer itself.”
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But Seals-Coffield emphasized that the new model is a shift change for the consulting firm, with periodic training programs unable to “keep pace with how quickly work is changing.”
“We’ve been investing in AI training for years. What’s different now is that we’re recognizing this isn’t just a technology shift, it’s a talent shift,” she reflected. “It moves learning beyond traditional tools and courses and helps our people learn at scale by embedding development into everyday work.”
PwC will monitor the success of the Learning Collective as a vehicle for upskilling by measuring the extent to which people engage with the model and monitoring how it shapes workforce skills – as well as tracking workers’ confidence in their ability to work effectively with AI.
“Individual programs within the Learning Collective will continue to be evaluated for effectiveness and real-world relevance, not just completion,” the people leader added. “We want our people to feel equipped to work with AI thoughtfully and to keep developing as their roles and careers evolve.”
PwC plans to continuously improve the model, launching additional learning programs, paths, and experiences over time.
“We are building the premier learning experience for the world’s top professionals,” Seals-Coffield said. “When people grow here, they can go further.”
