Many organizations want to become skills-based but struggle to operationalize the skills approach beyond purchasing a platform or adopting a generic framework. At Macmillan Learning, we had competencies and more than 800 learning resources. Yet only 64% of employees felt training supported future roles. The issue wasn’t content—it was clarity. Instead of implementing a prebuilt skills framework, our small L&D team designed an AI-enabled skills generation system.

Using a custom GPT trained on job descriptions, competencies, and market data, we generated structured skill lists (15–25 skills per role) across the organization. We then applied governance to standardize language, eliminate duplication, define proficiency expectations, and ensure scalability. The curated skills were embedded into our LMS, enabling skills mapping, gap visibility, and AI-driven learning recommendations.

Results include:

• 100% role coverage
• High self-assessment and manager validation completion during the first review cycle
• Standardization of 700+ skills into governed libraries
• Clear identification of enterprise-wide skill priorities guiding 2026 programming

In this hands-on session, designed for learning professionals seeking to operationalize skills-based development using AI in a practical, scalable way, you’ll learn how to design your own AI-powered skills engine—whether or not you have enterprise GPT access. We’ll share our prompt architecture, governance model, risk mitigation approach, and lessons learned. You’ll test a structured prompt framework live and begin mapping how to scale a skills system in your organization and leave with a replicable framework, tested prompts, governance blueprint, and implementation roadmap.

In this session, you will learn to:

• Structure AI prompts to generate high-quality, role-based skill lists
• Design governance guardrails that protect consistency and data integrity
• Scale from pilot to enterprise-wide skills architecture
• Translate skills data into executive-ready workforce insights

Attendees should have a basic understanding of competency frameworks and general familiarity with generative AI tools, but no prior experience building a skills ontology or custom GPT is required.

Technology Required:
Laptop
LLM