The Impact of AI and Innovation Awareness on Students’ Career Preparedness: A Quantitative Study on Future Skill Perceptions and Readiness

Career preparedness has emerged as a vital priority in higher education due to ongoing changes in technology and workforce requirements. This quantitative study investigates how AI awareness, innovation mindset, perceived importance of future skills, and lifelong learning attitude influence students’ career preparedness. AI awareness is defined as students’ understanding of artificial intelligence technologies, their applications, and career implications. Innovation mindset refers to students’ tendency to embrace creativity, adaptability, and solution-oriented thinking in the face of challenges. A survey was conducted with 200 undergraduate students from various majors at universities in Vietnam. Descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, t-tests, and one-way ANOVA were employed to analyze the data. The results indicate that AI awareness, innovation mindset, and future skill perception contribute positively to students’ sense of readiness. Students who attended AI or career-related workshops, seniors, and business majors expressed higher levels of preparedness. These findings underscore the importance of integrating future-focused learning and skill development into university curricula, such as implementing AI-focused workshops, innovation-oriented projects, or interdisciplinary courses that enhance students’ adaptability and digital competencies.