For the past twelve months we have witnessed the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world one continent at a time. Domestic and corporate lives gasp for normalcy as our homes, schools and businesses have been turned upside down. Students teeter back and forth between face to face and online learning. Proximity restrictions have driven workers to dive into a cesspool of digital madness. As we grapple with the uncertainty of the future, one cannot help but wonder what is in store for us in the next decade or so.
In a recent study conducted by the World Economic Forum, the top skills and skill groups which employers see as rising in prominence in the lead up to 2025 include groups such as critical thinking and analysis as well as problem-solving, and skills in self-management such as active learning, resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility. On average, companies estimate that around 40% of workers will require reskilling of six months or less and 94% of business leaders report that they expect employees to pick up new skills on the job, a sharp uptake from 65% in 2018.
As prime movers in the education sector, it is imperative that our direction is pointed towards relevant skills development of students. They must come out from the academic mold congruent to the needs of the times. It is our moral obligation to make them so. When people’s jobs match their needs, preferences, and abilities, they are likely to be relatively happy and satisfied with their work and lives, and workplaces are apt to function fairly smoothly and effectively. On the other hand, when there is a mismatch, or lack of fit, a variety of difficulties are likely to result for workers and their families as well as for employers and society. (Kalleberge, 2008)
As the world continues to innovate we have to adapt to it. We owe it to the future to pave the road so that the next generation can grow. Thrive. Live.
-Joanna S. Cabredo
References
https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2020
https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/the-future-of-work-after-covid-19#