A lot is about to change.

Why you need to embrace the future of work

Things are changing, digital is changing the future of work for all of us

(Yes, that means you too).

We are about to see a shift towards more part-time, freelance-based work as people will end up taking on a number of different roles simultaneously.

No, that doesn’t mean you’ll have more than one full-time job (you’re not superman, and that would be crazy).

It’s likely that the future workforce will have a bunch of smaller roles in different sectors, so it’s up to you to make sure you have the skills that are needed.

Now, we don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves with all of this, these changes are unlikely to start having an impact the until 2050… but that’s closer than you might think, so it’s important that you are prepared.

There are some things that you can do RIGHT NOW to ensure you have the skills needed to stay relevant within your chosen field.

1. Enhance your mindset
2. Embrace Ambiguity
3. Be curious

Barbara Mistick from the World Economic Forum says:

“5 million jobs will go away in the next decade and an Oxford study said one of two jobs will go away. There’s a tremendous shift taking place in the workplace and we have a sense that people need some skills to be prepared for the changes ahead.”

So, what’s the first thing you need to acknowledge?

A new way of thinking.

Embracing a New Mindset

In order to truly adapt to the world of tomorrow, you must understand WHY you have to embrace digital and continue developing your skills throughout your entire career.

Times have changed where a shiny piece of paper with a degree would be enough for you to qualify as having the “skills” you need for work.

If it’s not already, it will likely be outdated before you even graduate.

With apprenticeships on the rise, as well as online courses and other digital learning platforms — people are seeking new ways of enhancing their knowledge and building a portfolio of skills that range in a variety of different topics.

Let’s take a second, we aren’t suggesting that you have to have everything figured out right now.

The point we want to get across is that the world is changing, and you better be ready to fail fast and learn quickly.

You need to go out there and see everything as a learning experience. You need to get comfortable with not knowing everything, but still always be on the lookout for knowledge that can keep you in the know.

The digital world is always changing, and if you adopt a growth mindset, you’ll give yourself the best chance for success in the future!

Hoan your digital craft by taking on external learning outside of study or work.

Websites like Udemy and other online course providers are a great place to start.

The bottom line is, you must stay relevant. You need to make sure that you are keeping up with technology, that way you will be a valuable asset to any organisation that you work for in the future.

This post is the first in a series of blogs that will be focused around the future of work for young people. Keep an eye out for our next post where we look into Artificial Intelligence and Automation (and how they’ll impact us in the future).

Don’t forget to follow Freeformers on social media.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube.

More about the author: Anthony Adeloye