When I Grow Up, I Want To Be…
In the current evolving workplace, this new wave of tech disruption is centred around artificial intelligence and deep learning: machines using data to train themselves and make intelligent decisions. Moreover, innovation in AI networks could result in the machines having human capabilities by 2060. Robots will start interacting with humans and are expected to count for 90% of robots in the workplace by 2025. With this rapid change and investment in the workplace, we are going to see more change in vocational and professional training. This response is in the wake of the demand for companies to address the skills gap and develop the right talent. The looming $10 trillion skills gap and massive job displacement will bring the need to retrain more than one billion workers in the next ten years.
Last month at the World Economic Forum, the future of work and the skills required dominated the discussion. Many initiatives were created, including the Reskilling Revolution which aims to reskill one billion people by 2030 by providing better jobs, education and skills. It will look to contribute to future-proofing companies and workforces which in turn will deliver benefits to the economy and society for future generations.
As more cognitive decisions are increasingly being handed to machines, there is a growing concern on the impact and risks for government, business and people. More recently, initiatives are moving towards better private-public partnerships with new projects looking at leveraging relevant data to identify intervention points critical for preparing a future workforce; curating upskilling and reskilling programmes as well as developing common standards and certificates around new skills.
However, the growing demand for new skills as well as the highlighting of new opportunities and roles created does not seem to be relayed to those currently in education. The OECD recently shared a report that a teenager’s career expectations are being narrowed to a limited range of jobs. The survey, which consisted of 47% boys and 53% of girls from 41 countries, determined that they expect to work in one of just ten popular jobs by 2030. The narrowing of expectations increased by 8% since a similar report in 2000. Andreas Schleicher commented that “the survey show[s] that too many teenagers are ignoring or are unaware of new types of jobs that are emerging, particularly as the result of digitalisation”. Traditional roles found in 19th/20th century, before the era of social media and technologies like AI, are still at the forefront of young people’s imagination. Veterinarians, teachers, police officers and doctors, for example, continue to be at the forefront of career options.
The range of career aspirations did increase in countries with stronger, more established vocational training courses. The OECD shared the example of Germany and Switzerland where fewer than four in ten young people expressed interest in just ten jobs. This is compared to Indonesia where 52% of girls and 42% of boys expect one of just three careers: business managers, teachers and doctors or armed forces respectively.
Could it be that the focus has been too much towards job creation rather than job education? While steps have been taken to create the right jobs and skills for the future workplace, it can be argued that little has been down to inform people of this change. Education and the curricula are inertia to demands in work. With those in education today entering the workforce in 2030, perhaps now is the time to reflect on how we should be advertising the skills to those in education.
