Stop being fooled by the illusions
of the education system!
By TheNewABC
The illusion of work
The illusion of work is based on this formula, that brought the fixed mindset:
Born -> grow up -> go to education -> get a job -> retire -> be happy.
So how does reality look like?
It is clear that we are in a period of time, which is called ‘transition’, the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another. We are coming out of the Industrial Age (characterized by efficiency, repetition and thus standardization — building a ‘system of sameness’ in every aspect of life) into a new age, which some people call the Information Age. We are not sure about that name, Information Age, as we see information as, the enabler, rather than the purpose and intention in itself. We would like to call it the Age of Connection (characterized by creation, contribution and thus participation — building a ‘universe of uniqueness’), to be truly connected with ourselves, with others, animals and with nature.
The 6 driving forces in this transition are:
- “Deceptive — early stages of exponential growth processes may be deceptively linear
- Disruptive — once exponential growth reaches the inflection point, or “knee of the curve,” they become truly disruptive
- Digitized — more information is becoming digitized, opening the door for a layer of analytics (e.g. machine learning) to be placed on top of it
- Dematerialized — no longer do you have to buy a flashlight or digital camera, you can simply purchase an app on your phone to accomplish these tasks
- Demonetized — as manufacturing techniques improve, technologies are becoming less expensive at an alarming pace
- Democratized — there will be 3 billion more people on the Internet by 2020, leading to more perspectives because these people will be given a voice in the global discourse for the first time”
Traditional education and business is not working
Check out this video from the World Economic Forum ‘Employment, skills and education’.
Do you need more proof that the promise of jobs for everyone until you retire, is an illusion?
From the video of the World Economic Forum ‘Employment, skills and education’.
In less than four years it is impossible to create 500 millions jobs. Nobody believes that.
The situation is even more challenging for Youth
- Youth unemployment (>75M, globally).
- > 290 million youth neither working nor studying (NEET).
- > 36% of employers facing difficulties in finding talent (WEF2015).
- About a third of the jobs that will be available for the young children entering school this year do not yet exist.
The people who do have work are not really happy either
- 87% of employees are ‘not engaged’ at work.
- By 2030, nearly half of today’s jobs will either be automated or outsourced.
This old system is not working anymore for many people. And this problem is getting bigger by the month.
The changes that are needed
We suggest to use a new formula, that needs the growth mindset:
Work can and will be done in various forms, throughout your working life:
- Being an employee within an organisation.
- Being an entrepreneur.
- Being a freelancer.
- Being a member of the sharing economy.
- Being a volunteer for the society and/or an organisation.
- Being unemployed.
What are the main changes that are happening now?
The consequences
Those changes mean that we completely have to reinvent the way we learn and the way we work.
For learning, we are gaining clarity, although there is a lot to be done.
For work, we have not figured it out yet. Work is still very much oriented towards ‘having a career’. It is linear, in the Industrial Age. You climb the corporate ladder from a junior to a senior position, and if you are brilliant and persistent you can be part of the board of directors of an organisation.
In the Connection Age, work is non-linear and messy. We can move from one state to another over the period of months. Your reality is a mashup of some of these states.
What can you do now?
Stop sending your children to universities or business schools, unless your children are passionate about a specific expertise (like medicine). The demand for the global workforce is much more focused on skills instead of on knowledge. We are building a platform to learn these 21st century skills.
Modern Work Skills should be at the heart of every education
What can you do now?
Do you continue chasing the old dream?
Do you let the illusion of the old system betray you?
Are you opening your eyes to the new reality?
It is your choice!
Make a choice: Do I want to stay in the Industrial Age
or am I preparing for the Connection Age?
Do consider when making life-size decisions:
What makes you happy
What’s smart (long-term good for you)
What’s useful to others
~ Derek Silvers
Read and sign up for our manifesto!
The Connection Age Manifesto by TheNewABC ~ Modern Living & Working ~
Living
- I love myself first and foremost. Then I will also love others, animals and nature. We are connected, always.
- I continuously develop my strengths and I only see strengths in others.
- Lifelong learning is the essential food for my brain and for my contribution to the wellbeing of society.
- I can change every aspect of myself, if I want to do that. I cannot change other people, or the past.
- I am a traveller in the journey of my life, so everything and everyone is dynamic. My passions, my interests, and my strengths continuously change.
- I am responsible for my own health and happiness.
- I take care of the earth. Sustainability is integrated in every aspect of my life.
- I have a solutions-mindset: if something doesn’t work or is missing, I will create the right solution. Creativity is my birthright.
Working
- I work where my passion, my strengths and the market’s needs, meet.
- Generalists connect the dots, whereas specialists contribute their parts of the solution.
- Collaboration makes competition obsolete.
- Work always involves caring for others, animals and nature.
- Organizations and technology are facilitating the blossoming of the contributing individuals.
- Everyone is encouraged to participate. Everyone is unique and will contribute, accordingly.
- Work is fulfilling and rewarding, so I will only retire if I want to.
- My work has a positive impact, anywhere, anytime, as we are always connected.
Sign up here for The Connection Age Manifesto and be the change you want to see in the world.
Connect with TheNewABC, Modern Work Skills
Learn more at thenewabc.net/thenewworker
