As we come to another academic year you may be wondering what the future of work will look like for your students or children. How will they prepare for the jobs of tomorrow? What skills will they need to succeed in a changing world? How will they adapt to new ways of working and learning?
These are important questions that deserve thoughtful answers.
I aim to share some insights from the latest research on the future of work, and offer some tips on how you can help your students or children navigate the opportunities and challenges ahead.
What is the future of work?
The future of work describes how work will change over the next decade, influenced by technological, generational, and social shifts.
Some of the main trends that will shape the future of work are:
👨💻 Remote work and virtual meetings: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work and virtual collaboration tools, allowing workers to perform their tasks from anywhere and at any time. While some workers may return to the office after the pandemic, many others will continue to work remotely or in hybrid arrangements, combining physical and virtual presence. This means that workers will need to be comfortable with using digital platforms, communicating effectively online, and managing their time and productivity independently.
💷 E-commerce and digital transactions: The pandemic also boosted the growth of e-commerce and other kinds of online transactions, such as telemedicine, online banking, and streaming entertainment. This means that workers will need to be familiar with digital platforms, customer service, and data security. It also means that there will be more demand for delivery, transportation, and warehouse jobs, as well as for workers who can design, develop, and maintain these platforms.
🤖 Automation and artificial intelligence: The pandemic propelled faster adoption of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, which can perform routine or repetitive tasks more efficiently and accurately than humans. These technologies can also augment human capabilities by providing insights, recommendations, or assistance. This means that workers will need to be able to work alongside machines, leverage their strengths, and complement their weaknesses. It also means that workers will need to be creative, critical thinkers, problem solvers, and lifelong learners who can adapt to changing tasks and skills requirements.
❣️ Diversity and inclusion: The future of work will be more diverse and inclusive than ever before, as workers from different backgrounds, cultures, generations, genders, and abilities will collaborate across borders and boundaries. This means that workers will need to be respectful, empathetic, and open-minded towards others who may have different perspectives or experiences. It also means that workers will need to be aware of their own biases and stereotypes, and seek to overcome them.
How can you help your students or children prepare for the future of work?
As teachers and parents, you play a vital role in helping your students or children develop the skills and mindsets that will enable them to thrive in the future of work.
Here are some tips on how you can do that:
🤔 Encourage curiosity and exploration: The future of work will require workers to be curious about new topics, technologies, and trends, and explore them with enthusiasm and interest. You can foster curiosity and exploration by exposing your students or children to a variety of subjects, activities, and experiences that spark their imagination and passion. You can also encourage them to ask questions, seek answers, and learn from their mistakes.
🤝 Promote collaboration and communication: The future of work will require workers to collaborate and communicate effectively with others who may have different skills, roles, or locations. You can promote collaboration and communication by providing your students or children with opportunities to work in teams or groups on projects that require diverse inputs and perspectives. You can also help them develop their communication skills by giving them feedback on their verbal and written expression, as well as on their listening and comprehension.
💡 Support creativity and innovation: The future of work will require workers to be creative and innovative in finding solutions to complex or novel problems. You can support creativity and innovation by challenging your students or children to think outside the box, generate multiple ideas or alternatives, test their assumptions or hypotheses, and refine their outcomes. You can also inspire them by exposing them to examples of creative or innovative work from various fields or domains.
💪 Model adaptability and resilience: The future of work will require workers to be adaptable and resilient in facing changes or uncertainties. You can model adaptability and resilience by showing your students or children how you cope with difficulties or setbacks in your own work or life. You can also help them develop these qualities by providing them with constructive feedback, encouragement, and support when they encounter challenges or failures.
The Future of Work: What Teachers and Parents Need to Know
The future of work is not a distant or abstract concept; it is already here, and it will continue to evolve rapidly over the next decade.
As teachers and parents, you have a unique opportunity and responsibility to prepare your students or children for this exciting and dynamic world. By helping them develop the skills and mindsets that will enable them to learn, grow, and succeed in the future of work, you are not only investing in their individual futures, but also in the collective future of our society.
I hope you found it useful and informative.
You can sign up to our teachers and parents Newsletter on our home page. Or if you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please feel free to contact me directly at gem@mifuture.co.uk
Until next time,
Gem Hallett, miFuture Founder
www.miFuture.co.uk | @miFutureSkills
