Did you know that in 25 years, nearly 50% of current jobs will disappear? The world as we know it is changing, due to innovation and technological advancements. From the classroom to the workplace, transformations are imminent, and preparing children for the future has become a vital task.
With the spread of the global pandemic, COVID-19, the transformation has been even more exponential in a very short timeframe. Just look at the educational sector. Millions of children across the globe are being home schooled due to forced school closures, and are using digital platforms for coursework. This forced shift however, does have its benefits. Parents and their children are bonding more than ever, and together, they are learning to adapt to the future.
Let us a take a look at these shifts and how we, as a community, can prepare children for the future workplace.
Which jobs will become obsolete in the future?
According to global studies, technology is disrupting all sectors, even those without digital presence. However, the main shifts will be most visibly seen in:
- Banking will move to online platforms, becoming completely digitized. This has already started happening, with banks strengthening their online banking solutions.
- Doctors will be accessed and consulted through the web. Platforms are already sprouting across the region, and doctors are carrying out consultations online
- Different parts of the engineering sector will be automated
- Cars will drive themselves, via automated systems
- And of course, other aspects of business will be led through online platforms that require development and coding, to be optimized
What skills do children need to be competitive in the future?
What we can derive from these shifts, is that innovation and technological advancements, as well as Artificial Intelligence (AI), are taking over, and automating many jobs. As a result, soft skills and deep technical expertise are becoming essential, for children and young adults to become more competitive in the future workplace.
From a technical expertise perspective, these are the most lucrative skills that will rise in demand:
- Robotics
- Business intelligence
- Programming and software development
- Machine learning
- Big data
On the soft skills side, these are essential:
- Organizational skills
- Emotional intelligence
- Communication skills
- Teamwork and people skills
- Problem solving and analytical skills
- Emotional intelligence is becoming a greater predictor of career success, than IQ levels.
How can we prepare children for the future workplace?
The new opportunities being created as a result of innovation and technological advancements are plenty. We can expect to see:
- Higher productivity and efficiency levels, allowing employees to spend more time on creativity and thinking
- More jobs will be created in the fields of IT development, hardware, app creation, etc. In Paris alone, the internet has created 1.2 million new jobs in the past 15 years. Just think about how the MENA region will transform in this regard.
- The growing role of big data is creating an increased need for statisticians and data analysts.
- Human centered jobs such as therapists, social workers, teachers, etc. are becoming more appreciated
- New forms of entrepreneurial activity will arise, that will be accessible to the less-skilled through digital platforms
- The way job-matching sites and talent recruitment is conducted, is bound to change
Adapting education for the future
Education systems are already changing, integrating STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) into curricula. STEAM labs are being developed within schools, for children to receive first-hand experience in these fields, using the latest technologies. But there is more to be done, which parents can take charge of. Children need to be empowered to hone their learning in these areas, and become experts in topics that interest them.
Why coding is a great option for children?
Children who learn to code from a young age will be very competitively positioned in the future. The benefits of coding are diverse, and include:
- It does not matter what career they get into, learning how to work with technology will make them more competitive in the future workplace, specifically with over 500,000 jobs open in these fields today, expected to exponentially grow in the coming years
- It can will enhance their creativity, logic and problem-solving skills, which are becoming more essential, as technology is disrupting how we work.
- It will allow them to learn how to develop Apps, how the internet works and how algorithms function. After all, this is the majority of what businesses in the 21st century require today.
- It will allow them to explore the world of computer science. Computer science majors are expected to earn much more, than any other major (almost 40% more!)
Start exploring your children’s passions today and ensure they are receiving a quality STEAM education.
Check out the coding workshops and boot camps at the BDD Academy, and get your children started on their journey into the future.
