Stay competitive

Our jobs and businesses will not be the same in five years. Employees and employers alike need to invest in reskilling and new competencies to remain relevant. Aalto University’s lifewide learning offering helps them in doing so.

If you took a time machine to 2028 you might not recognise your current job. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report predicts 23 per cent of jobs will be different and 44 per cent of workers’ skills will be disrupted in five years. This is a challenge to workers and organisations, but also an opportunity.

“Society needs reskilling and new competencies,” explains Tom Lindholm of Aalto University. “Organisations need to look at what competencies they have and what they will need to remain competitive. Their businesses are going to be different in five years.”

Technology – a major catalyst for change

Lindholm is Head of Lifewide Learning at Aalto University and the Managing Director of Aalto University Executive Education and Professional Development (Aalto EE). Currently about 15,000 people from 1,000 organisations use their lifewide learning services annually.

There are a multitude of reasons for this rapidly changing environment. The World Economic Forum’s report cites economic, health and geopolitical factors as contributors, but technology is one of the major catalysts for change.

“Technology is the crucial point,” Lindholm confirms. “For example, in just a few months generative AI has demonstrated enormous potential for disruption. For the future, we need to think about the skills we need for the interface between humans and AI.”

Wide – adj.; spacious, extensive

The commonly used term lifelong learning takes a linear approach to improving skills one has, but Aalto University has taken this idea a step further and talks about lifewide learning instead. Learning continues throughout a person’s life. It can happen linearly but also sideways, building on what has already been learned and jumping into completely new directions.

Companies and organisations are quick to adopt any advantage to improve the value they provide, but they must have the skills and talent available to do so, which is exactly what Aalto University’s lifewide learning aims to provide. Instead of offering only traditional degrees, Aalto wants to provide the evolving education an evolving society needs.

“The other new development is where and how we learn. There are many different ways of learning: in-person, online, in groups or solo, for instance. We are even piloting mobile learning, where you go in depth for only about 15-20 minutes at a time, such as during your commute. The idea is that learning is available everywhere.”

A unique portfolio from technology to business and design

Microcredentials – short, focused credentials to provide in-demand skills – are increasingly popular. They are typically shorter, more flexible and more market driven than traditional degree education. Organisations need a personalised path based on their needs, a curriculum rooted in cutting-edge research, and flexible study options for different life situations.

People and companies need to update their skills related to AI, sustainability and leadership – among many other topics. Aalto offers a wide lifewide learning portfolio, from coding to marketing, from engineering to design, which can be everything from a single class to a full programme. Moreover, Aalto EE has extensive experience in building customised learning solutions based on an organisation’s needs.

The extensive portfolio of learning solutions, from micro-learning and micro-credentials to diplomas and executive education, enables lifewide learning for individuals at various stages of their lives and careers from self-directed to facilitated learning experiences.

“The variety and diversity we provide is an important point, because companies need new, cross-disciplinary competencies,” Lindholm says. “Aalto combines technology, business and design in a unique offering, mirroring the multisector skills the modern organisation needs.” |

If you are interested in learning more about this education philosophy and how it provides the skills modern organisations need, please visit: aalto.fi/lifewidelearning