Work skills for the future Whether you are a student deciding what courses to pursue or someone older planning a career change, this article will help you understand that the answer lies in not choosing a job. Instead, it’s about equipping yourself with work skills for the future, where rapid change will see us do many different jobs and require a continual learning journey to access them. Helping Victorians understand the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow’s economy is part of the Digital Innovation Festival (DIF), which aims to foster economic resilience for our state. This article will help you do that, and will show you how to learn more through DIF events too. AN ECONOMY POISED FOR MAJOR CHANGE Our workforce is continually changing and evolving, and technology has long been a major force behind that. But the changes expected over the next 20 years are likely to be unprecedented. Why? Because of a combination of forces that are set to bring greater, faster and different workforce transitions than we have seen in the past[1]. These forces include: Rapid technological change driven by faster computers, greater connectivity, increased data collection and artificial intelligence Disruptive business models, such as Uber and Airbnb, that transform industries, removing the need for some jobs and creating others An increasingly global workforce as more people access tertiary education worldwide and online marketplaces enable anyone, anywhere in the world, to work for Australian-based businesses
WHAT TO EXPECT The future is far from clear but there are some emerging trends that are likely to continue, providing the backdrop for jobs of the future. Larger companies might choose staffing models with a smaller number of staff, supplemented by freelancers Small businesses are likely to grow, benefiting from technology and greater connectivity which makes it easier for them to build reputations and access larger markets Automation will continue affecting jobs, typically those with lower pay and/or less formal education Artificial intelligence could affect many industries, including higher paid ones such as law and medicine, by taking over some tasks and augmenting human involvement in others Diversity and culture will become increasingly important to successful organisations because of the strong connection they have to innovation and productivity carsales Chief People Officer Jo Allan knows first hand the importance of this last point. carsales began as a startup and has grown into an ASX top 100 company with more than 1200 employees in Australia and overseas. “We need to continue innovating to remain relevant,” Jo says. “And to be innovative, we need diversity of thought. Our goal is to be a destination for talent who want to work in a business that is successful not only for its financials but also for its culture.”
Choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life - so the saying goes. But how do you do that in a world where work skills seem to be changing?
