Here comes the reskill revolution

Do you know what a holoportation specialist is? Ever wondered what an artificial organ farmer or a robotics veterinarian does? How about a customer success manager? 

The lines between humanity, biology and technology are blurred. The skills you think your students need today may not be what the world needs tomorrow. 

The ‘job for life’ model has long departed as we navigate the new gig economy and age of information sharing. We’re living and working longer in less secure freelance and part-time roles in an age of short-termism. Jobs are bundled, sent offshore and automated. 

It’s never been harder to predict our working futures. So, how do students decide what’s the right career for them and what skills they’ll need to get or stay there? 

Does the future look bleak? 

Not if you reskill, the experts say. 

Where there’s change and digital transformation there’s also opportunity. The advance of technology has led to new job creation and multiple prospects to work in technical industries in non-technical roles. 

According to the LinkedIn Jobs Report 2018, 

New jobs are emerging more rapidly than at any other time in history. It’s not just a case of old jobs dying and fresh jobs being born, traditional roles are mutating and evolving into new hybrids before our eyes. 

Are you ready for a future career? 

People will work longer, smarter and change jobs often. According to the Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) New Work Smarts report younger people may have up to 17 jobs and five different careers in their lifetime. 

The report suggests, by 2030 work, of the future will involve fewer manual tasks and more time spent focusing on people, solving strategic problems and being creative. 

The Job Outlook, Future Outlook research found, 

Over 90% of new jobs over the next five years will need education beyond school and some jobs will need more training than they used to. Many professional and service roles demand university or VET (Vocational Education and Training) qualifications. 

Take notice of students career aspirations and find out if theirs is futureproofed and career ready. 

 What do jobs of the future look like? 

The truth is none of us really know. Demand for future skills is in a state of constant flux. The job landscape is transforming as fast as the technology that drives it. Research provides us with a roadmap, but the lanes constantly change. 

Our people skills are now part of the tech evolution; we’re being asked to be flexible, adaptable, agile and responsive. 

According to the 2018 Emerging Jobs Report from LinkedIn, creativity, analytical and digital skills are in demand and workers increasingly need to reskill and upskill. 

If your students are overwhelmed by choice, and you’re not sure what advice to provide, we’ll help guide you through your options. You can speak to a La Trobe advisor either on the phone or via email. 

The reskilling revolution 

Soon, we’ll only be as employable as the skills we have. 

Whether it’s exploring a new area of expertise or considering a new career, reskilling is the way to futureproof your career. 

Research conducted by the World Economic Forum -Towards a Reskilling Revolution found, 

Individual workers will have to engage in life-long learning if they are to remain not just employable but are to achieve fulfilling and rewarding careers that allow them to maximize their employment opportunities. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers’ 22nd Annual Global CEO Survey, Talent Trends – Upskilling for the digital world, identified that a skills shortage was a real threat to future business performance and reskilling was a top business priority to fill the skills gap. 

Top ten skills for future careers 

The World Economic Forum identifies the Top Ten Skills for future workplaces to survive the rise of automation and they’re not what you think. 

But they all have something in common; we’ll all need to build skills in areas that machines can’t do effectively. The future of work is human and it’s soft. 

Creativity, service orientation and complex problem-solving top the list as providing increasing value for employers. 

Research by the Department of Jobs and Small Business found that around 70 per cent of employers place as much or more emphasis on soft skills as they do on technical skills. 

Still unsure what the best paths for you students are? Speak to one our course advisors today. 

 Article adapted from Nest by La Trobe

Photo by You X Ventures on Unsplash