Today’s children will enter a labour market that, for many, will be profoundly different from the one in which their parents worked. This transformation – often dubbed the Fourth Industrial Revolution – is built on a raft of developments in areas like machine learning,robotics, nanotechnology and biotechnology.Once largely disconnected, these technologies are becoming increasingly integrated and, as a result, are driving economic change at a pace without historical precedent.Complicating this shift is that some of the poorest countries have yet to experience even the equivalent of the rapid industrialization wrought by the Second Industrial Revolution. But they, too, will be affected. Some will be able to take advantage of new technologies, allowing at least parts of their economies to leapfrog into the future; but others may suffer, as automation eats into their competitive advantage of low-cost, low-skilled labour.
Are children acquiring the skills to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution? There are reasons to be concerned. According to UNESCO, 250 million children worldwide are basically illiterate and innumerate, while 200 million young people will leave school lacking the skills they need to thrive. And even for those who are acquiring basic reading and numeracy skills, the workplaces of the future increasingly require digital skills – and digital literacy.
Definitions vary, but, according to the World Economic Forum, these skills can be divided into three broad categories: Foundational Literacies, including traditional literacy and numeracy and also – among others – ICT, scientific and cultural literacies; Competencies, including critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration; and Character Qualities, including curiosity, adaptability and leadership. The OECD also emphasizes that noncognitive skills, such as communication, creativity, collaboration and empathy, will continue to determine career success.
While acquiring a broader range of skills is clearly an advantage for any individual, there is much debate over whether even highly skilled workers – such as radiographers and economists – can expect to enjoy stable job prospects in the twenty-first century.On the other hand, while previous industrial revolutions did indeed destroy jobs, over time, more jobs were created than were lost. Whether that pattern will hold true in the Fourth Industrial Revolution remainsto be seen.
SKILLS FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
EduPlus 