Future jobs – which foundation skills for the INFOTRONICS age?

Accessed CEDA https://cica.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Australias-future-workforce.pdf p202 19/4/16

 “The future is closer than you think”………………. “All these things are not just coming. We are in them.”

Chief Executive, Foundation for Young Australians, Jan Owen

Accessed 4/4/16 Google Atlas robot 2016 video

If you’re not sure what the Infotronics Age may hold then have a look at:

• the Google Atlas Next Generation 2016 robot in action (that’s it in the above photo) and think about its capacity to work 24/7, and remain free of injury!
• the human-like robot , Sophia, in the video posted by Wendy Perry (Workforce Planning) who recently attended the US 2016 SXSW (South by Southwest) Interactive festival.Ponder potential roles – predictions suggest the intelligence capacity will supercede human potential – faster, cheaper!
• the IBM Watson computer competing in the US TV show Jeopardy and that was 2 years ago! What has been developed since?

OR explore these documents:

• Centre for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) 2016 report Australia’s Future Workforce
• CSIRO 2016  Tomorrow’s Digitally Enabled World Data 61

future trends: the big picture

• A 15 year-old today should expect to have 17 different jobs in five sectors in his or her working life
• Two-thirds of the tertiary study currently being undertaken is towards jobs which soon won’t exist
• Three-quarters of all new jobs will require science, maths or technology proficiency.

Chief Executive, Foundation for Young Australians, Jan Owen

The CSIRO 2016  Tomorrow’s Digitally Enabled World Data 61 suggests the speed of change will be rapid and unprecedented – “Whilst Australia’s workforce is continually changing the current period in history is characterised by a combination of forces likely to be associated with greater, faster and different transitions than previously experienced.”

The CSIRO Data 61 lists 6 key megatrends (also summarised here Huffington post )

1. The explosion of device connectivity and artificial intelligence performing tasks more quickly, safely  and efficiently
2. ‘Platform’ economics with porous boundaries
3. Less jobs with large organisations, The rise of entrepreneurs creating their own jobs/work
4. Divergent employment profiles
5. The rising bar – increased technology and complexity required to tasks
6. Employment growth in the service and education sector – towards a knowledge economy

The video at the bottom of the CSIRO Data 61 summary emphasises the intent of this document to:

• offer insight to the future workforce predictions.
• stimulate thinking, discussion and strategies about how best to position the Australian workforce for the changes ahead.

The good thing for us (in the education and training world) is that this report, and others,  predict education and training will have a significant role  – if it remains agile enough to ADAPT, SURVIVE and THRIVE  (Deloitte 2016) to the future trends and indicators

Which skills are required to transition successfully into and with the future?

We know that Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) skills are important contributors to Australia’s innovation and economic growth in a global market; these skills are what employers ‘want’.

Current information also reveals employers want ….. ENTERPRISE SKILLS.

During the three years 2012 – 2015 the Foundation for Young Australians scanned 4.2 million job advertisements gathered from more than 6,000 websites, to track and collate trends in skills required now to enter the workforce. The final report, The New Basics reveals

Enterprise skills are transferable skills that enable young people to engage with a complex world and navigate the challenges they will inherit.

Enterprise skills are not just for entrepreneurs; they are skills that are required in many jobs. They have been found to be a powerful predictor of long term job success.

FYA, 2016, The New Basics: big data reveals the skills young people will need for the New World Order (P 5)

created by LLNandVETmeetingplace 4/16

In a highly competitive environment workplaces want people who can:

• track (mega) trends
• predict, and solve dilemmas
• develop that ‘difference’ or edge
• communicate with a stand-out style
• embrace the tools, inter connectivity and capacity that technology offers

Using data from the Future for Young Australian’s report, this Financial Review article expands on the skills representing ‘ENTERPRISE’.

accessed http://www.afr.com/leadership/careers 26/4/16/jobs/graduate-employers-offer-9000-more-for-presentation-digital-skills-20160419-go9omc 26/4/16

“Across almost every profession, no matter what it was and no matter what the technical skill was, employers were privileging these skills.”

“We used to call them soft skills but now they clearly are core to the marketplace in Australia and we suspect globally around what employers need.”

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-20/high-demand-for-enterprise-skills-young-job-seekers/7339192

Akin to these skills are trends IN THE NATURE OF WORK, REPRESENTED BY increases in:

• opportunities for entrepreneurial approaches and start-up businesses
• casualisation of the workforce
• people working in shared co-working spaces

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-26/robots-will-take-over-44pc-of-workforce:-csiro/7203782

iStock photo 3/5/16

Which foundation skills are required to transition successfully into and with the future?

The 10 JOB SKILLS YOU WILL NEED IN 2020 captures a broad set of  ‘drivers’ and attempts explain or describe the cognitive activities, skills, and tasks in the highly connected global world. It’s from these tasks we can begin to consider – which foundation skills?

2014 (US) Top10onlinecolleges  – 10 job skills you will need in 2020 Drivers of change		Which foundation skills? THE FIVE ACSF core (lln) skills UNDERPIN THE CSfW EMPLoYABILITY SKILLS
Extreme longevity   Smart machines and systems   Computational world   New media Ecology   Superstructured organisations   Globally connected world	1 Virtual collaboration – work productively and drive engagement 2 Understand concepts across multiple disciplines 3 Sense making – determine the deeper meaning 4 Cognitive load management 5 Cross cultural competence 6 Social Intelligence 7 Translate vast amounts of data into abstract concepts 8 Assess and develop new media content to persuade 9 Design Mindset 10 Proficiency with novel and creative solutions thinking	ACSF core skills: Learning Reading Writing Oral Communication Numeracy AT LEVELS 3- 4- 5 CSFW SKILL AREAS at LEVELS – CAPABLE – PROFICIENT – EXPERT PERFORMER Interact with others Speak listen understand interpret and act Get the message across Connect and work with others Recognise and utilise diverse perspectives Get the work done Plan and organise, be organised Identify and solve problems Create and Innovate Work in a digital world Connect with others Access organise and present information

Considerations for us, the trainers

1 Can we ADAPT, SURVIVE and THRIVE

NCVER Beddie 2015 The outcomes of education and training: What the Australian research is telling us, 2011 – 2014

• Constantly emerging technologies and rapid shifts in the labour market mean that the 21st Century teacher has to navigate uncharted territory (p26)
• boosting literacy and numeracy and STEM skills is a priority for the entire population (p31)
• The VET sector needs to look beyond the competencies currently required by industry. More emphasis should be placed on foundational knowledge and building the capacity to learn. (p31)

CEDA (p29) predicts there may be tension between job-ready and broad-based competencies , suggesting the need for both and the capacity to integrate both should be guided by the overarching policy framework .

What initiatives TO ADAPT, SURVIVE AND THRIVE can we implement in our RTOs, with the Industry Reference Groups, and the Skills Service organisations?

When will SCENARIO PLANNING happen; where trends that will influence education and training are considered?

2 HIGH ORDER COGNITIVE SKILLS are the order of the day

For example, The Australian Association for Maths Teachers and the AIG prepared Identifying and supporting Quantitative skills of 21st Century workers 2014 reports the range of skills includes:

• creating formulas within spreadsheets
• modelling, including understanding thresholds and constraints
• using extrapolation and extrapolating trends
• recognising anomalies and errors
• concise and clear communication of judgement
• fast and often multi-stepped calculations and estimations

The New Basics points to embracing pedagogy with inquiry approaches, and collaborative activities involving real-world scenarios.

Which of the COMPETENCIES EXPECTED IN HIGH PERFORMANCE WORK ORGANISATIONS are you providing opportunities to develop?

• Collaborative learning
• Collaborative communication
• Technology/digital/elearning
• Media literacy and information literacy
• Intrapersonal communication skills
• Self-direction, emotional intelligence
• Problem solving, critical thinking
• Initiative, idea generating

3 REMAIN ABREAST of developments in our, industries, and those allied to it

The CSIRO Data 61 video and OECD Skills Outlook 2013 report, and The New Basics (p22) advise we must remain informed about ‘live’ industry trends so that instead of learners relying on heresay, we OFFER RELEVANT AND CURRENT ADVICE:

• trends in workforce areas CSIRO p 19
• provide quality career guidance CSIROp 27,
• continue to promote educational attainment CSIRO p 23
• provide easy to find, up to date information and guidance

FOR EXAMPLE:

• An outcome of the ‘cutting edge’ technology developments in the construction industry has required tradespeople with higher level skills to apply ‘intelligent and precise’ skills with new technologies
• 92 % of companies are using Linked In to identify and select candidates.

‘With competition so tight, Industry experts claim the cover letter is on it’s deathbed and the CV is on life support’. ‘Recruiters are now urging younger workers to concentrate on strengthening their social media presence and networking ability if they want to stand out of the overcrowded pack.’

How are you REMAINING ABREAST WITH CURRENT AND FUTURE WORKFORCE TRENDS? What networks, collaborative connections and info sources are available to you?

4 A final word from  the INFOSYS AMPLIFYING HUMAN POTENTIAL: EDUCATION AND SKILLS FOR THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

INFOSYS commissioned the Future Foundation to undertake research which involved interviewing 1000 young people 16-25 across 9 countries, including Australia. The report was prepared to find out what is on the minds of these young people, some preparing for the workforce and others involved in it. The outcome reports valuable insight to contribute to the debates and discussion about preparing ‘those who will truly master the fourth industrial revolution’.  This summary article reports YOUNG AUSTRALIANS ARE THE LEAST PREPARED.

This INFOSYS Infographic, offers 3 optimistic signs and 2 concerns  revealed by young people:

• Note:  EDUCATION IS FAILING TO KEEP PACED WITH THE WORKING WORLD
• On the brighter side: a valuable message: To remain agile – PREPARE FERTILE, INQUISITIVE MINDS PREPARED FOR A LIFETIME OF LEARNING.

Might THE NEED TO REMAIN AGILE be relevant to us all, not just those we teach/train and aim to inspire?