These skills should not be taught by way of a separate, independent curriculum, but rather incorporated within all general learning, as well as across all subject-specific learning.
CAPE TOWN, March 18 (ANA) – As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to accelerate changes to the world of work and a shift towards automation, it is time to ensure that schools are mindful and deliberate in developing those skills which will be in high demand and necessary for success, an education expert has said.
“It is no longer sufficient to focus purely on academics, and schools need to make a concerted effort to holistically develop on an ongoing basis those skills which will provide learners with a strong foundation for the future,” said Desiree Hugo, head of academics at ADvTECH Schools, a division of the private education provider.
In its most recent “Future of Jobs” report – the survey of which was conducted in 2020 while taking into account the impact of Covid-19 on global workplaces – the World Economic Forum (WEF) listed the top 10 skills of the year 2025.
The list included active learning and learning strategies, complex problem-solving, critical thinking and analysis, and technology use, monitoring and control, among others.
“As the world and companies move increasingly towards automation of a myriad of functions, traditional career paths continue falling by the wayside, which requires educators to ensure their students are able to navigate that which lies ahead, rather than that which currently exists,” Hugo says.
“This necessitates the development of skills which allow young people to navigate their environment intelligently, regardless of what that environment might look like.”
Data from the WEF “Future of Jobs Survey” shows that companies are expecting to restructure their workforce in response to new technologies and, in particular, the companies surveyed indicated that they were also looking to transform the composition of their value chain by 55%, introduce further automation, reduce the current workforce by 43% or expand their workforce as a result of deeper technological integration by 34%, and expand their use of contractors.
“Clearly, our already hugely competitive jobs marketplace is set to become even more so in future, with more people competing for fewer opportunities. It is therefore of crucial importance that we assist the students in our care to become as competitive as possible, by providing them with the skills which will set them apart in future,” says Hugo.
“While technical knowledge will remain important, to be competitive, it is non-negotiable for young people to develop their ability to think and problem-solve, rather than merely requiring them to relay information they have been taught.”
These skills should not be taught by way of a separate, independent curriculum, but rather incorporated within all general learning, as well as across all subject-specific learning.
“In order to develop these skills, students need frameworks, examples, models, clear expectations, developmental targets and both multiple and regular opportunities to put them to practice.
“Teachers should provide students with regular and specific feedback on the development of these skills through their learning engagements, and formative and summative assessments should take place within the different classes.”
Hugo said that in addition to developing the WEF 2025 skills, high schools and higher education institutions should also ensure they provide sufficient opportunity to develop those technical and future-facing skills that will be in high demand in the workplace in coming years, instead of merely the historically available basket of academic subjects.
“So for instance, the WEF survey projected that more and more companies are likely to adopt a number of technologies in coming years, including cloud computing, big data and e-commerce solutions, and so forth, which represent a continuation of the trends of recent years.
“So, future career paths to look out for include artificial intelligence, big data, the Internet of Things, non-humanoid robotics and encryption. These new technologies are set to drive future growth across industries, as well as to increase the demand for new job roles and skill sets,” said Hugo.
“Very importantly, we also prepare our students to design the jobs of the future and not just work in the new jobs created,” she said.
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher
