This news item summarises an article from the Australian Industry Group in the higher education section of the Australian on May 18 last. It draws on the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report. Two key forces are identified– “advances in technology and the transition to a cleaner/greener economy.”
These “are expected to drive major change in jobs and skills on a global scale across the next five years.” The largest absolute growth in jobs is expected to be in education, agriculture and digital commerce. The biggest losses will be felt in roles vulnerable to automation. The article also suggests that there is a significant need for upskilling and reskilling programs.
What the ‘Future of Jobs” report talks about
Its key findings include that technology adoption will remain a key driver of business transformation in the next five years. In addition, “big data, cloud computing and AI feature highly on likelihood of adoption.” Employers estimate that “44% of workers’ skills will be disrupted in the next five years. Cognitive skills are reported to be growing in importance most quickly, reflecting the increasing importance of complex problem-solving in the workplace.”
In addition, “the highest priority for skills training from 2023-2027 is analytical thinking, which is set to account for 10% of training initiatives, on average. The second priority for workforce development is to promote creative thinking.”
Moreover:
“Technology literacy is the third-fastest growing core skill. Self-efficacy skills rank above working with others, in the rate of increase in importance of skills reported by businesses. The socio-emotional attitudes which businesses consider to be growing in importance most quickly are curiosity and lifelong learning; resilience, flexibility and agility; and motivation and self-awareness.”
This suggests the need for VET providers and teachers to be more holistic in terms of how they conceive, teach and assess competence.
Where does the responsibility for training and development lie?
According to the Future of Jobs report “forty-five percent of businesses see funding for skills training as an effective intervention available to governments seeking to connect talent to employment.” In addition,
“Surveyed companies report that investing in learning and on-the-job training and automating processes are the most common workforce strategies which will be adopted to deliver their organizations’ business goals. Four in five respondents expect to implement these strategies in the next five years. Workforce development is most commonly considered to be the responsibility of workers and managers, with 27% of training expected to be furnished by on-the-job training and coaching, ahead of the 23% by internal training departments and the 16% by employer-sponsored apprenticeships. To close skills gaps, respondents expect to reject external training solutions in favour of company-led initiatives.”
This is interesting and suggests that there may be a perceived ‘credibility gap’ with externally provided workforce development and training. This reinforces the importance of relationships and partnerships between VET providers and the employers they work with.
