In 10 years, your job probably won’t exist
It is a sobering thought that in 10 years, about 65 per cent of jobs have not even been thought of yet, according to the U.S. labour department.
In Australia, there are reports that up to half a million existing jobs could be taken over by robotics or machines run by artificial intelligence.
So with smarter computers taking on more of the work that people currently do, we are left to wonder what jobs there might be left for us humans.
While we may not know what outward form these jobs will take, we can still make a catalogue of the generic skills that will be valued highly.
THINKING SKILLS FOR FUTURE WORKERS
In his book Five Minds for the Future, the Harvard professor Howard Gardner makes the case for cultivating a disciplined mind — bringing attention to a laserlike focus and drilling down to the essence of a subject, perceiving the simple truth of it.
Then it’s important to take this clarity to the next level by combining multiple ideas in new ways to create something interesting and perhaps useful. This is done by the synthesizing mind and the creative mind.
Gardner also describes the respectful mind that values diversity in people and looks for positive ways to interact
MASTERING THE NEW MEDIA
The future will see a host of new technologies for creating and communicating content. Indemand workers will be able to critically assess this content and find ways to communicate it.
Communication skills have always been important and will remain so.
Knowing how to deal with large data sets will be a handy skill: finding ways to make sense of the data and turn it into useful information.
MANAGING INFORMATION
We already filter a deluge of information every day.
People will need to be even better at managing the cognitive load. They should have the thinking skills to filter the deluge and find optimum solutions to problems.
THE BOTTOM LINE
To position yourself favourably for the jobs of the future, become someone who can look at problems in unorthodox ways, seeing different angles and finding workable solutions.
Be a multi-disciplinary, insatiably curious person who knows how to use the tools to model ideas and create prototypes.