Ashburton college

PRINCIPAL – ROSS PREECE

Recently we had a day’s professional development to prepare staff for a very different future.

We know, looking forward, that the retention of information will become less important and that the soft skills and dispositions (such as creative problem-solving, collaboration, communication and resilience) will increase in importance.

Amongst the data presented to us was a list of likely reduced occupations, by 2030. These included travel agents,

bank tellers, textile workers, print industry workers, taxi and truck drivers, and telemarketers.

New jobs emerging included solar/wind technicians, digital rehab counsellors, augmented reality developers, urban agricultural specialists and end-of-life managers. We certainly need to consider a different future.

Whilst this sounds a long way away, our current five-year-olds will be faced with this employment reality as they are finishing their secondary school years.•

Retention of information will become less important. Soft skills and dispositions will increase in importance.