Having a specific skill does not cut the mustard anymore - machines and AI have that covered!
The workplace has become far more multi-dimensional. To get the job you want, you need to show that you can
- collaborate well
- communicate well
- have high values and integrity.
- be prepared to integrate with other business units
- be able and willing to be part of a continuous learning programme
There are few job roles now that don't involve some element of working with software, social media, "the Cloud" and definitely your mobile!
It is fair to say that Technology and the Internet are ubiquitous in everything we do and is as important as being able to read and write!
About 65 per cent of ICT workers studied non-IT degrees.
Technology skills underscore the future job market.
“The sharply increased importance of skills such as technology design and programming highlights the growing demand for various forms of technology competency identified by employers surveyed for this report” -
says a 2018 report on the future of jobs (World Economic Forum)
However, proficiency in new technologies will be just one part of the 2022 skills picture.
Intuitive human skills, such as creativity, originality and initiative, critical thinking, persuasion, and negotiation will retain or increase their value, as will attention to detail, resilience, flexibility, and complex problem-solving. Emotional intelligence, leadership, and social influence, as well as service orientation will also see an outsized increase in demand relative to their current prominence.
The good news is that non-technical people have found themselves gaining IT skills on the job or through structured learning and IT professionals have been upskill Ing their non-technical and "soft skills", connecting their technical roles to the broader business environment.
LinkedIn data shows that six out of the top 10 skills required by ICT workers are non-technical in nature:
- project management,
- business strategy,
- relationship management,
- strategic planning,
- sales and
- customer service
were in the top 10 skill sets needed.
There is a massive shortage of skills in the IT sector , and the size of Australia's digital economy is expected to almost double in the next six years from $79 billion in 2014 to $139 billion in 2020 (creating an extra 66,000 IT jobs)
Graduates and imported skills will not meet the demand.
Cliffy Rosenberg - IT Guru, mentor and ex CEO of Linkedin Australia said the only way to meet demand was through educating and training the existing workforce – (Vocational Education) particularly when it comes to women, who are under-represented in in the IT industry (only 28 per cent of the ICT workforce) and older people (only 11 per cent are aged over 55), who often are discriminated against because of outdated stereotypes about their ability to learn about new technology.
The organisations that will thrive will be those who have a culture of continuous learning and programmes to upskill their employees.
"The digital future is coming rapidly and it doesn't matter which area that you work in, you have the ability to improve the competitiveness of your business by investing in your team through continuous learning programmes," says Rosenberg .
"We have got to prepare our economy for the future. We have got to prepare the workforce for the skills needed for today's economy and then make sure we are ready for tomorrow's economy as well."
So what does the Employer of the future look like ?
The employee of the future would appear to be a flexible, creative, emotionally intelligent contract worker who understands AI, robotics, and automation, and has deep analytical and experience design skills.
How do they learn this
- Being able to learn how to learn
- Working at an organisation that values learning in the workplace
Read - robots will create jobs but decimate middle class careers By Chris Middleton
