Long gone are the days when someone could simply study a degree or gain a qualification and work in the same industry until they retire. It is now estimated that the average person will have between 8-10 different careers throughout the course of their working life. Further estimates predict that over 60% of the occupations that our current Junior Infant pupils will work in after they graduate have not even been invented yet!

Increasing automation, artificial intelligence and the constantly evolving nature of the world of work, means that there is a pressing need for us to ‘future proof’ ourselves and our skillsets. How can we achieve this and is it even possible to plan for a future world of work of which so much is uncertain and unknown? The relentless march of technology means that even some of the new ‘Hard’ skills a recent graduate has learned for a ‘modern’ career may actually become obsolete in a few short years.

All of these predictions can be unsettling for some and bewildering for others. However, for all the jobs that may be lost due to technological change, there will be new careers created and the predictions also show that that it is unlikely that there will be a sharp decline in overall employment. Change is a fact of life and looking back through history shows us that both the Agricultural and Industrial revolutions brought about enormous positive changes to mankind and the Technological revolution that we are currently experiencing will do likewise.

So how can we identify the skills that will be needed for the future world of work? The reality is that companies and employers will be looking for employees to possess several key attributes and attitudes rather than simply a set of ‘Hard skills’.

A solid base comprised of high levels of Literacy, Numeracy and ICT/Digital Literacy will be fundamental towards allowing the individual develop, acquire and understand the new skills that will be needed throughout their lifetime. Possessing a ‘Growth mindset’ and having a positive attitude towards lifelong learning will help to keep pace with the workforce of the future.

Innate human characteristics such as good communication skills, emotional intelligence and empathy will also be very much valued and in demand and, crucially, cannot be programmed into a computer! Creativity, innovation, critical thinking, problem solving as well as the ability to collaborate effectively, be adaptable and flexible will also all be desirable qualities to possess and will be on the wish list of many employers.