Future skills: what will make our learners employable in 2030?

A key role for educators is to prepare students for the workplace, but at a time of great change in job markets, how do we know where to focus our efforts? Much has been written about the impact of technology and automation on society and work. Some jobs, it is suggested, will all but disappear and today’s students will be applying for roles which currently don’t exist. So how do we prepare these learners for such future uncertainties? What are the skills of the future that will ensure a place in tomorrow’s job market?

Whilst few would deny that English is a future skill in and of itself, it is no longer a passport to guaranteed employment. As English proficiency increases around the world, employers have access to a larger pool of qualified candidates and can afford to be more demanding in their requirements. These same employers continue to express concerns about the skills gap amongst potential employees. In a Gallup poll from 2013, 96% of chief academic officers felt they were adequately preparing students for future employment, whilst only 11% of employers felt the same. So why this disconnect?

This presentation looks at research into the skills needed for jobs in 2030 – and suggests how English language teachers can integrate these into their curriculum.