What is the future of work?

Brendon on iTeach, iThink, iTeens writes about how education needs to prepare students for an uncertain future, and that conventional learning cannot continue as it has been, particularly in a world that is changing at an unprecedented pace.

... we are currently preparing students for jobs that do not exist yet and our students will be solving problems that we do not even know are problems. We need to be adaptable to change and learning is such a fast paced industry that is becoming technologically-rich ...

The question of how to prepare for the future of work has been something that I think about a lot. Like Brendon, I'm always interested in what leaders in the field are saying about the world of work and where it is heading. For this reason, in collaboration with members of the Envisioning Education group on Facebook, I purchased "The Future of Work" PSFK Labs report.

Through OwnMutually, a crowdfunded way to purchase things that can be shared, such as gifts, night outs, trips, and reports, I was able to access information about the trends driving change at work.  I felt it was particularly relevant to me as a designer of educational experiences, as it offered insights into the physical, mobile and web workspaces that I'm interested in using to create interactive experiences.

What I found most profound, and something that I had became increasingly aware of as a high school teacher, is the rise of free educational tools that allow individuals to be both the student and teacher, such as StudyRoom and Successfactors.  These physical and virtual spaces enable users to share their knowledge and assist one another, which is moving away from the teacher-led instruction of the past.

One area that proves to be most innovating, in my opinion, is the "Online Badges" system of allowing individuals to depict their skill set through the use of badges.  This had me intrigued as I can definitely see a need for a digital platform that displays the knowledge and skills that haven't been gained in a traditional setting (i.e. university), such as the ability to use designing tools, such as Adobe's Captivate or Illustrator, or the ability to communicate effectively in large teams.  Although these skills can be acquired in academic environments, they can also be acquired through an individual's own time, or through professional development in online learning programs or job training programs.  The badging system is still developing but it will be interesting to see if it really takes off.

The report also highlights the importance of using social media tools as a digital resume.  At the moment I am using Linkedin to illustrate my knowledge and skill set and what I particularly like is how the people that you connect with can vouch for your acquired skills or experience.  I find this to be quite authoritative as it is a professional platform and has credibility within the employer circle.  I have also began using Vizify and Resumup, online infographic tools that illustrate your personal and professional experience to employers.  They both draw on the user's Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter and other profiles to create a summary of what he or she is engaged in and has achieved.  It is like a trendy online resume and something that I think is very useful.

Another tool that the report highlights is a platform that helps workers prove their skill set - Smarterer. It enables the user to complete skill tests that validate whether he or she has the skill set or not.  What I liked about it the most was the ability to see if you do possess the skills through answering multiple choice questions.  It will help you identify any gaps in knowledge and can provide employers with an avenue for testing skill sets. However, I think proving your skill set through actual digital artefacts and sample work in a portfolio would be more effective, such as using Pathbrite.  This platform allows the employer, or whoever is interested, to see what you are actually capable of producing.

Perhaps, most controversial, is the claim by Steve Faktor, Founder of the Idea-Factory, that the "current system of guaranteed renewal is what makes organisations and workers stagnate."  Permanence "forces" individuals to "rest on [their] laurels" rather than "anticipate the changes [he or she] needs to make to stay alive."  As a high school teacher I found there was very little incentive for teachers to "upskill." Only a few teachers that I encountered were taking the initiative to become better skilled, and, if they were, it was usually for leadership positions, not becoming more proficient in the use of ICTs. However, I think it is systemic rather than an individual fault.

What was really interesting was a claim by Faktor that we are "shifting from consumerism to ... producerism."  Essentially, although entire professions are being "eliminated by cheap digital tools," the use of these very tools are "empowering a producer or creator-driven economy." Through the use of blog posts, video and software, such as the above mentioned Linkedin or Resumup profiles, individuals can publicise their knowledge and skills in an innovative and current format and promote themselves to future employers or clients. Sounds good to me.

All in all, I found The Future of Work report to be informative and well worth the cost. On my own I don't think I would have investigated all the tools that are available for workers. However, I did expect more insight into what opportunities exist in the future workforce.