9 Skills Students Need in the Future Workforce

Even though youth go to school and earn degrees for career paths, there are countless youth who face unemployment in today’s society. There are lots of factors that contribute to this unemployment, including changes in the economy and shifts in the types of jobs needed to support the economy.

In order to combat youth unemployment, private sectors and organisations are trying to offer solutions. One of the many ways is to help youth get jobs is through programs to support youth who seek employment. These programs help students build skills needed for jobs now and in the future.

Government sectors, for example, develop national action plans targeting youth unemployment issue, such as funding educational institutions, encouraging young entrepreneurs, creating tax incentive mechanisms that encourage job creation in youth and more.

Now, as a teacher, how can you contribute in your own ways to make your students ready for the future of employment? Below are skills and mindsets young students definitely need in order to meet their full potential.

1. Digital Literacy

There is no question that technology is an important part of society today. From business to personal communication, it is essential for people to have skills that help them navigate technology to be successful. Some of these skills come from regular use of technology but other skills need to be taught to students so they are prepared for the future workplace.

Digital literacy gives students a foundation of knowledge and skills to use technology in the workforce, including the ability to integrate new technologies as they are developed. Familiarity with technology and technology devices will help prepare students for responsibilities in the workforce.

2. Emotional Intelligence

There is often a stereotype in business that people who are successful must be cold and emotionless, focusing only on business. However, emotions help make people who they are. Rather than cutting off from emotions, it is important for people to be able to confront and control their emotions so they are expressed appropriately in a work setting.

In addition, people must be able to communicate with others and foster interpersonal relationships. For this reason, it is important for students to have emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence equips them with the knowledge and skills to manage emotions -- theirs and others’ -- to communicate in the workplace successfully.

3. Entrepreneurship

There is an increasing trend toward small businesses in today’s society. The Internet makes it easy for people to set up their own businesses and reach a broad demographic of customers. Entrepreneurship requires innovation, a strong knowledge of the industry or market, and adaptability in business. These are all skills for future jobs that are useful in any career path.

In order to prepare for a successful career, it is necessary for students to understand entrepreneurship and be able to use entrepreneurial skills and strategies to achieve career goals. This does not mean individuals will start their own businesses but gives individuals a strong foundation of knowledge and skills to navigate business.

4. Global Citizenship

Today’s society is a global society. Due to technological advancements, it is easy for companies to do business all over the world. As a result, the lines between nations and industries are blurred. One of the major trends today is the rise of the contingent workforce over the globe. In order to be successful in business, it is necessary for students to understand the role of globalisation in society and approach their work from the perspective of global citizenship.

According to this report on education, in the next three to five years, we should see an increasing focus on global online collaboration. Learning the concept of global citizenship through global collaboration helps students successfully work with people from all over the world. Since the world is going to continue to work cooperatively even more, a sense of global citizenship and the ability to work with people from all over the world are essential skills needed for future jobs.

5. Curiosity

Today is an age of rapid advancement and technological innovation. Because of this, the strategies and tools used in business are frequently changing. In order for students to be successful in rapidly-changing business environments, they must have a sense of curiosity and a love of learning. Most careers require ongoing learning so that people can keep up with technology advances.

If a student does not embrace curiosity and a love of learning, a student is likely to stay stuck in one place while everyone around them moves forward in the industry. However, if a student is curious and loves learning, that student will be ready to adapt to advancements and changes in business.

6. Cognitive Flexibility

Even when people have detailed plans to handle business situations and events, things can change and adaptations need to be made. Being able to adapt strategies and actions when challenges arise or situations change means that people can continue to be successful in their careers.

Adaptability and cognitive flexibility are important skills needed in the future workforce so that students are able to adjust the way they work when obstacles arise or business needs shift unexpectedly. Not only do these skills come in handy when dealing with unexpected circumstances but they show employers that individuals are ready for whatever may come up in their job responsibilities.

7. Assessing and Analysing Information

Thanks in large part to technology, information and data is frequently used in business to achieve goals. From key performance indicators (referred to as KPIs) to big data analysis, information is used to build strategies and make business decisions.

For this reason, the ability to assess and analyse information are important skills needed for jobs in the future. Once information is assessed and analysed, it is used by business decision makers to develop a strategy and make decisions in operations. When students have these skills, they have the knowledge to be part of this decision-making process.

8. Self-Knowledge

While there are lots of skills needed for jobs in the future that relate to business, it is also important for students to have knowledge about themselves. Many organisations are developing teams that draw from multiple departments to complete projects. By drawing from different departments, the team can bring together multiple skill sets and talents so that everyone works cooperatively together.

In order to contribute to these teams, students need to have self-knowledge. Specifically, they should understand their own strengths and weaknesses so they know how they can contribute to teams and when they might need extra help getting something done.

9. Empathy

Empathy refers to the ability for someone to understand and relate to the feelings of someone else. It may not seem like this is something people need in business, but empathy is important for interpersonal relationships and communication.

In business, empathy helps create and maintain relationships, such as the relationship between a company and its customers. When employees are empathetic to customers’ perspectives, they can meet customers’ needs more effectively. In this way, empathy is not just beneficial in personal relationships but in business relationships, as well.

Author Bio: Gigi Wara is an inspired writer who loves writing about language and acquisition, career building and education-related stories in general. She frequently works with yourtown, an organisation which has proudly provides compassion, education, and understanding for young people in Australia.