According to the Future of Jobs report published by the World Economic Forum, we’re entering what they are terming as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), and this new Digital Age will require businesses to have a workforce with a different skill set from what was required just 2 years ago. By 2020, advanced robotics and autonomous transport, artificial intelligence and big data, advanced materials, biotechnology, genomics, smart IoT devices and Virtual/Mixed/Augmented Reality solutions will start to become mainstream.
Quality control and active listening are no longer a top 10 skill as automation will fill those needs better. Emotional Intelligence and Cognitive Flexibility which cannot be automated (yet) are on the rise.
Creativity is going to be a top 3 skill though. The report defines creativity as “the ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.” With so many new products, new technologies and new ways of working, the future workforce will need to become more creative to benefit from these changes. In other words, the future will not just require a workforce that can think outside a box, but they must also interpret and manage data, relationships and systems that help them continuously reinvent the box or even invent a world without boxes.
AI and Robots aren’t going to replace the human workforce. Humans need to adapt to the benefits of working with intelligent machines, and make certain that they keep their skill sets up to date in a world where some jobs will disappear but other jobs will become far more common. Employees and leaders with these skills won’t appear from thin air when the time comes. Businesses need to ensure that their employees are trained sufficiently as they embark on their Digital Transformation journeys.
References:
The 10 skills you need to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Creativity Becomes a Top Job Skill in the 4th Industrial Revolution
Article written by Zaid Mahomedy.
Zaid Mahomedy is certified Enterprise Architect and Mixed Reality Entrepreneur with over a decade of experience as an IT consultant, Enterprise & Solution Architect; Digital Content Creator and Influencer. Zaid is available to consult to companies on how they can adopt disruptive technologies to transform themselves so that they can thrive in the Digital Age. For more info, check out www.immersiveauthority.com