The future of work
It’s not often that I follow political speeches but yesterday’s speech by Andrew Little warranted more than a chancery glance over a morning coffee. While not wanting to dive into the politics of the speech or comment on wages that one thing that resonates was his comment’s around how new technology is rapidly transforming our world and our work.
Earning a university degree or similar industry training does not guarantee gainful employment, something that many of us were told would happen by our parents. Ultimately, scoring a good job comes down to skills. The vast majority of jobs, 47% as highlighted by Mr Little yesterday, are vulnerable to some kind of disruption or displacement from technological advancement.
What does this mean, to put it simply at some point in your career most workers will have to learn new skills and evolve with technology. As the pace of technological change accelerates those with the ability to adapt and learn new skills will outperform those who cannot.
I am unsure what our politicians are able do to alter this course and the success of the Future of Work Commission can easily be debated. One thing for sure is that we need to take charge of our own destiny and ensure that we have the skills to adapt to the changes ahead. Never stop learning and ensure your skills are transferable and relevant to the current market.