DUBAI: Delegates at the Sixth Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF) in Dubai ongoing until 18 March identified the need to develop sound ‘human skills’ to prepare youth for a technology dominated workplace in 2030.
The panelists underpinned the need now more than ever, for critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, creativity and empathy, as sustainable workplace skills needed to navigate the fourth industrial revolution.
Chairing the boardroom-style dialogue on ‘What skills will the workplace of 2030 need and how do we get them?’, Lord Jitesh Gadhia, Member of the House of Lords UK, challenged the presumption that we understand what the world in 2030 will look like, and asked fellow members on how to “future-proof ourselves from the forces of destruction”, while addressing the need for adaptability through “skills to reskill”.
Representing diverse industries and countries on the panel, was Neil Carberry, Managing Director, People & Infrastructure, Confederation of British Industry; Saadia Zahidi, Member of the Executive Committee, Head of Education, Gender and Work, World Economic Forum; Akintunde Oyebode, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund; Dr. Reuben Abraham, CEO & Senior Fellow IDFC Institute – a division of IDFC Foundation; and Omar Al-Madhi, Senior Managing Director & Member of the Board, Abdul Lateef Jameel Investments.
Identifying the importance of using ‘big data’ to ensure strategic work-force planning, Saadiya Zahiri underlined the importance of using technology to our advantage, instead of viewing it as a disruptor.
The panel also debated the importance of a decentralised approach in identifying the right skills training required both, across and within countries, agreeing that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to equipping individuals to meet the workplace demands of different industries and places. An increase in the role of the private sector in public-private collaborations was also stressed as a means to prepare the “workforce of the future”.
Dr. Reuben Abraham, said: “The world is urbanising quickly, but there’s still a mismatch between where the jobs are and where the people are,” addressing a vital clash between ‘signaling’ and skills, which was furthered by Lord Gadhia and Carberry, who identified the need for mobility of people and global citizenship in addressing this.
Zahiri concluded the discussion by re-emphasising the role of technology as part of the solution to roadblocks mentioned during the discussion.
