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With work changing faster than ever, what skills do workplaces need to thrive?
If we look back at how we shopped, socialised, studied and worked even 20 years ago, we can see how deeply technological progress has impacted every aspect of our lives. And that trend is only predicted to speed up.
At times the pace of change can be daunting, but with new ways of doing things come new opportunities. That's why Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Centre for Work-based Learning have been leading Skills 4.0, a project to define the skills Scotland’s employers and workers will need to seize those opportunities, grow and thrive.
We are approaching what some are calling a fourth industrial revolution – a shift in the way production is carried out that will result in major upheaval to the structure of society. This change could be greater than anything we have lived through so far.
Factors driving this revolution include things like:
Workforces will always need skills in literacy (reading and writing), numeracy (maths) and digital intelligence (using IT and adapting to new technology). However, many technical skills may be less in demand in the future, as more and more will be done by machines.
But machines can't do everything. Staff will still be needed to oversee automated tasks, develop new technologies, and work with other people. Think of areas like childcare, nursing and social care, or building relationships with clients - these are areas where machines are no substitute for people.
Skills Development Scotland and the Centre for Work-based Learning have produced a paper about Skills 4.0 identifying three key skills areas for the future:
These key areas have been dubbed “meta-skills”. Unlike many traditional skills, they can be hard to teach and test in a structured way.
That’s why employers will play such an important part in cultivating these skills in the population. The ideal way to do so is through work-based learning: programmes such as apprenticeships, where learning takes place on the job.
Through apprenticeships, employers can future-proof their workforce’s skill set – and receive government funding to help them do so.
Learn more about apprenticeships at apprenticeships.scot.