How do we best prepare students for careers of the future that might not even exist now?
It is fast approaching that time of year again where our year 10 students will make their senior subject selections and begin their transitions into year 11, our year 11’s are receiving their first semester grades and using these to help plan their post-schooling journeys, and our year 12’s are completing their applications for post school study, exploring the idea of a gap year or preparing their resumes to enter into the job market. These periods can be challenging and stressful for our students (and families), especially without a clear pathway in mind.
The most important thing for now though, is that the students are engaging or looking to engage in a pathway of their preference. These pathways will inevitably change course across their lives, however, it is the engagement with their pathway that will ultimately lead to young people experiencing education and career opportunities that help to steer their next career or educational choice. This is one of the key messages we provide students with at St Edmund’s, engage in your pathway and learn and experience all you can, as this will ultimately provide you with the information necessary to make informed choices about your education and career moving forward. According to the “Future of Work” article (www.mccrindle.com.au), young people will have on average over 6 distinct careers and 18 different jobs within these careers. That is a lot of choice and change, but one made easier and informed through engaging in the study or work you are currently experiencing.
A way to engage in possible career and education pathways is also approaching. The College’s signature careers and future pathways event, the St Edmund’s and St Clare’s Careers Expo, held on Tuesday June 3rd, 4:30 – 6:00 pm at St Clare’s College Learning Commons. The Expo will have over 60 stalls from local businesses, training institutions, public service, the Australian Defence Force and the emergency services. The Expo provides the ideal opportunity for students to find out more about industries and future pathways.
One area of particular intrigue for students moving forward is the ever-growing and evolving role of Artificial Intelligence in future careers. Whilst AI can strike fear into some parts of the community as a revolution that will take over and change the working landscape forever, society has been through similar changes before (i.e. The industrial revolution). While AI will be excellent at handling and managing data and repetitive tasks, it still lacks the human touch. The ability to be interpersonal and aware of a person’s body language and emotions is a fundamental human skill that will be a necessary tool for successful career progression in the future.
Some careers that are available now, won’t exist in the future, whilst there will be other careers that we haven’t even heard of yet. The opportunities, whilst daunting to think about, will provide young people with many different engaging and purposeful careers. To be ready for these opportunities, students will need to develop a variety of future-ready skills. These include digital literacy, critical thinking, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. Problem-solving and collaboration will also be crucial, as many future roles will require working in interdisciplinary teams or managing AI systems alongside human colleagues.
One way that students can help prepare themselves for the future is to begin to interact with people outside of their social networks. A great way to do this is by taking a part-time job, volunteering for a community or school service, or coaching/officiating at local junior sports. Young people are moving into the people business, where they will be required to interact and work with people from all walks of life. Having experience in the work sector, as a volunteer or as a coach/official, arms young people with the ability to engage and work with others in the pursuit of a common goal, even if that common goal is ensuring that the right amount of onion and sauce is applied to a customers purchased sausage sandwich. Young people learn how to communicate, how to interact with others, how to be empathetic, how to take on responsibility and show initiative, and how to work with others to achieve desired outcomes. All these skills help to improve young people’s ability to learn, to think critically, to be more adaptable and understanding, and to be confident communicators, skills that will be very necessary as they move forward into their future career and education landscape.
So, as students navigate senior subject selections, or future education and career pathways, it is important to remember to engage in what you are experiencing right now and to build the ability to work and communicate with others. This will provide the information and skills necessary to make informed choices and to be successful in their future endeavours.
Trent Masters
Careers and Future Pathways Coordinator
https://www.thehrdirector.com/business-news/ai/impact-ai-jobs-artificial-intelligence-shaping-future-workforce/
https://mccrindle.com.au/article/topic/work-wellbeing/the-future-of-work/#:~:text=If%20this%20tenure%20continues%20through,development%20and%20big%20data%20analytics