Bridging the gap - building a 21st century workforce | Dinesha Senaratne | TEDxAmrak Institute

TL;DR

The education system needs to focus on teaching skills like creative thinking, analytical thinking, AI, and Big Data, as these skills will be priorities for businesses by 2027.

Transcript

[Applause] the purpose of education is to prepare us for life somehow I feel like we miss that Mark just a little bit the world economic forum's future for jobs report says that these are the skills that will be priorities for businesses by the year 2027 they play priorities the top three skills are actually creative thinking analytical thinking an... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤔 The future job market will place a high value on creative thinking, analytical thinking, AI, and Big Data skills.
• 🪡 There is a significant skills gap in Sri Lanan workplaces, indicating a need for improvement in the education system.
• 🧑‍🎓 Countries like Norway, Denmark, and Switzerland prioritize students' education with a focus on both academic and vocational paths.
• 🤗 On-the-job training and vocational pathways help students gain hands-on skills for their desired careers.
• 🤔 Traditional exams may not effectively assess important skills such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.
• 🆘 Career guidance and providing opportunities for problem-solving can help companies assess candidates' skills and potential.
• ⚾ Including wildcard hires based on passion and drive can bring fresh perspectives to companies.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the top skills that businesses will prioritize by the year 2027?

According to the world economic forum's future for jobs report, creative thinking, analytical thinking, AI, and Big Data will be the top skills required by businesses in the future. These skills will play a crucial role in shaping the workforce.

Q: How can the education system address the skills gap?

The education system can bridge the skills gap by incorporating teaching methods that focus on creative thinking, analytical thinking, and introducing AI and Big Data concepts. Project-based learning, experiential learning, and group work can help students develop these skills.

Q: Which countries are performing best in terms of skills and education?

Norway, Denmark, and Switzerland are among the top-performing countries in terms of skills and education. Their education systems prioritize students, offer academic and vocational training options, and emphasize on-the-job training, leading to higher life satisfaction and productivity.

Q: How can companies assess the skills of potential employees who don't have paper qualifications?

Companies can assess the skills of potential employees without paper qualifications by incorporating three strategies. Firstly, they can provide career guidance to help candidates explore opportunities. Secondly, they can give candidates a problem related to the job to solve. Lastly, they can consider wildcard hires based on passion, drive, and potential rather than just paper qualifications.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The world economic forum's future for jobs report reveals that creative thinking, analytical thinking, AI, and Big Data will be the top skills required by businesses in the future.

• A report by the British Council highlights skills gaps in SRI Lanan workplaces, indicating the need for improvement in teaching these skills.

• Countries like Norway, Denmark, and Switzerland prioritize education, offer academic and vocational training paths, and provide on-the-job training, significantly impacting skills, education, life satisfaction, and productivity.