Interview with Sarah Barley (Trust Director of Employability) and Jonny Uttley (CEO of TEAL)
Emerging research from organisations such as the World Economic Forum to NFER have, in recent months, underlined how significantly the economy and the world of work is changing. The rise of automation and AI are bringing about what has been described as ‘a fourth industrial revolution’ in our society, with some jobs set to disappear and others to emerge – putting an emphasis on new skills and knowledge demanded by growing sectors and new industries. The NFER itself has warned that “workers with low levels of education or in low-skilled/routine tasks continue to be at greatest risk from automation, particularly in areas such as production, manufacturing, and administration’, whilst underlining that,”problem solving/decision making, critical thinking/ analysis, communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation are transferable skills which will be in high demand in the next 15 years and beyond as technology becomes more embedded in the workforce.”
Clearly, the education sector and schools have a significant part to play in preparing young people to thrive in this new world, but, in such a rapidly changing context, cannot do this alone. Partnership with business and industry is key to getting this right, and as a trust leader you can choose to make this a strategic priority within your trust.
“we decided we didn’t just want our students to learn about different careers, but also to understand what their subject might lead to, and as a result of that raise aspirations, and help our young people to make better choices about their future”