Why skills matter in today's world

  • The new landscape of work

    New technologies are now replacing many long-standing jobs, and many others will disappear in the next few years. The newspaper delivery boy or the cashiers might be at risk but new roles such as artificial intelligence and data sciences will emerge. The workforce of tomorrow will work in roles that don't even exist yet.

  • Why university education can't keep up

    The curriculum of universities cannot keep pace with the fast-changing nature of technology. As they look into technical knowledge, essential soft skills for today's work environment like creativity, problem-solving, and adaptability are usually overlooked. In this sense, the gig economy requires technical and interpersonal competence to be applied both by freelancers and full-time workers.

  • Short shelf life of skills

    With the half-life of skills at five years, knowledge and abilities become old news too quickly. People have to constantly update their knowledge merely to stay with the current date. Thus, it is already time for lifelong learning, but just master's degrees are not enough anymore.

  • Online learning platforms

    With universities not yet even able to bridge the gap in skills, opportunities in non-traditional learning are expanding. Accessible and flexible classes available on platforms such as Coursera and Udacity augment formal education. More and more businesses are recognizing the value of these types of platforms and are implementing them into their employee training programs.

  • A shift away from degrees and toward skills in hiring

    Apple and Google are other leaders that have changed to skill-based hiring. They understand that a college degree is not always an indication of practical skills. Companies are able to address the knowledge-skill gap more efficiently by focusing on what they can do, not where they studied it.

  • Lifelong learning

    Adaptability and continuous education are very paramount in this fast-changing world. The mantra of any expert is to have a mindset of "learn, unlearn, and relearn." A university degree constitutes the foundation, but it is definitely not enough. It is through the combination of formal education with soft skills and ongoing learning that one is prepared to grapple with the complexities of modern job markets.