2.2 Global Futurism and Megatrends

Education systems are planning significant transformation to align with the future of work. The future will be less about knowledge and more about a lifelong approach to developing critical thinking, problem-solving and communication skills, teamwork and leadership capabilities, and being technology-enabled.

Universities and the VET sector need to embrace change and work together. The need for reskilling will combine higher education and vocational; the key being right-time right-place education. Learning pathways will need to be easier to navigate and flexible, offering more choice and micro credentialing options.

Australia has a skills deficit along with most other countries and collectively, we need to increase work-integrated learning and particularly increase STEM-skilled graduate numbers.

Gig economy growth will leave low paid workers vulnerable and automation will impact on the unskilled who will suffer increasing economic displacement. So too will those with less access to technology. The role of education and skills training cannot be underestimated in the coming decade.

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