Future-Ready Kids: Skills Kids Need To Be Successful

he half-life of a skill has dropped from 30 years to an average of 6 years. This holds even for fresh university graduates. This means that the model of "learn at school" and "do at work" is no longer sustainable, and constant reskilling and lifelong learning will be a way of life at work.- World Economic Forum 

It is worth pondering whether teaching traditional subjects like history, science, and math in the same way is still relevant, given technological advancements and changing world needs.

There may be other options than waiting for schools to adapt to current times, especially when children today have access to technology and can understand complex concepts.

Instead of solely focusing on classroom learning, we should guide children towards developing skills that foster lifelong learning and a continued curiosity about the world.

As a parent, I firmly believe in helping children acquire skills that will serve them throughout their lives.

Creativity

Forbes - Human workers will need to be creative to fully realize the benefits of all the new things for the future—new products, ways of working and technologies. 

With the plethora of excellent tools available to children, now is the perfect opportunity to encourage them to explore the world of design, writing, and creative expression.

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Emotional intelligence (EQ)

A person's ability to be aware of, control and express their own emotions, as well as being aware of the feelings of others, describes their emotional intelligence. You exhibit high emotional intelligence if you have empathy and integrity and work well with others. 

As a parent, it's crucial to foster emotional intelligence in kids from a young age. One effective way to do this is by encouraging open and honest communication about feelings.

For instance, my son and I have made it a habit to discuss how we feel regularly. We discuss what triggers our emotions and what makes us happy, sad, or angry. This practice not only helps us understand and manage our emotions better but also strengthens our bond as a family.

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Analytical (critical) thinking 

Forbes - A person with critical thinking skills can suggest innovative solutions and ideas, solve complex problems using reasoning and logic and evaluate arguments.

The first step in critical thinking is to analyze the flow of information from various resources. 

In today's world, social media has become an integral part of our lives. However, due to its widespread use, children are exposed to a vast amount of information that is only sometimes reliable or accurate.

Therefore, kids must develop the skills to distinguish between right and wrong. These skills include critical thinking, media literacy, and digital citizenship.

By acquiring these competencies, children can become responsible digital citizens who can navigate the online world safely and confidently.

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Active learning with a growth mindset 

Forbes - Anyone in the future of work needs to learn and grow actively. A person with a growth mindset understands that their abilities and intelligence can be developed, and they know their effort to build skills will result in higher achievement.

In many schools, the primary focus is preparing students for exams and achieving good grades. However, this approach can be limiting and may only partially develop a student's potential.

Children must recognize their abilities and realize they can do much more than just good grades.

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Judgment and decision-making

Forbes - Human decision-making will become more complex in the future workplace. As technology takes away more menial and mundane tasks, it will leave humans to do higher-level decision-making.

In today's fast-paced world, a significant number of young adults face a considerable amount of pressure when it comes to deciding their career path.

With so many options available, it can be challenging to determine which route to take, and this can often lead to feelings of uncertainty and anxiety.

Given the importance of career decisions, it is crucial to take the time to evaluate one's options and make informed choices. This involves considering personal interests, skills, work values, and future career prospects.

However, this process can be overwhelming, and many young adults struggle to navigate it alone.

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Interpersonal communication skills

Forbes - The ability to exchange information and meaning between people will be vital during the 4th industrial revolution.

This means people should hone their ability to communicate effectively with other human beings to say the right things, using the right tone of voice and body language, to bring their messages across.   

Many educational institutions primarily consist of students of the same age group, which can limit their exposure to individuals with different experiences and perspectives.

As a result, it's crucial to provide students with opportunities to connect with experts, particularly in their areas of interest, to help them develop critical interpersonal skills that will benefit them in the long run.

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Leadership skills

Forbes - Traits you commonly associate with leadership, such as being inspiring and helping others become the best versions of themselves, will be necessary for the future workforce.

Kids generally love responsibility; they want to be in charge, and we need to give them opportunities so that they can take charge. 

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Diversity and cultural intelligence

Forbes -As our world and workplaces become more diverse and open, individuals must have the skills to understand, respect and work with others despite differences in race, culture, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, political or religious beliefs, etc.

In today's world, where the boundaries between countries are becoming increasingly blurred, kids need to develop skills that will enable them to thrive as global individuals.

One of the most critical skills they can learn is to be open-minded and optimistic about interacting with people from different cultures.

By embracing diversity, they can gain a unique perspective and learn from others, which will help them expand their horizons and grow as individuals.

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Technology skills 

Forbes -The 4th industrial revolution is fuelled by technological innovations such as artificial intelligence, big data, virtual reality, blockchains, and more. This means that everyone will need a certain level of comfort around technology.

In today's world, technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace. Children must be introduced to technology early and learn to use it positively and productively.

This will help them keep up with the rapidly evolving digital landscape and equip them with the necessary skills to succeed in the future.

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Embracing change

57% of all jobs are at risk of being automated within the next 5 years.

Forbes - Due to the speed of change in the future workplace, people will have to be agile and able to embrace and celebrate change. Not only will our brains need to be flexible, but we'll also need to be adaptable as we are required to adjust to shifting workplaces, expectations, and skill sets.

Parents can create an environment that fosters life-long learning, which is crucial for kids to be ready for any changes that may come their way.

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