Technology is ushering us into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, changing the way businesses create and capture value. Artificial intelligence, digital algorithms and data analytics have moved from science fiction to reality in our workplaces. Their impact tomorrow will be even more pervasive. Our study, 'The path to prosperity: why the future of work is human' [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 136.823], found that while jobs are changing in nature because of automation, they will not disappear altogether. Instead, today's roles are being rethought and described in terms of the new and emergin
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Technology is ushering us into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, changing the way businesses create and capture value. Artificial intelligence, digital algorithms and data analytics have moved from science fiction to reality in our workplaces. Their impact tomorrow will be even more pervasive. Our study, 'The path to prosperity: why the future of work is human' [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 136.823], found that while jobs are changing in nature because of automation, they will not disappear altogether. Instead, today's roles are being rethought and described in terms of the new and emerging skills required as jobs are increasingly augmented by technology. In Australia, we have high levels of graduate attainment, with approximately 31 per cent of the population aged between 20 and 64 years of age holding at least a bachelor's degree. While an undergraduate qualification may be a solid foundation for initial employment, it is unlikely to sustain us throughout the course of our longer lives. At various points in their careers, workers will need to reskill and upskill to keep pace with the changing nature of work and the associated demands of their jobs. To better understand workers' view on the skills gap, we surveyed current Australian workers who have completed at least a bachelor's degree. We wanted to understand their view on current and emerging skills needs, and how they thought their skills could be developed. We wanted to understand their attitudes towards formal learning, and the barriers to their participation. Three key findings emerged from our survey: post-bachelor workers know change is coming and recognise the need to develop skills for current and future jobs, particularly problem solving, innovative thinking, customer service, and analysis; Affordability, flexibility and industry reputation are the most important factors driving post-bachelor workers' choice of course and provider; and While 56 per cent of post-bachelor workers are not planning to undertake formal learning, they would change their mind if certain conditions are met.
Edited excerpts from publication.
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