It’s been suggested that 85% of jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t been invented yet. This means that there are thousands of jobs that we have no knowledge of yet, which can be scary. These days, the job market is a fast moving world and with the recent boom in AI, it seems like it’s moving faster than ever. This highlights the significance of future proof yourself, so that you are ready for any job that comes in the future, but where do you start?
Not to worry, we have compiled a list of essential skills to learn so that you can upgrade yourself to anything that comes in the future.
Why Future-Proofing Matters
AI is transforming the industry, with jobs such as data entry jobs and book keeping being taken over by automation, with many more to come in the future. However, AI also gives birth to new jobs and has highlighted jobs that can not be taken over in the future, therefore it is necessary to remain flexible.
AI aside, the modern day career is less ‘one job for life’ and more fluid and flexible, with the modern career having multiple different paths. This means that learning new skills is now an essential part of a career to stay employable.
7 Essential Skills to Learn
1. Digital Literacy
In a digital world, it’s very important to keep up with new technologies. Understanding digital tools and platforms is now an essential part of every job, not just tech based roles. An example of this is teachers, gone are the days of simple whiteboards and computers, after covid teachers are expected to do hybrid and online learning. This forced teachers to use screen sharing and using AI for lesson planning.
2. Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving
Critical thinking and problem solving will always be very employable skills. However in a modern environment it’s important that you can understand and process data from technology. This is important as machines can produce data but they can’t always interpret what it means. It’s also significant, as systems and technology can fail and you must have the initiative to problem solve.
An example of this is a digital system making something as delivered, however the customer has not received the parcel. You might have to deduct that the system could be wrong, or the parcel could have been stolen.
3. Emotional Intelligence & Empathy
One thing that sets humans apart from Ai and automation, are human centered skills such as emotional intelligence and empathy. These skills are key in any human centered roles, which are quite common in most jobs. If you ever work in a team, good people skills can be the difference between a successful, smooth running team with great outcomes and a poorly run team with bad communication.
The same goes from client facing roles and sales jobs, where people skills are almost essential to the job.
4. Physical skills and qualifications
One way to combat the AI revolution is to upskill yourself with qualifications or physical skills that can help to set you apart and also invest in your future by learning skills that AI can not replace. An example of this could be training, such as category C and E driving licence training, or getting a qualification in Google Analytics.
Whether you’re an on hand person or prefer to work at a desk, this is a great opportunity to upskills yourself for longevity in the job market well into the future.
5. Communication Skills (Especially Remote)
Even though you might think that you have great in person communication, how you present yourself online is extremely important, and you might need to work on it. Due to the amount of online work, talking, appearing and collaborating online is very common and you must be up to date on etiquette.
An example of this is knowing email etiquette, so you can come across as professional as possible in the work environment and in interviews to higher your chance of being successful.
6. Creativity & Innovation
Another skill that can not be replicated by AI, is creativity and innovation, as original thinking can not be replicated by machines. This is especially useful if going into more creative industries such as marketing, design, content creation and UX. By honing in on their creativity skills, you can differentiate yourself not only from AI, but other candidates.
8. Green & Sustainability Awareness
Not only has there been a shift towards AI in recent years, but there has also been greater emphasis on sustainability, with most industries wanting to shift towards net zero. Eco and carbon literacy is more important than ever to future proof your career. Knowledge of sustainability concerns and creating sustainable solutions is valuable in almost all industries and will become more valuable, so this is a significant skill to set yourself apart from the crowd now and in years to come. So, why wait? Upskill yourself today!