Parenting Matters -August 2011

AN EDUCATION HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT BUT….

One of the challenges for parents and educators today is to get their heads around the fact that what used to be the norm – that a decent education would guarantee you a job – is a promise we can no longer make to our children. Just this week, two multi-million dollar lawsuits were filed by graduates against their alma maters in the US because they cannot find jobs. They claim that the marketing material used by these universities, about job acquisition based on qualifications from these specific institutions, was misleading.

This adds fuel to the argument put forward in my book Future-proof Your Child (co-authored with Dr Graeme Codrington, an expert in the future world of work) that while education and qualifications are still important, employers of the future will be looking for much more – they will want to see X-factors for success showcased by a prospective employee. In broad terms we’re talking about creativity and innovation, loving to learn, resilience, knowing yourself and relating to others.

The technological revolution is bringing mobile devices to billions of people and is transforming jobs and how work gets done. Robots are taking the place of unskilled and semi-skilled workers, while business analytics, modelling and collaborative technologies are taking away much of what has traditionally been the role of the middle manager – and that will affect a lot of people. Global thought leader on the future of work, Lynda Stratton, author of best seller, The Shift: The future of work is already here, highlights the fact that while technology may be replacing the mechanical aspects of work, it is not replacing the more complex, skilled work that involves creativity and innovation. “That’s the high value piece that remains.” In childhood this means encouraging your child’s curiosity and imagination, their need to experiment and play, and allow them to be proactive and show initiative.

Gratton also says that runaway connectivity is enabling more people on the planet to get an education regardless of where they were born or where they find themselves now. Mobile connectivity allows anyone, anywhere to download anything, including lectures and courses from top international universities such as MIT. “With more people joining the talent pool they will increasingly compete with each other, continuously upping the stakes for what it takes to succeed in the world of work.”

An education alone is no longer a means to an end, which is what the graduates suing the law schools are highlighting. However, it has never been more important to get an education as long as you remember it is just a beginning.

NIKKI BUSH