What is the future of jobs all about and why does it seem confusing for parents? One reason is that Parents have to navigate raising their children for a future that seems to change faster than ever before.
The future of jobs can be categorised as the rapidly changing nature of jobs. Many industries have changed and several jobs have been disrupted by technology, Artificial intelligence, Machine learning and Robotics.
Parents Stop Choosing Their Career
The first secret parents need to know when it comes to the future of jobs is to stop choosing a career for your child. It is more advisable for children to choose themselves with the right guidance from parents and school advisors. I have heard of countless examples of children who studied certain subjects just to please their parents. However, once they graduate, they hand the degree over to their parents. After this, they then go off to pursue their true passion. Who really benefits from this? Is it the parents who have pictures to display or the child who is now free to really pursue their passion?
I cannot help but think about how much time and effort could have been saved if the child was allowed to hone his or her interest instead from early on.
It is interesting to note that the subjects children are studying to please their parents, are usually hard and demanding subjects. No one ever went to school to study photography, just to please their parents. This is not to throw shade to photography which I think is fantastic. It is usually degrees like medicine or law that are done under pressure from parents.
So why do Parens choose careers for their children?
They do it from a place of love and concern. From their perspective, the idea is that if you have certain careers then the hope is that you are set for life.
But the reality is that you will excel once you are passionate, are talented and continue to improve. There are multiple examples that show that you can totally excel in whatever field you choose. The key things are to be determined and to do things with a sense of excellence, be a lifelong learner and strive to be known as an expert in your field(s).
Most people change industries, and move jobs several times between the beginning of their career to the day that they retire. According to research, the average person will change careers 5-7 times during their working life.
Retirement is also very different today as many people who retire from their regular jobs are continuing to work as consultants, coaches or part-time. It is much easier now thanks to technology to reach the whole world and continue working in whatever field you desire.
What can Parents do rather than choose careers for their children?
Identify their Interest and Raise a Life-Long Learner
The first thing is to identify your child’s interest because every child has something that they are uniquely interested in. As parents, it is our job to spend time understanding what that is and guiding them to develop their interest. It could be anything from playing football to writing or sound engineering. A child who loves learning for the sake of learning will be well prepared for the future. The share quantity of online resources makes learning any topic easier than ever before.
To stay ahead everyone needs to keep learning. The illiterate of the future is the person who cannot unlearn and relearn. The workforce today requires the finance employee to have some digital media awareness. Additionally, more and more workers are expected to have some level of multi-disciplinary skills. [Tweet “Adaptability is high on the list to thrive in the workplace of the future.”]
Accept we Parents Do not know it all
Parents need to accept that they do not know it all. We do not know the jobs that are going to show up. Every day new jobs are popping up that we have never heard of before. For example, I work in digital media marketing and when I was at University, social media did not even exist. Your child might be an artificial intelligence expert, ethical hacker or a YouTuber! [Tweet “What is for sure is that the child who loves to learn and creative will be able to navigate the changes.”]
Allow Your Child to Explore
It is important for your child to explore. And the best thing you can do as a parent is to expose them to several learning opportunities. The future of jobs requires creativity, collaboration, flexibility, the ability to take constructive feedback, focus and strong work ethics.
One great way to explore is by encouraging your child to choose something that they are passionate about. This could be a cause that they give back to, let them understand that it is not all about money, they can give back from their talent and gifts, they can give their time and teach something they are an expert in. It is not so much about what it is but rather for your child to have the opportunity to contribute to a particular goal or cause. That is what is important. Remember, your children to do what they want to do, not what you want to do.
Importance of Hard Work and a Good Work Ethic
The future of jobs is much more flexible thanks to the rise of the gig economy. The barrier to entry when it comes to knowledge is very low. As a result, it is less about what you know but what you do with what you know. Secondly, a solid personal brand and reputation is a very important factor for success. Think about a classic example of an Uber driver, their performance and reputation are based on the open rating system. In the long run, it is the children who learn the value of hard work and have good work ethics that will stand out.
The young workforce today are more likely to engage in the Gig economy than a structured office job. Those that are part of this Gig economy tend to be independent freelancers or flexible workers. This means that is is about being a self-starter and having the work ethics to deliver on your job. What will make the difference between the people who have access to the same knowledge and have the same training; will be the creative worker, the one who can get along with others (even when it is remotely) and deliver when they say they will.
The rise in the decentralized workforce means that each person needs to have more self-discipline.
The Future of Jobs and Technology
One of the main components of jobs today and in the future is the reliance and use of technology. The Generation Z child is a natural digital native and rather than seeing technology as a threat, they see it as their co-worker and an enabler in the workplace or industry. Learning how to use technology to make you more productive will go a much further way than how many likes you have on Instagram or TikTok.
A diverse set of work experiences is also valuable as this generation of workers is more interested in shaping their own paths.
The jobs that are leading the pack of in-demand jobs are knowledge-intensive and creative. The barrier to entry for knowledge is pretty low and what makes you stand out is what you do with the knowledge and building a solid reputation.
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