Tuesday 14 June 2016

Top 10 skills for the future

A while ago, I came across a 'top 10 skills for the future' image, formed by the World Economic Forum following their Future of Jobs report.

It really caught my attention and a lot of other people found it useful too. After recently experimenting with creating images for our Twitter page (@refthinking) and this blog, I loved the idea of mixing it up a little and adding some images.

Feel free to share it, but please let us know by mentioning us if it's a tweet, as it's great to see it being shared even more!

For a large version, please click here.

If you have iPads in school and want to increase development of some of these top skills, try our tool, Thinking Kit: www.thinking-kit.com.




18 comments:

  1. Fascinating to see how this sort of thinking has evolved. Systems thinking was in the OECD's list in 2005. That seems to have fallen by the wayside. And "problem solving in teams" has evolved into two distinct skills - whereas the OECD predicted the coming together of problem solving and collaboration in one skill was a significant trend.

    I do struggle with the differences between creativity, innovation and inventiveness, all of which have appeared in these lists in recent years. Are they really synonymous? Or is some level of distinction useful?

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  2. Hi Richard. Thanks a lot for your great comment - you raise some very interesting points.

    Completely agree that it is difficult to sometimes see the differences between certain skills. I can see subtle differences of creativity to innovation/inventiveness but would definitely say they're under a similar bracket.

    So many skills come 'side by side' too - there's some overlap in many.

    Thanks, Natalie

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  3. Yes, I am always unclear by what is really meant by creativity. Certainly the expectation is not for artistic creativity as the icon suggests.

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    1. That's a good point actually - perhaps I should have gone for a few different icons and been more 'creative' :-). It will be interesting to see if/how things change nearer to 2020.

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  4. I'm sorry, but over analyzing these seems...odd. These are all skills that I as a student and teacher has also expected and promoted. This is now a 2020-thing???

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    1. Most skills are things that a lot of people are developing/teaching/learning anyway, but it is interesting to see the shift in what is considered most important of all...

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    2. I find it very interesting how creativity has jumped from 10th in 2015 to 3rd for 2020. I find most students weak in the area of creativity. It's like pulling teeth to get them to think originally and authentically. They are so accustomed to going online for 'inspiration' or 'ideas' that they do very little that can truly be regarded as innovative, original or CREATIVE.

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  5. fascinating! creativity and emotional intelligence becoming more important....

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    1. Will be interesting to see what is predicted in 2020 for 2025.......!

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  6. I think innovative is a better term than creativity. In order to be innovative you need to find creative solutions for real-world problems.

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  7. Business development might be one to add, too. Seems telling one's story and why one's product or service is of value is a must for financial support from funders and customers both. We take this for granted and we shouldn't. Even good ideas falter without business development and marketing support. I've even seen some terrible ideas succeed because of it. (i.e. 2016 should be proof enough.)

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    1. Very true Teresa. I think a few of these skills are interlinked with business development but I see what you mean.

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  8. I am lost what does this have to do wit Tech in Edu?

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    1. There are so many platforms/tools/apps out there that have the aim of assisting educators to help improve a lot of these skills!

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  9. Interesting that people management and coordinating with people fall lower on the list; yet emotional intelligence appears. Seems like those ought to go together. And listening skills are nowhere to be found. Really?

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    1. Hi Krista. It's definitely interesting! There's more on how the report was put together at https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-10-skills-you-need-to-thrive-in-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/ if that helps. Thanks, Natalie

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