Future You Memo No. 6
First, some numbers…
65% - of elementary school children will grow up to build careers that don’t exist yet 1
41% - of recent graduates are underemployed 2
$101,584 - is the average cost of a bachelor's degree. In 1989. $52,892. And in 1962, 5,144. 3
Education is based on conformity, life is based on diversity.
Kate Robinson is the daughter of the late Sir Ken Robinson of the famous TED Talk presentation, Do schools kill creativity? In this interview with Chase Jarvis, she discusses writing Imagine If…: Creating a Future for Us All, a manifesto of her dad’s work in education and creativity.
Listen as a podcast.
Not enough time? Watch “schools as industrial farms” metaphor at 17:55.
Here are two gems I loved in this video.
Considering the factory model of our education system, why do we have the expectation such a rigid system can creative diversity of thought and creativity? Unfortunately, our schools are not designed for that output.
The lie we have come to accept: get the grades, go to a top college, get a job. The danger we learn too late: where are the jobs? There’s no golden ticket. And most jobs will not exist when we graduate.
Share your takeaways from the video and leave a comment.
Ask kids which problem they’ll solve, not which career they’ll choose
The changemaking bug often starts early in life – and the earlier the start, the bigger the ambition. All the more important for adults to be ‘non-controlling allies’ who encourage rather than stifle the innovators of the future.
- Ashoka Europe leader Marie Ringler
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Young people receive this question often – especially from family and friends around the holidays, it seems – and I say it is past time we retire it.
Not because we aren’t interested in children’s futures, of course; but the fact is, their futures won’t be defined by traditional career paths. Young people are growing up in a rapidly changing world, a world that requires embracing innovation and initiative to thrive. Instead of asking young people what profession they will choose, what if we ask: “What problem are you going to solve?”
Skills for a changing world
It's clear that change-making sets young leaders on a unique trajectory. So, how do we shift away from a narrow, traditional understanding of education and growing up, and focus instead on cultivating the abilities of a changemaker, which will carry over into an uncertain, changing world? Abilities like empathy, shared leadership, collaborative teamwork and creative problem-solving?
Read further at Pioneer Post
Preparing your child for the careers of the future
"The foundational knowledge of the future is your own ability to learn and adapt, because if you don't your career will come to a screeching halt after a couple of years," says Heather McGowan, a future work strategist who helps to prepare people and organizations for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which will see the world reshaped by artificial intelligence, robotics and other technological breakthroughs. Education must adapt accordingly. McGowan thinks this means less focus on transferring knowledge, and more on the ability to learn for yourself.
When executives from some of the world’s leading companies were asked what they thought the most important job skills would be in the future, they focused on adaptability - the ability “learn how to learn” and “think creatively”.
Read further at Aspire Education
Till next time…
Society is what happens when children grow up. - Paul Lindley
https://aspireeducation.org/preparing-your-child-for-the-careers-of-the-future/
https://www.insidehighered.com/
https://educationdata.org/average-cost-of-college
Cover: Nick Fewings