Saturday, February 15, 2025

USA-China Tensions Transform Global Market

After the U.S. elections, relations between the...

Future Skills – How to Prepare Children for Jobs That Don’t Yet Exist

EDUCATIONFuture Skills – How to Prepare Children for Jobs That Don't Yet Exist

In a world that is changing faster than ever before, the role of the education system is no longer just to prepare children for existing occupations. According to the latest data from the Future 2025 Report, the set of skills required in the labor market will change by as much as 50% in the coming years, with technology knowledge and analytical skills becoming crucial in nearly every industry. The rapid development of technology, social changes, and climate crises pose the question: what skills will be key, and is the Polish education system ready for this? Katarzyna Goryluk-Gierszewska, director of the Academy International Karolkowa Primary School in Warsaw, discusses how education can meet the challenges of a changing world.

An education system that responds to the changing labor market is not just a matter of curriculum content but also how it is implemented. In this context, students should not only acquire knowledge but also develop practical skills needed in future occupations. These, as research shows, will require flexibility, creativity, and a readiness to learn throughout one’s life.

How is the labor market changing?

According to data from the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report and the latest forecasts, by 2030 the global economy will undergo a profound transformation driven by automation, artificial intelligence, and advances in green technologies. Future professions will require skills such as:

  • Adaptation to new technologies – Professions involving data analysis, artificial intelligence algorithm management, and the integration of automation in business will become commonplace.
  • Creativity in problem-solving – Work in future professions, such as innovative product designers or ecological strategy managers, will require out-of-the-box thinking.
  • Intercultural communication skills – The growing importance of working in international teams will increase the demand for language proficiency and interpersonal skills.

The Polish education system is gradually implementing changes, but the pace of these actions does not always match the dynamics of the market. Katarzyna Goryluk-Gierszewska from the bilingual Academy International explains: “In Poland, traditional teaching models based on rote learning still dominate. Meanwhile, there is a significant need for greater emphasis on developing soft skills, such as teamwork, analytical thinking, and creativity. New directions in educational policy for the 2024/2025 school year, which place more emphasis on developing analytical skills and supporting individual student development, are a step in the right direction. However, interdisciplinarity is still lacking in teaching. Students should have the opportunity to combine different fields of knowledge – mathematics, biology, or art – just as in real professional life.”

Education as the key to the future

In the face of global changes, there is a need to strengthen cooperation between schools and the business sector. Mentoring programs, study visits, and real projects implemented in schools allow students not only to better understand the labor market but also to gain practical experience. “In Scandinavian countries, schools have been cooperating with local entrepreneurs for years, allowing students to develop skills needed for the future, not just preparing for exams. In Poland, similar actions are being implemented, although their scale is still insufficient,” notes Katarzyna Goryluk-Gierszewska.

Future professions – what challenges await the younger generation?

Future professions may include new roles created in response to global challenges, such as the climate crisis or the development of artificial intelligence. Among these are likely to be specialists in sustainable resource management, responsible for the efficient use of water, energy, and raw materials in public and private institutions. There may also be an increased demand for managers of artificial intelligence ethics, combining technological knowledge with legal and philosophical expertise to ensure responsible use of algorithms. In the digital age, digital health specialists who support mental and physical well-being in the online environment could play a potentially key role.

Although technological progress, social changes, and climate crises are already impacting the structure of the labor market, the development of technology does not mean that technical competences will replace social skills. On the contrary, in many future professions, these will be key. Working in culturally diverse teams, negotiation skills, or empathy towards customers’ needs will be skills that determine success in a modern work environment. “One of the modern teaching methods that responds to the challenges of the contemporary world is the Dalton Plan. This approach develops in students such attitudes as independence, responsibility, cooperation, and self-reflection. By using these principles, we shape students prepared both for teamwork and for making conscious decisions and taking responsibility for their actions,” adds Katarzyna Goryluk-Gierszewska of Academy International.

The professional future of children who are starting their education today depends on the ability of the education system to adapt to a dynamically changing labor market. Openness to change and a readiness to learn throughout life are not options but necessities. In a world where technology develops at lightning speed, it is crucial to develop attitudes that allow students to be flexible and tackle challenges from various fields. The Polish education system, by implementing new educational policies, is moving in the right direction, but there is still much to be done.

Check out our other content
Related Articles
The Latest Articles