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Rethinking our approach to education in a changed job market .
By Vijay Sundaram
It ’ s been a year since COVID forced many Australians to turn their kitchen tables into their office . We now have a generation of employees who are working from their homes or local cafes .
Add to this seismic shift advances in technology – most notably artificial intelligence ( AI ) and automation – and we ’ re seeing a heightening urgency of ‘ man vs machine ’ discussions in the workplace .
With this shift , should recent and future Australian graduates be concerned about a changed jobs market ? How can they ensure they acquire the emerging skills that employers today demand ? And how can employers retrain , upskill and equip their staff to thrive as they introduce more technology and new ways of working into their business ?
Technology is empowering ; setting new standards for innovation and best practice . If implemented with consideration , it can be the catalyst for meaningful work , growth opportunities and an improved work-life balance . Without consideration , advances in AI , machine learning and automation can displace unskilled workers , widen the skills gap and lead to greater inequalities between those with a means to good education , and those without .
As the nature of work evolves , we need to embrace more non-traditional forms of education to maximise the potential , mitigate the risks and create an environment in which every Australian , everywhere , has access to a rewarding , relevant and comprehensive education .
DEGREES AREN ’ T EVERYTHING Until recently , having a three-year university degree was viewed by some as the best
– and in extreme cases , only – route into employment . That was particularly the case for management-level positions . That , though , was a rigid and potentially inhibiting view , and one that unfairly favoured those from privileged backgrounds who had the ability to pay for an expensive education .
Thankfully , society is beginning to acknowledge that there is no one-sizefits-all approach to education ; different routes suit different individuals , different expertise and different industries . Today , big technology companies such as Google , Apple and IBM no longer require a degree as mandatory for some senior jobs – recognising instead that formal further education is not the best option for many young Australians today .
Talent is honed and passions are developed in many different forms , and the proliferation of both the internet and digital transformation is allowing people to acquire in-demand skills through self-taught , or once peripheral , education streams . RMIT Online , for example , teams up with leading industry players to provide short , practical online courses in a range of subjects , from Artificial Intelligence and data science , to design and software development .
The best education system is a flexible system that provides broad and relevant options . As the world of work they ’ re being prepared for evolves at an unprecedented pace , providing students with options beyond the traditional degree route is crucial in creating the diverse and talented workforce we should be striving for .
THE RISE OF WHITE COLLAR APPRENTICESHIPS IN TECH
Apprenticeships help students to quickly gain tangible , specific skills from a relatable subject-matter expert . Apprenticeship programs have been hugely successful in developing some of Australia ’ s biggest , most important industries such as
The best education system is a flexible system that provides broad and relevant options .
construction . However , there ’ s no reason it can ’ t have the same impact in , for example , the technology industry .
Technology companies are looking at apprenticeships as an alternative method to train skilled workers without requiring higher education . The benefit of apprenticeships for white-collar jobs is that students get to earn while they learn , and what they ’ re learning is generally practical rather than theory-based , which can ease the transition from classroom to office .
Crucially , they can gain the required skills , contacts and exposure whilst avoiding potentially crippling levels of student loan debt . Apprenticeships also provide the platform for students to demonstrate their worth within an organisation , establishing the all-important ‘ foot in the door ’ as they do so .
REIMAGINING EDUCATION AND TRAINING
To truly benefit from technology ’ s potential , we must give people the skills to not only implement and oversee it , but thrive alongside it . That means reimagining education and training with a focus on industry 4.0 and today ’ s work of work .
Technology is changing the workforce and widening the skills gap . Some lower-level jobs will be automated by AI and machine learning . Through first an education system that evolves as industries and skills do , and then a deep commitment to retraining and upskilling those whose jobs are replaced , we can continue to offer meaningful employment to everyone .
The biggest question today isn ’ t whether people will be impacted by technology , but when , and what can we do to ensure that it ’ s beneficial , not detrimental . The answers to these questions will determine Australia ’ s long-term success in the new world of work . ■
Vijay Sundaram is the chief strategy officer at global technology platform Zoho .
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