Preparing your child for a career of the future
Welcome to the 4th Industrial Revolution! Due to the rapid technological advances of the 21st century, we are living in an era of quick and abundant changes. One change that comes with this age of social media, robots, and artificial intelligence (AI) development is the extinction of jobs. For example, cashiers, bank tellers, and administrative assistants are projected to become obsolete within the next decade.
However, another change is the creation of new jobs! Even just a few years ago, occupations like social media marketers and user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) designers either did not exist at all or were in low demand. Now, companies are scrambling to build influencer outreach programs while job seekers learn to code at boot camps.
You never know what the future holds, so how do you prepare your child for a career that might not exist yet?
Embrace New Things
The very first thing to do is open your mind to all the possibilities. Embrace trends and new developments, even if they seem strange at first. People who see potential in something novel often succeed because they enter the market before it’s overcrowded. They may also set the rules or become frontrunners. One example is Steve Jobs, who predicted computers will be a staple in every home, leading to Apple’s rise to the top.
Another example is YouTube, which has become a billion-dollar company. Those who created content when YouTube first started saw great success and still have millions of loyal subscribers today. However, there is a lot more competition now. More and more kids in the United States and United Kingdom want to grow up to be YouTube stars.
Rather than jump on a trend when it’s at its peak, try to get ahead of it. The way to do this is to be open to new ideas, and then…
Stay Updated
In order to embrace new things and get ahead of trends, you must always keep a finger on the pulse. Stay updated by reading the news and talking to others. To get the most comprehensive view of how the future is looking, you should expand your horizons and read publications you may not normally read. Sign up for a variety of newsletters that focus on different industries, like Adweek (marketing) and Wired (technology).
Another good resource for parents is Pearson, which does survey-based research into educational trends. The latest report discusses the future of education and vocational training in career-building for students.
Learning as much as you can is the best preparation for the future, but not the only way. You should also…
Work On Soft Skills
Even though jobs may change, the skills that make an employee competent and desirable never do. You may be unsure about signing your kid up for coding classes right now, but you can always work on their soft skills, which transcend any one job.
Soft skills include time management, creative thinking, conflict resolution, sense of responsibility, and focus. These ensure that your child will be a good worker. You can help by building up their study habits and routines, removing distractions, giving advice, and encouraging breaks so they can refocus and foster creativity.
You can also improve socialization traits, like empathy, sense of humor, and teamwork. Employers want to know your child is a good person to have on their team since they will spend many hours together. You can lead by example: show compassion and communicate clearly. Your child can also get involved in the community through volunteer work and read more books, which boosts the Emotional Quotient (EQ).
Excellent soft skills ensure your child will be a good worker in any field or position! On top of that, you can…
Build Transferable Skills
For an even greater advantage, you should work on your child’s transferable skills, meaning skills that are important no matter where they work! Your child may not be able to specialize quite yet, but they can perfect basic skills like writing, public speaking, and comprehension.
For example, you may not believe a career in science requires strong writing skills, but that is not the case. Pre-med students are nowadays required to take writing classes so they can write up good reports. Public speaking is necessary for any leadership position. Comprehension ensures your child can follow directions and learn new things for their current job or a new one.
To boost these skills, encourage your child to read more and write daily! They can also sign up for activities that will push them outside of their comfort zone, like going to a theater camp that will improve their speaking skills or signing up for a sport that requires quick and strategic thinking.
These skills will prove useful no matter what new jobs the future holds!
What lies ahead can be uncertain and ever-changing, but you can still help your child prepare for it to the best of your abilities! Learning about trends and honing basic skills are key so that your child can get into any industry, even if that industry does not exist yet.
Preparing your child for the future job market will ensure they have the best future possible! To work on some of the skills mentioned above, take a look at the programs we offer and find a JEI Learning Center near you.
