OUTSMARTING THE RED QUEENFUTURE-PROOFING YOUR CAREER IN AN EVER-CHANGING LANDSCAPE

2

In the Lewis Carroll classic, Through the Looking Glass, the young

Alice finds herself racing as fast as she can with the Red Queen, only

to find herself in the same place, exhausted and out of breath. The

Red Queen tells her it takes all the running she can do to stay in the

same place; if she wants to actually get anywhere, she will have to

run twice as fast.1

The Red Queen’s race has been used as an illustration for the

competition found in numerous aspects of our world, from the

interaction between evolution and the environment, to the

relationship between productivity and economic status, and even the

fight for social liberty. And in recent years, as the fourth industrial

revolution accelerates its disruption of the way our society interacts,

the task of future-proofing your career can feel like taking on the Red

Queen in her impossible race.

1https://www.gutenberg.org/files/12/12-h/12-h.htm#link2HCH0002 2https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/beyond-hiring-how-companies-are-reskilling-to-address-talent-gaps

The digital era has transformed the way we live.

Technologies that didn’t exist thirty years ago are

now everyday tools, enabling us to connect, shop,

learn and work anywhere in the world. The fact

that these technologies were able to mitigate the

impact of the COVID pandemic, allowing safe

social distancing without life grinding to a halt,

shows just how powerful they are.

With the speed of technical innovation, the

education system is faced with a challenge: how

to prepare students for jobs that don’t yet exist, in

industries that haven’t yet been conceived. There

is an inevitable gap between the technical skills in

the workforce and those needed for tomorrow’s

jobs. In fact, nine out of ten executives are either

facing skill gaps in their workforce, or expect

those gaps to appear in the next five years.2

3

“There’s an oft-quoted saying that “to a man with a hammer, everything looks like nails.” But what if that man had a

hammer, a screwdriver, and a wrench? This is not to suggest that deep expertise is useless. Au contraire. Carrying a

hammer is not a problem. It’s just that our world is changing so rapidly that those with more tools in their possession

will better navigate the uncertainty. To make it in today’s world, it’s important to be agile and flexible.”

— Dr. Vikram Mansharamani, Harvard University Lecturer3

3https://tandemresearch.org/assets/Tandem-Skills-for-Future-Jobs-Web-2018.pdf

The fact is, recruiting for specific technical skills is no longer

practical. Employers cannot expect to find candidates with the

technical skills and experience that will see them through a long

career, while the tools of their trade are constantly changing.

Instead, businesses need their staff to be open to continually

developing their abilities to keep up with the technology they are

using. They need candidates who can demonstrate the

fundamental skills needed for lifelong learning, innovating and

adapting to this ever-changing landscape. And as an employee,

developing these skills is key to future-proofing your career – so

you can get ahead, and stay ahead.

In this report, we examine the industries that are set to grow in line

with technological advances over the coming decade; the changes

these advances will have on the job market; and the skills you

must develop now to protect your career into the future.

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Seven Industries that Will See the Biggest Growth in the Next Decade Whilst the digital revolution has impacted the mechanics of every sector of business, there are some industries that are thriving in this new environment. Several of these sectors are predicted to expand exponentially over the next ten years, generating demand in the job market and presenting opportunities for workers looking to diversify their careers.

01.

Against the backdrop of the global energy crisis, it is no surprise that interest in renewable energy and sustainable approaches is booming. The market for renewable power has grown an average of 13.7% each year for the last decade.4 Sustainability has become a buzz word in modern business, as companies look for renewable energy sources that have the least environmental impact.

Government policies favoring renewable power also contribute to growing demand, and this looks set to continue in countries around the world over the coming years.

Country Spotlight: Indonesia

When talking of sustainability and Indonesia, conservation of forests and wildlife is often the topic at hand. But as the

largest country in the ASEAN region, and responsible for around 40% of the region’s energy demands, Indonesia is

perfectly poised to lead the use of sustainable energy in the region over the next ten years.5

The Indonesian government has published its target to source 23% of energy from renewable sources by 2025 and

over 30% by 2050. It is look set to achieve these targets through a combination of geothermal energy, off-shore wind

farms and solar power.

4https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2020/08/02/renewable-energy-growth-continues-at-a-blistering-pace/?sh=2165fc7976b6 5https://www.cekindo.com/sectors/renewable-energy

Renewable Energy and Sustainability

30%23%

20502025

Percentage of total energy production in Indonesia

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02.It is a fact of life that for every change and improvement that is introduced in our world, there are criminals set to find and exploit the weaknesses in the system. As our personal data and transactions increasingly move online, it is cybercrime that threatens to invade our privacy and jeopardize our resources.

The global cybersecurity market was estimated to be worth $156.5 billion in 2019, with a predicted growth of 10% each year between 2020 and 2027.6 As demand for protection of digital data by both companies and individuals increases, the industry is expanding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) into malware threat detection systems, to keep one step ahead of the hackers.

Cybersecurity

03.Biotechnology

The use of biological techniques to solve real-world problems, from food supply to medicines and even climate change, is an industry that has seen rapid growth in line with the development of technology. As raw materials for consumer products become scarcer, biotechnology offers new ways of meeting the global demand for affordable raw materials.

One area that is showing particular growth is in the production of flavors and fragrances for the manufacture of food and beverages: a study by Grand View Research states that the market size of these biotech ingredients was valued at $1.61 billion in 2019, with a predicted growth rate of 9.3% from 2020 to 2027.7

6https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/cyber-security-market 7https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/biotech-ingredients-market

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027 $280.5 billion

$265.5 billion

$250.5 billion

$235.5 billion

$220.5 billion

$205.5 billion

$190.5 billion

$171.5 billion

$156.5 billion

Growth of Global Cybersecurity Market

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04.

Immersive technology, also referred to as extended reality (XR), includes the vast array of ways in which we are offered a deeper experience through the use of tech, including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Once thought to be primarily applicable to the gaming industry, the last five years have brought immersive technologies to the forefront across sectors, from police training simulations, to being able to see what an item of furniture would look like in your home, and even virtual tourism at historic sites.8

Because of its versatility, the immersive technology industry is expected to grow immensely in the coming years. Whilst it can be difficult to predict figures with such a young technology, some estimates suggest the revenue from immersive tech is set to grow from $37.0 billion in 2019 to more than $1,274.4 billion in 2030, representing 42.9% annual growth.9 P&S Intelligence also reported that during the coming decade, Asia-Pacific (APAC) will be the fastest-growing region in the AR and VR market, with particular uptake in Japan, China, South Korea, and India.

Immersive Technologies

8https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/3903067/Immersive%20Technology%20white%20paper%20-%20final.pdf 9https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ar-and-vr-market-set-to-witness-huge-growth-through-2030-ps-intelligence-301169816.html

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05.With the increase in the use of the internet and mobile devices, the e-commerce industry has experienced dramatic growth. In South-East Asia, internet penetration increased significantly during the global pandemic, reaching 70% of the population,10 leading to a rise in use of e-commerce, online media and food delivery services. The Gross Merchandise Value of these internet services are set to triple from $100 billion in 2020 to $300 billion in 2025.

E-Commerce and Supply Chain Management (SCM)

2020

2025

$100

$300

Country Spotlight: Philippines

Prior to the pandemic, the Philippines lagged behind its Southeast Asian neighbors in e-commerce, with only 2% of

the population making online purchases, compared to 5-10% in Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.11 And yet, as the COVID lockdown hit the country, the Philippines found itself with the

fastest-growing internet population in the world, with the majority accessing the internet with smartphones and using

it to connect on social media.12

As 2020 saw traditional retail sales drop to 15% of their usual value, the population turned to online shopping, with over 75% of internet users making purchases online. The

turnover of e-commerce in the country is predicted to exceed $12 billion by 2025.

Gross Merchandise Value of internet services SE Asia

10https://indonesien.ahk.de/en/infocenter/news/news-details/southeast-asia-digital-market-continues-to-surge 11https://www.bworldonline.com/the-state-of-e-commerce-in-the-Philippines/12https://ecommerce.dti.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/FINAL-Philippine-E-Commerce-Roadmap-2016-2020-01-29-2016.pdf

Billion

Billion

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06.

Continuous research and innovation by tech companies fuel the growth of this industry, which is expected to grow at an annual rate of 42.2% between 2020 and 2027.13 Applications of advanced AI and automation are heavily found in the medical field, manufacturing sector and automotive industry.

As technology continues to advance, it is to be expected that this growth would be consistent in the following years, together with its employment.

Advanced AI and Automation

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/artificial-intelligence-ai-market

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07.

Digital transformation, through which digital technologies are changing the way we conduct business, is a global phenomenon, which has been accelerated by the COVID pandemic. The explosion of telehealth services, school-from-home and remote working platforms has made our day-to-day lives barely recognizable from just two years ago.

While digital transformation may be occurring worldwide, the rate at which it is happening varies from country to country. Many developed nations had a head-start in the digital race, while other countries with poorer internet infrastructure have found the pandemic to have a catalytic effect in widening access to these facilities.

Digital Transformation

Country Spotlight: India

In the midst of the COVID pandemic, India took the prize for the second-fastest digitizing economy. Committed to a “Digital India”, the government

invested in new technology and ensuring internet infrastructure in remote areas of the country, and keeping mobile data tariffs affordable to facilitate

access.14 As a result, the internet market of the country now sits at 560 million connected consumers,

and India is considered a global force in producingdigital solutions.

India’s rapid progress during the pandemic would not have been possible without the foundations already laid for digital transformation in the country over the

previous years. The government’s program of demonetization, initiated in 2016, saw large-value banknotes removed from the economy and digital

transactions promoted over cash payments. This bold move has led to a reduction of $33 billion in circulating

cash, according to estimates by the Harvard Business Review.15

The huge amount of data generated by the digitalization of everyday transactions has opened new

opportunities in analyzing and drawing insights from this big dataset, the results of which are of value to a range of consumers from government to marketers.

14https://sweden-science-innovation.blog/new-delhi/how-india-is-leading-in-digital-transformation/ 15https://hbr.org/2019/05/the-ups-and-downs-of-indias-digital-transformation

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What are the biggest changes to expect in the next five years?

The digitalization and integration of advanced

technology and AI into every field has an

undeniable impact on the job market. Some

jobs will be automated, meaning that workers

who lose their jobs will need to learn new

skills in order to change their career paths.

According to some studies, the first jobs to be automated are jobs which

require repetitive tasks and high-level calculations. Robotic Process

Automation (or RPA), is the gradual adoption of software tools to complete

these mundane tasks, leading to greater efficiency and reduced error.16

Nevertheless, these changes bring up opportunities as well. With the

automation of the workplace, employers worldwide will be looking for

individuals who can fill the gaps that require the human touch. The

demand for work involving creativity, problem solving and innovation, that

only humans could do, will skyrocket. Rather than losing jobs, the process

can be seen in a more optimistic light as a transition, in which AI is tasked

with the tedious work, while people are trained and developed to take on

more sophisticated roles.

16https://www.dqindia.com/impact-rpa-existing-workforce-workplace/

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Sector Roles likely to be automated

Roles that will be in demand

Travel Travel agent Digital marketing expertsDigital Transformation expertsImmersive technology experts

Industry Machine operators Process automation specialistsSystems analysts

Finance & Technologyinsurance underwriters

Insurance underwritersTax preparersTellers

Cybersecurity expertsSoftware developersData Analysts

Commerce & Retail MerchandisingRetail

Photographers & videographersWeb & Graphic designersEcommerce expertsData Analysts

Media NewspaperRadio

Content creatorsSocial media expertsSEO experts

Security & Police Road Traffic PoliceData entry

Cybercrime expertsForensic analystsData analytics

Healthcare Healthcare receptionists and admin staffDiagnosis and testing General health checkups

Online Doctors & PharmacistsDoctors & medical staff trained to use AI for diagnosisGenome sequencing & nanotechnology

Country Spotlight: Nigeria

Across the African continent, Nigeria is set to continue to lead the way in development of Fintech in 2021.17

Tech hubs are becoming more and more present in the country, and this is set to continue in the following years,

related to the growth of tech-enabled entrepreneurships across Africa.

Robotic Process Automation is also becoming a mainstay feature in the financial industry. The Union Bank of Nigeria started introducing software tools to

undertake repetitive tasks in 2015, and by 2018 they were the first bank in the country to implement this innovation across their entire network.18 Jobs such as reconciliation

of ATMs across the country are now performed by computer, freeing up staff to work in more

strategic roles.

Along with this increased digitalization comes an increased need for cybersecurity. Whereas previously the employment of cybersecurity services has been limited to large companies, small and medium enterprises are now under threat of cybercrime, as criminals develop

new methods of infiltrating electronic data undetected.19

Deloitte predict that many businesses will incorporate cybersecurity into their business planning over the

coming years, even bringing these skills in-house to their own operations teams.20

17https://www.businesschief.eu/top10/payu-10-trends-fintech-africa-2021/nigeria-will-see-greatest-growth-2021 18https://businessday.ng/companies/article/union-banks-robotic-process-automation-first-industry/ 19https://kaspersky.africa-newsroom.com/press/south-africa-kenya-and-nigeria-saw-millions-of-cyber-attacks-in-2020-and-the-year-is-not-over-yet?lang=en20https://www2.deloitte.com/ng/en/pages/risk/articles/nigeria-cyber-security-outlook-2021.html

We provide a few examples of these changes and opportunities

in the table below:

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What future skills will be most in demand between 2021 and 2030?

When we look at the way business and technology are interacting across every sector, it seems inevitable that the specific technical skills you use on a day-to-day basis in your job will be continually evolving through the rest of your career. Gone are the days where you could learn a specific technical skill and go on to make a lifetime career out of it: when the pieces of technology and software we use are going out of date within five to seven years, it stands to reason that our technical skills need to undergo regular upgrades to keep pace.

Upskilling, in the form of short courses, distance learning and structured professional development plans are becoming mainstay in competitive business. And with this comes a change in recruitment practice. While there are still the foundational basics in each industry, employers are no longer looking for specialists, but rather generalists with a breadth of knowledge across several fields, and the ability to adapt and problem solve outside of their comfort zone.21

21https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/15/harvard-yale-researcher-future-success-is-not-a-specific-skill-its-a-type-of-thinking.html

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If we focus only on the specific skills that are applicable today, we commit ourselves to running the Red Queen’s race: every time we think we’ve reached our target, we realize the goalposts have moved and we are really no further ahead for all our effort. Instead, preparing for the job market of the future requires a shift in mindset: learning how to keep learning, how to collaborate, how to apply your knowledge to new situations to come up with innovative solutions. You need to equip yourself with the timeless, transferrable skills – or soft skills – that will enable you to thrive as the environment around you changes.

By reviewing the latest data on the skills employers around the world are looking for in their recruitment candidates, including information from the World Economic Forum,22 Forbes,23 and LinkedIn24 it is clear that these soft skills are a recurring theme as companies prepare for the workplace of tomorrow. And yet, as UK-based Hays notes, the skills prioritized by employers are not always the ones their employees expect.25

22http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2020.pdf 23https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2020/11/09/the-top-10-skills-recruiters-are-looking-for-in-2021/?sh=f9f16927e389 24https://www.linkedin.com/business/learning/blog/top-skills-and-courses/the-skills-companies-need-most-in-2020and-how-to-learn-them 25https://www.thehrdirector.com/business-news/skills/employers-reveal-top-skills-for-2021/

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01.Flexibility and adaptability are key to thriving in an uncertain world. These skills enable you to cope with changes and respond positively to them. Being able to keep an open mind, integrate new information, and apply it to the problem at hand are the foundation of consistent good decision making.

Adaptability brings with it a willingness to modify your behavior according to the situation. As changes occur in the workplace, it will become necessary to adjust your approach to support the new situation. Whether a sudden change to a remote workplace due to the COVID pandemic, or restructuring of a department to accommodate the introduction of new automated systems, companies need their staff to adapt to meet the needs of the new situation.

Flexibility and Adaptability

“It is not the strongest of

the species that survives, nor

the most intelligent, but the one

most responsive to change.”

— Charles Darwin

Here we go into detail on the top ten skills that will help you successfully future-proof your career.

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02.

Good decision making depends on analysis of the information available to you. An analytical mindset is highly valued amongst employers, due to the unarguable benefits to their businesses. Analytical thinking and data handling go hand-in-hand, as it is insights from the data that form the basis of the decisions to be made. In every aspect of every industry – from construction projects to supply chains, from marketing to recruitment – data analysis is a universal skill that companies want from their employees. In fact, LinkedIn found that there has been a 242% increase in demand for data analysis skills in the HR field alone during the last five years. 26

Although considering the facts of a situation before making a decision is nothing new, data-driven decision making (or DDDM) is a structured process of selecting, reviewing and analyzing data to ensure the best decisions are made. It is particularly important when handling big data, which could otherwise become overwhelming or cumbersome.

Analytical Thinking and Data-Driven Decision Making (DDDM)

The process of DDDM includes targeted data collection; critical analysis to ensure the quality of the data and exclude irrelevant information; visualizing the data in a way that is relevant to the question at hand; identifying patterns and determining their significance; and communicating these insights to guide the decision-making process.

No matter what field you work in, applying DDDM to your decisions will help you to choose a course of action with greater confidence and achieve better results.

26https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/recruiting-tips/global-talent-trends-2020

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03.

Creativity and innovation are two thoroughly human skills that go hand-in-hand. They represent the ability to think up unique and unconventional ideas, and apply them purposefully. Far from being limited to the arts, creativity and innovation are the underlying soft skills that allow you to generate novel solutions for problems encountered in any field.

Of course, that’s not to say that innovation is easy, or that every idea you have will work. The creative process is a challenging one, and involves persistence, determination and an open mind. Creativity means a willingness to test things out, and adjust in response to set-backs until you find a solution that works. When we look at the creative process in detail, it’s easy to see why creativity is an increasingly sought-after skill in the workforce.

Creativity and Innovation

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04.

Being proactive means always looking several steps ahead. Instead of reacting to situations as they arise, a proactive worker can foresee potential obstacles and prepare for them. Proactivity is another trait that contributes to better decision making, and improved overall outcomes for the individual and the company.

Employees who are proactive at taking on additional tasks and responsibilities, as well as asking questions and taking feedback, are likely to improve at their job, making them highly valued by employers and more likely to be supported in upskilling and further training.

Proactivity

05.

Problem solving is a product of proactivity, analytical thinking and creativity. It means handling difficult or unexpected situations, recognizing the components of the issue that are causing obstacles, and coming up with a workaround so that the overall goal can be achieved. The ability to solve different kinds of problems is a soft skill that will advance your career in this ever-changing work environment.

As with innovation, problem solving is rarely a straight-forward process. It involves experimentation, adaptation and flexibility, as well as persistence to find an answer that will work.

Problem Solving

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06.

You may think that leadership is a skill needed only by managers and directors, while persuasion has little place outside of the marketing department. In fact, having an authoritative and persuasive approach capable of leading people to achieve a goal is an essential soft skill that can be applied in any team, and in any industry.

The confidence to take charge whenever the need arises enables you to be more proactive, and increases the collaborative power of your team. The ability to communicate your perspective persuasively, enables you to convince your coworkers and managers to make better decisions for the company. In essence, these skills are essential for effective problem solving: after all, it is rarely possible to implement solutions on our own.

Leadership and Persuasion

Leadership and persuasion are soft skills that rely on the human connection. You need to know and understand your coworkers well if you are to lead them and persuade them effectively. Leadership skills can be developed and improved with continuous interaction with other people, as well as applied to further advance your career.

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07.

Emotional intelligence is about knowing your own emotions, knowing how to express them, and reading them in others. It is closely linked to empathy and motivation, and is key for good interpersonal interactions. Emotional intelligence is something that is not easily automated, yet research has shown it to be inextricably linked to an employee’s job performance, as well as protecting them from burnout.27

Moreover, being emotionally intelligent brings out the best in you and your coworkers. You can create positive and productive work environments, help each other in work, and increase your chance of success when you boost your EI.

Emotional Intelligence

27https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/15/5373/pdf

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08.

Collaboration and communication are strong human skills that you will need for any future job you have. You will interact with other people of different skill sets, and work with them in order to achieve a certain objective. It is important that you are able to collaborate with other people, and communicate with them effectively to achieve success. The COVID pandemic has taught us that even when we are physically separated, digital technology keeps us connected and we are never truly working alone. Collaboration with others is still key to generate fresh and innovative ideas.

Collaboration and Communication

With collaboration also comes communication. You have to communicate effectively to get your ideas across and solve problems together. Despite the increased automation of roles in our society, human communication is still one of the most important assets.

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09.

Digital fluency is a skill that will be applied to every kind of job in the future. You don’t have to be a native speaker of programming languages to have digital fluency: it means having the ability to use digital tools, know when to use them to achieve what you want, and understanding how they produce their effect. Digital fluency enables you to keep up with the fast-paced digital age, which is advantageous in the workplace.

Digital Fluency and Lifelong Learning

The concept of lifelong learning is a mindset focused on gaining personal and professional skills, knowledge, and abilities in response to and in anticipation of changing performance requirements. It could be as simple as reading an article about something new that might be relevant to your field, or as life-changing as enrolling in a part-time degree course. Through lifelong learning, you can deepen your understanding of the world around you, and you can see better opportunities, which is exactly what employers look for in their employees in this fast-changing world.

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10.

As organizations are under pressure to act responsibly in relation to the society and environment they are in, employers are increasingly prioritizing civic skills in their recruitment process. These skills combine social responsibility, citizenship and environmental sustainability, along with a willingness and creativity to apply one’s own specific technical ability to help the community.

By building a workforce with the same core values, companies are more likely to stay on the path towards sustainability, as well as avoid clashes of ethics between their staff.

Civic Responsibility

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How can you future-proof your career?

With the current changes the labor market is experiencing, it is important to take steps to future-proof your career, by learning the skills that will be in greatest demand in the next five years. Rather than focusing on an individual industry, you have to prepare yourself for the trends that are happening across every industry.

There are five key aspects to implementing this strategy.

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01.

Technology is not just for techies. As digital tools are increasingly accessible, they are becoming integrated into every job, in every sector – and retaining the old fashioned attitude that computers are the realm of the computer scientists is a recipe for redundancy.

While specializing in a particular piece of technology in depth can leave your skills at risk of becoming obsolete when the technology moves on, having a broad grasp of how technologies work in business and how they can be applied to your field will give you a strong foundation for the years to come.

Whether it’s the application of social media marketing, the integration of AI applications, or the replacement of physical retail with e-commerce, you need to embrace the potential benefits of the digital world for your company, and make it your business to have a working knowledge of how these technologies operate.

Understand the Technology

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02.

While automation is set to replace human roles in a number of repetitive roles, there are some aspects of work that are distinctly human. It is difficult to engineer AI technology that can mimic the creativity, critical analysis and communication skills of a real human being – and yet without these aspects, even the best made program cannot ensure a company’s success.28

Rather than adopting the conveyor belt approach of being a reliable, but somewhat robotic, member of the team, use your human nature to future-proof your career. Focus on building your interpersonal skills: empathy, compassion, persuasion and collaboration. These skills are a long way from being automated.29

Add the Human Touch

28https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/807830/No_Longer_Optional_Employer_Demand_for_Digital_Skills.pdf29https://www.burning-glass.com/research-project/new-foundational-skills/

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03.

To keep up with the evolution of their industry, companies need their employees to be able to continuously learn and grow, even those who have been in the business for a long time. You need to demonstrate that you are open to the ongoing process of acquiring new skills and knowledge.

For those employees who were relieved to leave their college days behind them, do not despair: learning is not confined to the four corners of a classroom. The process of developing skills can come in many forms, from online courses that you can access at your own pace, to observing other members of your team who have different responsibilities. For example, Nexford students have access to LinkedIn Learning, a video-based learning platform offering training from experts in business, tech and creative skills.

Prepare for Lifelong Learning

Work out what approach works best for you, and find a way to develop the skills you want. The willingness and ability to learn new things will be a key feature of your future career in the digital era.

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04.

Change is not a comfortable process for us humans. As Barbara Dyer, executive director of the Good Companies Good Jobs Initiative at MIT said,

Meet Change with Adaptability

“Even though we embrace disruption and

change, humans do not function well in

unstable positions. We need to figure out

how to create the kind of stability that

humans need in an environment where

change is inevitable and happening at a

very rapid rate.” 30

In the context of future-proofing your career, there is no room for stubbornness or complaint. You need to meet the inevitable changes that will occur with adaptability and flexibility, keeping an open mind and a cool head. Returning your focus to your core skills will give you the security and confidence in your abilities, which you now need to apply to a new and changing workplace.

Looking at the changes occurring around you, you will be able to see opportunities that you can capitalize on. Accepting the changes in your environment will enable you to grow with the times, rather than be left behind.

Spotlight: The Growth of the Remote Work Industry

The digital age and the COVID pandemic are together changing the way we do our work. Remote, smart and freelance work has

increased by 44% over the last five years,31 with 16% of businesses operating fully remotely.32 Opportunities are arising

for workers who are based continents apart from the companies they are working for. Your ability to adapt to this unconventional

work setup, as well as communicate and collaborate with colleagues around the globe, will impact your future employment

prospects in an increasingly mobile and remote workforce.

30https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/tr/Documents/manufacturing/Industry4-0_Are-you-ready_Report.pdf31https://www.oberlo.co.uk/blog/remote-work-statistics 32https://www.smallbizgenius.net/by-the-numbers/remote-work-statistics/#gref

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05.

Cultivation of the soft skills described in this report underpins the ability to adapt and thrive in the digital workplace. Technical skills certainly have their place, but you must be prepared to learn, un-learn and re-learn the technical aspects of your job as the years pass.

To really future-proof your career in this rapidly changing world, you need have the soft skills that will add value to your position. Organizations are looking to recruit individuals who have the core, practical, and cognitive skills that will help them succeed.

Focus on Soft Skills

“You can’t improve your

skills without time. Time

is the single most

important thing to invest

in your career. ”

— Abubakar Suleiman, CEO

of Sterling Bank, Nigeria33

33https://insights.nexford.org/five-career-tips-from-nigerias-biggest-hearted-business-leader

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How to overcome the barriers to upskilling

There are a number of barriers facing workers worldwide when they look at upskilling. These obstacles generally fall into two broad categories: access to learning; and recognition of learning.

In many countries, local university systems have little flexibility for diversifying from your original degree subject. The curriculums are often based on the pre-existing knowledge, and there is no facility for catching up or switching major if someone wants to change path. In this system, every worker is essentially confined to their chosen subject from the beginning of their bachelor’s degree, with the only option for further education taking them into a more specialist role, rather than more generalist.

Access to learning

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With the launch of online universities like Nexford, you have the opportunity to study degrees or short courses that sit outside of your original academic background, without the expense and logistical complications of studying overseas. A qualification from an international university not only develops your skills and knowledge, but opens doors for you to pursue further courses at your local universities in the field of your choice. Not only that, but online learning is the perfect preparation for the increasingly remote workplace, setting you up with the skills you require to work for international employers.

“At the moment, the process of

learning, schooling and working feel

very different form normal because

of social distancing measures. As a

result, there has been a significant

increase in the need to interact

through online or digital channels. ”

— Ahmad Al-Neama, President Director &

CEO Indosat Ooredoo, Indonesia34

Taking the MBA as an example, this master’s degree is applicable to any industry you might want to pursue, and can be studied 100% online at your own pace. In addition to the theory you might gain from a traditional university, Nexford gives its students the skills behind those three letters that employers need, effectively preparing you for the job market of tomorrow.

34https://gizmologi.id/news/telco/kuota-edukasi-indosat-gratis-30gb-belajar-di-rumah/

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While there is merit in learning for learning’s sake, when it comes to future-proofing your career, you need your skills to be recognized by your employer. In many countries, job opportunities outside of the big cities are scarce, and rarely aligned with a worker’s specific skills. The remote work industry may be connecting workers and clients all over the globe, but international employers often do not acknowledge degrees from universities that do not meet minimum accreditation. This places a cap on the type of job or pay that can be expected.

Ensure you are investing your time in a qualification that will be recognized by your current – and future –employer. As Nexford is a globally-recognized American University, you can be confident that your degree or short course will be accepted and respected.

Recognition of learning

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As we are a 100% online American university we are pretty much everywhere you are in the world. We were born different for you. We believe that the traditional university experience hasn’t changed for 100 years and is no longer fit for purpose. So we changed it. Our model allows you to learn at your pace, when, where and how you want. Take a different path and get ahead to stay ahead. Contact us today for more information.

Contact Us

www.nexford.org partner@nexford.org

Our Headquarters: 1140 3rd St NE Washington, DC 20002, US

Phone: +1 (202) 280-2049