Abstract:

The proliferation of new technologies has changed the way we live, learn, and work. Although the future of work is unclear, experts envision a new machine age, where technologies (sensors, communication, computation, and intelligence) will be embedded around, on, and in us; where humans will shape technology, and technology will shape human interaction; and where technologies and humans will collaborate to discover and innovate. In short—the Human-Technology Frontier.

Without question, the global workforce will need a new set of skills and competencies to succeed in the future work environments on this frontier—which feels like it grows closer with each new technological advance. To ensure that the workforce is future-ready, our society will need to address new challenges related to education for workforce development, economics, equity, and ethics.

As our society works to understand and identify strategies to overcome these complex and interrelated challenges, we will need to answer several questions:
• What does work look like at the Human-Technology Frontier, and what are the skill sets workers will need to succeed in those work environments?
• As education policy-makers and practitioners, what can we do today to prepare our students to succeed in future work at the Human-Technology Frontier?

Informed by research and interviews with thought leaders in the field, this presentation shares characteristics of work in these high tech future work environments, and describes the types of skills, knowledge, and dispositions that people will need to create and innovate in these future workplaces. It will close with thoughts on what today’s educators can do to help students develop new skills needed for success in future work at the Human-Technology Frontier.

Keywords:

STEM education, work employability, ICT skills, teacher training, career development, new challenges for education, next generation classroom.