A manifesto for lifelong learning

Technology innovation is re-shaping our lives. I started my career in the early 90’s. In my first sales role, we shared a single word processor, orders were faxed and mobile phones if you were lucky enough to have one (I didn’t), were the size of a brick. How life and tech has moved on.

As a Mum of two teenage children, approaching GCSE’s; conversations have inevitably moved to questions about the future, university and working life.

Below are 10 things I’d like to see change as we prepare our young people to be lifelong learners...

At school:

1. A skills-based curriculum: companies actively working with government and education leaders to shape a skills-based curriculum based on research by World Economic Forum, the OECD, leading think tanks and academics. Mental, emotional and physical intelligence skills are hard baked into the school day, a focus on whole person development puts human wellbeing front and centre.

2. Human vs tech: a common “skills-based” language adopted by schools and companies. In addition to or instead of a score of 1-9 or IB equivalent; each subject contains skills-based credentialing across “critical thinking”; “problem solving” etc. This approach might actually raise the profile and funding of the social sciences; the arts; humanities and MFL; subjects which are currently being eroded by STEM subjects. We need both human skills and tech skills in the 21st century.

3. Financial skills: every school employs a dedicated careers leader, perhaps this offers an annual secondment opportunity for companies. Our young people are prepared for self-employment as standard. Financial skills for life and work are embedded into the curriculum. Private pensions are mandatory as a % of earnings.

4. Education as a social benefit: education is free, up to and including, undergraduate degrees. Corporation tax plugs the skills gaps across a persons working life eg match funding and or bursaries (depending on income brackets). We offer tax breaks, mortgage holidays and other incentives for people to return to education. Education and work are fused, we create a meaningful interdependency between the two.

5. Resumes re-imagined: All age, gender and racial data removed. My values and purpose statement. My learning style. Core technical and human skills highlighted. Adaptive intelligence captured across: self-management; relationship management and change management. Our latest colleague scores across these core EQ metrics, included as standard.

At work:

1. Corporation tax: companies contribute to a national and or regional skills fund. With additional tax tiers that make provision for people being displaced by all forms of automation; AI, robotics etc. Organisations are re-designed for skills-based reporting. We build a national / regional skills database. Our economies are underpinned by Purpose = Planet + People + Profit.

2. Language: we stop talking about jobs / the jobless or employment/ the unemployed. These words are loaded with negative connotations; we throw off these limiting labels. Dignity of work and lifelong learning are guiding principles.

3. Human experience of work: we continue to build a narrative around; “journeys”, “maps” and “experiences” eg learning journeys; career journey, career mapping; skills mapping etc. This language feels more human and expansive, it creates a sense of moving forward, of exploration and empowerment.

4. Career journeys: have different flavours; up-skill; re-skill etc. In the 16th century, a 'career' was a short gallop by a horse, or a racecourse. I love the idea of 21st century careers as; action-orientated, a progression across different life stages, a voyage of self-discovery and professional development.

5. Wellbeing impact disclosure: alongside gender and racial pay gap reporting. Organisations are required to report on wellbeing with a particular focus on how organisational culture is unlocking; belonging, autonomy, significance and purpose. Because these are the true measures of human potential and excellence.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, comments, feedback on this piece. If you’re a parent, grandparent or guardian/ carer, please share how you’re preparing your young people for work in the 21st century. Please add comments below ??????

Credit: @jean-luc Scherer

Catherine de la Poer is a leadership coach and founder at halcyon coaching ltd, where the focus is to create more resilient and agile individuals, teams and organisations. Emotional Intelligence forms the centrepiece of her coaching approach.