60 per cent of Aussie students are studying or training for jobs that will be automated in the next 10 to 15 years.
This dire statistic is revealed in a new report by The Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) revealing the nations youngest will be hit hardest by the changing economy and labour market.
The report, called New Work Order: Ensuring Young Australians Have Skills And Experience For The Jobs Of The Future, Not The Past, suggests technology growth will impinge on employment for many with “smarter machines” taking many jobs.
Globalisation will also increase by 2035, allowing more employees to work from remote locations and engage in flexible work.
This will no doubt help many women, with flexible work being one of the key pillars in removing the stigma around women both raising children while climbing the corporate ladder.
FYA CEO Jan Owen AM says the nation needs to invest in changing the education sector.
“The future of work is going to be very different. Many of the changes could be great for our nation, but they could also be devastating – for young people in particular – if we don’t take the right actions to prepare for this vastly different world.
“Around one in three young people are currently unemployed or underemployed in Australia. As more entry levels jobs go in the coming decades, the chances for young people to get a foothold in the labour market will continue to shrink.
“Our report found more than 90% of Australia’s current workforce will need digital skills to communicate and find information in order to perform their roles in the next 2-5 years. At least 50% will need advanced skills to configure and build systems.
“To manage this demand and ensure Australia’s young people can thrive in this environment, the next generation need to not only know how to operate technology, but how to create and manipulate it as well. Our children may be able to operate a smart-phone with ease, but what they need is to learn how to build it.”
