Eighty-five percent of the jobs that today's students will do in 2030 don't exist yet, the Institute for the Future has predicted. That might seem like a high number to reach in only 10 years. But think about the non-mainstream careers that did not exist just a handful of years ago: social media manager, app developer and cloud computing engineer, etc. What role should colleges and universities play in preparing students for a workplace that is constantly changing? Educational institutions are trying to answer that question. "We hope they will not only be prepared for whatever the job market looks like in 10, 20 or 50 years but be the ones shaping it," said Jenn Stringer, professor at the University of Californian, Berkeley. Here are some of the approaches they're taking.
Some experts argue that the four-year learning model needs to be rethought in a big way. They say education can no longer be seen as something that stops when a person graduates from college. If students could take a year or two off school, get a job, and then return to school a few years later, the education system would offer true life-long learning and better adapt to changing technology.
Fewer employers are willing to train people on the job than the employers 50 years ago, largely as part of an effort to cut costs. To fill the job skills gap, some courses are offered as an add-on to a student's main degree. For example, the courses may include data analysis, web design and digital marketing. The goal is to offer students, a degree aside, some advantages when they seek jobs or promotions in the future.
Other institutions are trying to imitate the workplace within the traditional classroom. Several colleges have partnered with private companies, such as the software company Adobe, to integrate their products into the classroom. Professors at schools who partner with the company are encouraged to use the product for assignments. The idea is that students learn how to create a project that can be used in the real world and the" soft skills" such as teamwork and creativity.
