When academics, think tanks and future prognosticators speak of the 4th Industrial Revolution, they refer to the disruptive technologies of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things, 3D printing, genetic engineering, quantum computing and other emerging technologies.
Everyone could easily imagine a world where we would all need to know how to program AI, or be fluent (or at least literate) in several programming languages. And for us, inquiries for courses and/or experts in data analytics or blockchain technology keep increasing. Hence, “get technical” would seem to be the way forward. But here’s the surprise—we surveyed articles that appeared in Forbes, Inc.Com, LinkedIn and so on, and it is not quite true that only technical skills would be needed.
Indeed, they all say, the vast majority of skills needed for the future are soft skills.
The basic, common argument goes that with automation set to dominate most of our lives and take over rote tasks, humans would be left to provide, well, the “human touch.” For example, the diagnosis of diseases could soon be done more accurately by machines or robots—much like Baymax in the animated movie “Big Hero 6,” where a simple scan can pinpoint exactly what and where an ailment would be.
But the health care protocol and comfort for the patient, the reasoning goes, would still be best delivered by fellow humans.
Here are the four soft skill areas commonly cited by the articles we compiled:
1. Critical thinking and design thinking. The ability to synthesize, see linkages, distinguish macro from micro, will be an essential skill for the future. So is the ability to design an interface or interaction from the user’s point of view, to always empathize with how anyone would access your service or use your product.
2. Emotional intelligence. This refers to the person’s ability to be aware of, control and express their own emotions as well as being aware of the emotions of others. You exhibit high emotional intelligence if you have empathy, integrity and work well with others. This would include being adaptable and flexible, depending on the individual with whom you’re interacting.
3. Creativity. This means you are constantly thinking of new products or enhanced services, or ways of working with or harnessing technologies for your business, and even new ways of thinking about any situation.
4. Communication and collaboration. In a world full of data, to extract meaning from them and communicate this effectively, then written, verbal and interpersonal skills would be necessary. Working with teams would also be crucial as most tasks would be collaborative.
The Inquirer Academy, in this new decade, and as a response to this imminent challenge, is offering a new course called “Essential Skills for the Future,” which is a six-day interactive program to prepare professionals for disruptive technology. It will equip participants with an understanding and practical applications of critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, emotional intelligence, collaboration and business communication—the skills needed to succeed in the future.
It will be on March 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27, 2020, and will be held at the Inquirer Academy. INQ
The Inquirer Academy is at 4168 Don Chino Roces Avenue corner Ponte Street, Makati City. For more information about the workshops or if you would like to add your input on the article, please email ask@inquireracademy.com, call (02) 8834-1557, (02) 8771-2715 or (0945) 2158935 and look for Jerald Miguel or Karl Paz, or visit www.inquireracademy.com
The author is the executive director of the Inquirer Academy.