Envisioning the future of education and jobs: Trends, data and drawings

The report looks at the future of education and jobs and the challenges and opportunities presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It concluded that the skills mismatch observed in the labour market has its roots in primary school, and that giving all children, regardless of gender and social background, the same chance to meet professionals in a variety of fields is the key to widening their view of the world of work. This report, the product of a collaboration between the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the UK-based charity, Education and Employers, offers a glimpse of how children see their future, and the forces that, if properly understood and harnessed, will drive them forward to realise their dreams. Through concerted actions by educators and business leaders, we can help our children develop the kinds of skills needed not only to weather, but to take advantage of this revolution. The future will be about pairing the artificial intelligence of computers with the cognitive, social and emotional capabilities of humans, so that we educate first-class humans, not second-class robots. It is our responsibility, as concerned adults, to acknowledge and understand the trends that are shaping this industrial revolution, and to impart that understanding to our children as early as possible. It is our responsibility, in other words, to help our children get ready for their future.