The future is coming: Ready or not?: Delivering a successful 21st century skills system for Northern Ireland and Scotland

Automation, artificial intelligence, new advances in analytics and technological change will bring huge disruption to Northern Ireland and Scotland over the coming years. This new wave of automation – sometimes referred to as the fourth industrial revolution – will bring ‘thinking’ machines that will bring automation to sectors and skill levels not reached previously. This report brings together previous considerations of the challenges faced, and the measures of success that should be in place for each skill system, as seen by people working in and around the skills system in both Northern Ireland and Scotland. Recommendations are put forward, for what needs to change and what needs to stay the same to be ready for the future.