Most working parents are impacted by the rapid transformations and disruptions in the world of work. Tech innovations have turned some industries to ashes, while ushering in new behemoths. There are already multitudes of brand-new career paths; and even the most perennial of careers are getting digital makeovers. So rapid and relentless is this change that it is often said that we are educating our kids for work that doesn’t yet exist.
The purpose of school is to prepare our children for the real world, and what that ‘real world’ will actually entail is uncertain and unpredictable. At a recent parent webinar, Koa Academy’s Principal, Mark Anderson highlighted how this shaping the ‘how and what’ that are children learning. “We are educating digital natives to be digitally literate, and to be digital citizens,” he says. Koa Academy is a high-engagement online school, and Mark believes this is a particular advantage for this young generation. “It’s not just the world of work – all aspects of our lives are becoming digitally connected and digitally-driven.” Koa also focuses on customized learning pathways, real-world context, soft skills and unbundled education which all play to each child’s individual strengths.
“There’s an immense need for flexibility and agility in a fast-changing world and school should be a place where this is fostered and developed,” Mark says. “The so-called ‘soft skills’ such as communication, critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration have become top skills required by employers.”
The webinar also featured Meg Bruyns, the founder of Fully Alive, who works with teams and individuals, parents and teens to help them find purpose and clarity while developing the skills needed to get the most from life and work. Meg says, “There’s a human drive to change the future of work through pushing for meaning, purpose and making a difference. Our young people are keen to be disruptors themselves challenging the status quo and impacting on social justice and environmental awareness. With latest technologies in their hands, they want to push societal boundaries and go beyond what has been possible before. So, the question is: How does their education and their youthful experience equip them for this?”
You can watch the Koa Academy and Fully Alive Future of Work webinar here
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