Almost 90% of worker time will be augmented or automated by intelligent tech
The skills crisis could cost 11.5 trillion dollars
Redistribution of work roles in the United States, 2017-2028
New tech has already changed the skills we need
Intelligent tech will mean different things to different workers
RESEARCH REPORT
In Brief
- Our ground-breaking economic modelling uncovers how intelligent technologies will reshape the demand for tasks, skills and jobs.
- Today’s education and training systems are not keeping up with the current demand for skills, let alone tomorrow’s new demands.
- New approaches to learning are needed if businesses are to achieve the growth promised by intelligent technologies.
- We suggest three remedies: Speed up experiential learning techniques, broaden individuals’ blend of skills, and ensure inclusive access to tomorrow’s skilling solutions
The race is on
It’s a race between education and technology. As intelligent systems and machines reshape the nature of work, people will need entirely new skillsets.
But the very skills that are growing in importance are not taught in classrooms. They are acquired through practice and experience, often over long periods of time. Some large corporations are experimenting with new lifelong learning methods, but traditional education and learning systems are ineffective and inappropriate for the new skills challenge. Smaller organizations are most at risk if they cannot apply new learning techniques. The potential economic cost is great.
RESEARCH REPORT
In Brief
- Our ground-breaking economic modelling uncovers how intelligent technologies will reshape the demand for tasks, skills and jobs.
- Today’s education and training systems are not keeping up with the current demand for skills, let alone tomorrow’s new demands.
- New approaches to learning are needed if businesses are to achieve the growth promised by intelligent technologies.
- We suggest three remedies: Speed up experiential learning techniques, broaden individuals’ blend of skills, and ensure inclusive access to tomorrow’s skilling solutions.
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The race is on
It’s a race between education and technology. As intelligent systems and machines reshape the nature of work, people will need entirely new skillsets.
But the very skills that are growing in importance are not taught in classrooms. They are acquired through practice and experience, often over long periods of time. Some large corporations are experimenting with new lifelong learning methods, but traditional education and learning systems are ineffective and inappropriate for the new skills challenge. Smaller organizations are most at risk if they cannot apply new learning techniques. The potential economic cost is great.
$11.5T
the economic growth driven by intelligent technologies that could be forgone if skill building fails to catch up, across 14 G20 countries.
90%
the proportion of worker time that will be potentially impacted by intelligent technologies, either through augmentation or automation.
If G20 countries are unable to adapt the supply of skills to meet the needs of the new technological era, they risk forgoing up to US$11.5 trillion in GDP growth over the next 10 years.
It’s about developing a blend of skills
To many, the response to the skills crisis is simple: train more engineers; raise the number of arts graduates. But creating larger cohorts with certain skills is not the answer. Two things stand out in our analysis:
- Creativity, socio-emotional intelligence and complex reasoning are the skills that are rising in importance across every work role. These skills are not taught in today’s learning systems. They are acquired through practice, experience and often over long-time periods.
- The blend of skills required by each worker is becoming more complex. There needs to be a greater emphasis on broadening the variety of skills within each worker.
What we need to do
Speed up Experiential Learning:
From design thinking in the board room to simulation training tools for technical roles; from on-the-job training initiatives to apprenticeships. Apply new technologies like virtual reality and AI to make learning more immersive, engaging and personalized.
Shift focus from Institutions to Individuals:
Incentivize each individual to develop a broader blend of skills, rather than only targeting the output of institutions in terms of graduates or certifications.
Empower Vulnerable Learners:
Support older workers, those in lower skill roles or in smaller businesses, who can be more vulnerable to work dislocation and have less access to training. Offer more guidance to follow appropriate training and career pathways. Provide modular learning to suit their life commitments. Provide new funding models, such as grants, to encourage personal lifelong learning plans.
https://www.accenture.com/ca-en/insights/future-workforce/transforming-learning
https://www.accenture.com/t20180920T094705Z__w__/ca-en/_acnmedia/Thought-Leadership-Assets/PDF/Accenture-Education-and-Technology-Skills-Research.pdf#zoom=50
