The future of work and its technological component demand a workforce with more digital skills and the development of soft skills. Vocational training has significant challenges in preparing new professionals for the jobs of tomorrow.
Specialists agree that hybrid education, the agile updating of the study plans, the dissemination of free tools for training, the teaching methodology and the development of digital competences and soft skills are some of the challenges that professional education faces to train to the workforce of the future.
The hybrid education It is a teaching model that drove the pandemic and with a good implementation it can help to acquire the digital skills that organizations are demanding. However, the challenge of this type of training is the very transformation of traditional forms of learning.
“Is required rethink education and develop teaching and learning models that capture the attention of young people to learn differently. On the other hand, it is important that the use of technology should be a tool to accelerate learning, rather than a channel to transmit content “, said Alma Leyva, Coordinator of Institutional Development of Alianza NEO México within the framework of its participation in EnlightED 2021 .
In this sense, Marcos Ramírez, director of IE University Mexico, agreed, who assured that the hybrid training it is already more accepted by society and facilitates the technological adaptation of young people, key for incorporation into a job of tomorrow. But no educational model will guarantee insertion into the job market if the universities do not analyze the needs of the industries.
“We must be much more agile when adapting the programs we have. Society changes faster every day and this is also due to technological disruption and the digital transformation that we are suffering, that is why the contents must be adapted and the way we teach. In many developing countries like Mexico, teaching methodologies often remain stagnant ”, he pointed out.
Around the panel How are our young people being formed? The specialists pointed out that the transformation of teaching models, the updating of the curricula and the strengthening of hybrid education are crucial for the preparation of young people for the future of work and the development of high-demand skills.
“One of the fundamental points on which education is focusing is incorporating the management of digital technology skills in teaching practices, this puts them in front of a new educational model focused on competencies and the adoption of new technologies, so developing pedagogical strategies aligned to this point implies that the teacher identifies himself as a learning facilitator and, therefore, they need to ensure their training ”, Alma Leyva considered.
Digital and soft skills
Digital competences and especially soft skills play an important role in the future of employability in the face of a constantly changing market due to technological advances.
In his speech, Sergio Porragas, Director of Operations for OCC Mundial, assured that companies are already beginning to prioritize the competencies that candidates have beyond the educational institution where they studied.
“Are soft or socio-emotional skills, such as teamwork, empathy, adaptation, conflict resolution, communication, among others, are skills that are required in all jobs, from basic to general management. If we do not have those skills, I am not giving the width, as we say colloquially ”, stressed the executive.
This new reality in terms of the needs of organizations implies analyzing whether the academic plans they are adequately preparing students with the skills that the market demands. “At the end of the day, you prepare professionally to be able to have a job after college,” said Marcos Ramírez.
Relevance of free resources
It is a fact that one of the challenges for preparing the workforce of the future is inequality in access to university training and this can cause some people to lag behind in the development of high-demand skills.
However, the specialists agreed that part of the challenge to close this gap is communicating to young people about the free options to prepare and acquire the most demanding skills by the market.
“Sometimes ignorance can be our worst ally, not knowing that they have options limits Young In its development. This limitation is related to communication. An important point would be to bring young people closer and inform them about the alternatives they may have through social programs and platforms that promote their development, ”said Alma Leyva, Coordinator of Institutional Development at Alianza NEO México.
For his part, Marcos Ramírez, director of IE University Mexico, highlighted the free educational offer over the internet through courses that allow the development of high-demand skills and training in growing areas.
Sergio Porragas recommended that young people specialize and keep constantly updated, in addition to certifying in the largest number of competencies and possible areas to expand your opportunities in a future that tends to be more digital.
Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx