Top 10 Skill Priorities for 2024 and beyond
For the future job market, it's clear that possessing necessary and in-demand skills will increasingly make individuals valuable and desired by various organizations.
Therefore, organizations in both business and industry sectors should focus on upskilling and reskilling training in their organizations ensuring that they will be improved along with technology perfectly.
But what specific skills should organizations prioritize providing their employees with?
or even what should individuals themselves focus on developing to become indispensable in any organization?
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has forecasted and advised the necessary skills for the future and explored the growing demand for these skills in their research report "Future of Jobs 2023." (read here) This report sheds light on many interesting trends that both working-age individuals and current businesses should be aware of.
Top 10 reskilling and upskilling priorities for 2027
1. Analytical thinking
Skills in analytical thinking involve the ability to systematically identify and articulate problems and to find connections between various components to analyze the causes and impacts of those problems, leading to effective problem-solving.
2. Creative thinking
Creative thinking skills involve the ability to generate new visions and innovative ways to solve problems. Individuals with this skill set constantly seek out new perspectives, leading to continuous personal development.3. AI and Big Data
According to PwC, over 58% of executives and CEOs around the world believe that AI can enhance business efficiency leading to transformation in many businesses to become more data-driven organizations. This underscores the significant role of AI and Big Data technologies. Consequently, these are skills that many current and future organizations are actively seeking from their personnel.
4. Leadership and social influence
Leadership and social influence skills are essential for effective leadership in today's rapidly changing business environment. Besides excelling in team management and high accountability, individuals need to know how to inspire and motivate their team members to achieve their best.
5. Resilience, flexibility and agility
Resilience, flexibility, and agility skills enable individuals to adapt well to various changes in a variety of situations. Employees with these skills appear as one significant asset for the organization in navigating challenging circumstances since they can adjust behaviors or strategies effectively to achieve goals and plans.
6. Curiosity and lifelong learning
Curiosity and lifelong learning skills lead to outstanding personal development. Continuous learning and seeking knowledge enable individuals to become valuable assets, adding significant value to organizations.
7. Technological literacy
Revealing by PWC, 57% of US CEOs anticipate that technology will be the driving force behind organizational value creation in the future. This emphasizes the significant importance of technology for many current industries, surpassing its role as merely a revenue-generating tool. Therefore, individuals proficient in technology usage appear to be well-positioned to adapt to the organizational shifts in this era.
8. Design and user experience
Design and user experience skills are the ability to create products that customers enjoy using. Customer satisfaction is crucial for both initial and repeat purchases, making these skills highly desirable for various ranges of businesses.
9. Motivation and self-awareness
Motivation and self-awareness skills involve understanding oneself and learning how to self-improve continually. This ability to self-motivate and drive personal development leads to continuous improvement and becoming a better version of themselves.
10. Empathy and active listening
Empathy and active listening skills are crucial for smooth organizational relationships. Individuals who empathize with colleagues and actively listen to sincerely help solve problems together build trust and foster efficient teamwork in their organizations.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has revealed some intriguing insights through its report.
- Currently, many organizations prioritize the analytical thinking skills of their employees as the top skill, followed closely by creative thinking skills. Both skills have been ranked as the top two necessary skills in 2023 and are anticipated to be second top rank on the top ten skills on the rise.
- AI and Big Data skills and leadership and social influence skills weren't among the most prominent in demand for the job market within 2027 but have risen to become two of the top ten skills organizations seek to develop in their employees.
- Technology literacy is an essential skill for effectively running a business, as organizations require continuously adapting to keep pace with the rapid advancements in technology from now on to the future.
- Upskilling and reskilling training within 2027 is required for about 60% of current workers around the world. However, only half of them will have an opportunity to access training.
Both business and industry sectors can leverage the mentioned trends as a guide for their employee training strategies. It's crucial to prioritize upskilling and reskilling initiatives for workers within organizations, ensuring they evolve alongside technology to drive their companies to excel in this era of rapid technological development.
For individuals in the workforce, continuous practice and skill development are essential. Striving not only to be specialists in their current skills but also to cultivate diverse skill sets makes them indispensable to any organization.