We recently received the following submission:
“Jobs aren’t your 9 – 5 anymore, and consistently job hopping has become nearly an obligation in STEM. With our futures no longer being clear cut, it makes it very hard to plan and prepare accordingly. Because of this ambiguity, it feels like I’m never fully prepared or good enough. There’s just so much pressure and competition now!” (20, Sydney)
This made us think about the nature of the current job market. Not only in STEM, but in every field. Bob Williamson – chief scientist and research director at CSIRO – states that our jobs of the future are changing so rapidly that “many will become obsolete or are yet to be created.” He states that Australians will have to adapt to constant technological changes to new skills that will be required.
So what can the millennials generation do to keep up and be ready for the technologically-driven jobs ahead of us?
Williamson states that first, studying anything technology-related will help, no matter the field you’re in – such as coding. The transferable skills you gain from such skills are not only highly valuable, but very highly regarded by employers (check out CodeAcademy to learn coding for free!) Second, skills such as creativity and teamwork are becoming increasingly important. A report by the Australian Council of Learned Academics states that in the last 3 years alone, there has been a 212% increase in jobs demanding digital literacy and a 65% rise in those wanting creativity. Even though the nature of the job market is changing like never before, honing transferable skills will help you prepare for any field you’re going into. So keep studying and working on what you’re passionate about, and pick up some new skills – like coding – on the way!
– Leonie