Page 20 - DUT CONNECT - Spring 2024

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[Source: https://widgets.weforum.org/nve-2015/chapter1.html]
future-proofing your skills
If you are reading this article as an alumnus of the Durban University of Technology you are likely graduated and engaged in the world of work, with few or many years of work experience, self-employed, or actively engaged in seeking opportunities. No matter which of these stages applies to you, the need to grow constantly and refine and future-proof your skills will be relevant. Understanding which skills, attitudes and abilities are important, and how to develop them, is what this article is about.
Four primary trends are currently shaping the world of work:
1. Digital transformation and artificial intelligence
2. Increased automation
3. The rise of the GIG economy
4. The increased demand for technical skills, with data analytics as a key driver
These trends require us to be adaptable, flexible tech-savvy, and to truly embrace learning as a lifelong pursuit.
defining the skills of the future
You may well ask, “What do we really mean, by skills of the future, and what are these skills?” A widely used model, developed by the World Economic Forum, helps build a common language and understanding of the skills of the future.