You may have heard of the “three Rs” – reading, writing and arithmetic – essential if you want to ensure your future in the brave new world of employment in a digital economy.
The essential qualities of the three R’s remain useful but need to be combined with 4 new competencies that will help you thrive in your career. Employment experts at a recent think tank for the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) brought together specialists from education and business to examine how to build a future-proofed workforce.
Annie Fogarty, executive chairperson of the Fogarty Foundation – an organisation that invests in innovative education projects – said the education system hasn’t kept up with what employers were looking for in their staff. That’s where the “four Cs” come in.
These skills can be distilled into the 4 C’s, known as the 4 Competencies for future proofing your career:
- Creativity
- Critical Thinking
- Collaboration
- Communication
Creativity covers not just new ideas but how current ideas can be used in a different context and how we take these ideas and make positive change happen.
Critical thinking relates to problem-solving within an employment context.
Collaboration related to working through ideas and solving problems: “Problems are only going to become more complex, therefore solutions will need much more multidisciplinary working with people across sectors.”
Communication relates to how an employee communicated ideas, influences colleagues and articulates ideas taking them from the screen to the real world.
According to employment experts, these 4 C’s are the essential qualities increasingly needed by Employers and will help you to thrive in any career. Additionally, choosing employment in an industry or sector that is continuing to grow and change will help you future-proof your career and provide you with options as you gain experience and new skills along the way.
And if you want to almost guarantee you’ll always have a job, healthcare could be the sector to aim for. With the introduction of the NDIS, the Allied Health employment sector has grown and continues to grow with exciting and fulfilling career options.
