Preparing young people for the future of work

The future of work is changing but Australia's education system is not preparing students for twenty-first century success.

Young Australians are studying for longer than ever before but are disengaged and struggling to find permanent jobs. Young people entering technology-rich, global, competitive job markets need different skill sets to what our education system has traditionally valued.

Unless schools broaden learning objectives, many students will fail to become capable, successful adults – putting Australia’s social and economic wellbeing at risk. 

Young people need to bring more than knowledge to the modern workforce. The most crucial capabilities for the future include critical thinking, creativity, curiosity and communication skills.

Our approach to education is not equipping young people with the broad capabilities that will enable them to thrive in complex education and employment settings. It is time Australia made changes to prioritise teaching, assessing and reporting capabilities. 

In 2016, we brought together a group of leaders across Australia to consider the challenge of preparing young people for the future of work. This report takes an in-depth look at these challenges and provides possible solutions to ensure young Australians are prepared for the future of work.