Productivity, Growth and Adapting to the New Skills Economy – 12th and 13th October 2020
Work Advance is delighted to support the Chatham House annual Future of Work conference. This will examine the megatrends reshaping the global economy and labour markets to assess how economies can sustainably transition to new patterns of skills and employment, demographic changes, and technological developments.
This conference will be held virtually and will address the organizational, policy and regulatory challenges posed by technological change across different sectors, focusing on the best ways to enhance productivity while protecting individual workers and equipping them with the necessary skills for the future. Discussions will explore key questions including:
• What have remote working measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic revealed about the 21st century workplace and its ability to evolve and adapt?
• What is the best way to create sustainable, rewarding career pathways in the face of digitisation?
• What does work look like from place to place and for different groups of people?
• What is the scope for shaping career paths for an ageing demography of workers, and for workers facing untraditional first jobs?
• How should the transition to a system of lifelong learning be managed?
Lesley Giles is delighted to be chairing the Skills of the Future session on 13th October. In the context of much disruption in the economy and labour market, due to the effect of significant drivers of change, this session, will explore the future implications for skills, with a number of leading international experts. This includes contributions from:
• Jacqueline de Rojas, President, techUK
• Mark Keese, Head, Skills and Employability Division, Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, OECD
• Jen Schramm, Senior Strategic Policy Advisor, AARP
• Sarah Bouchie, Vice President, Global Programmes, LEGO Foundation
In particular, there is an interest in how skills systems need to modernise, the opportunity for a fundamental change in the type and method of skills development, and who should assume responsibility for equipping the workforce of the future. The session will confront a number of questions, not least:
• How should the transition from front-loaded education to a system of lifelong learning be managed? Where have these types of programmes been successful?
• What are the respective roles of policymakers and employers? How can training and learning be separated from past and present employment, so that the skills are transferable across jobs and careers?
• From an employer perspective, how does the challenge of skills developments differ between sectors and types of employers, particularly those with widely distributed workforces?
• How can the attainment of digital and cognitive skills be embedded in formal and non-formal education systems?
• Which skills are likely to be the most relevant and useful for workers throughout their careers? What are the best methods for providing training in these?
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