Principal's Report

You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realise this and you will find strength.

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor 161AD-180AD

In this edition I am including the foreword from the Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) latest report, 'The New Work Mindset', which details the changes to the world of work that will impact on the lives of our children in some detail. It is an interesting and thought-provoking read.

'FYA embarked on the New Work Order report series in mid-2015. Our first report, The New Work Order, showed the way we work will be increasingly affected by three global economic forces; automation, globalisation and collaboration. It highlighted that if we want young people to capitalise on these opportunities and navigate the challenges brought by these changes, they need a set of transferrable enterprise skills. How are young people faring in the transition from school to work showed a gap between the enterprising skill set young Australians need and their level of attainment. Around 35% of Australian 15-year olds showed low proficiency in problem solving, 27% demonstrated low proficiency in digital literacy and 29% demonstrated low proficiency in financial literacy. Most recently, The New Basics, analysed 4.2 million job advertisements between 2012 and 2015 to show that the changes we have been predicting are already here. More employers are demanding enterprising skills among young employees. Demand for digital skills went up 212% over three years, while critical thinking increased 158%, creativity increased by 65% and presentation skills by 25%. These reports have showed the urgent need for investment in a national enterprise skills and careers education strategy that would:

• Begin early in primary school and build consistently, year on year, throughout high school • Be provided in ways that young people want to learn: through experience, immersion and with peers

• Provide accurate information about and exposure to where future jobs will exist and the skills to craft and navigate multiple careers

• Engage students, schools, industry and parents in codesigning opportunities in and outside the classroom.

To tackle the challenge of providing accurate information about where future jobs will exist and the skills that will be needed we have again turned to big data. The New Work Mindset has analysed more than 2.7 million job advertisements to reveal 7 new job clusters in the Australian economy where the required skills are closely related and more portable than previously thought. 

What the report ultimately reveals is that current careers advice is already outdated in the New Work Order predicted. When we talk about the future of work, much of the focus is on which jobs will disappear and which will remain. These are important factors, however this report shows that we need to shift our focus from jobs to skills to prepare young people for the future of work. By understanding the skills and capabilities that will be most portable and in demand in the new economy, young people can work to equip themselves for the future of work more effectively. Our mindset needs to shift to reflect a more dynamic future of work where linear careers will be far less common and young people will need a portfolio of skills and capabilities, including career management skills to navigate the more complex world of work.'

It's not all doom and gloom and at Uralla Central School we continue to reform and restructure our processes and structures to ensure that we are adaptable and flexible in meeting the challenges that such changes bring.

Have a wonderful fortnight.

The capacity to learn is a gift;

The ability to learn is a skill;

The willingness to learn is a choice.

Frank Herbert (1920-1986) Author of Dune