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[TrendTalk] Dealing with rapid change
We are seeing a raft of predictions for 2020 and 2025 already, as the rate of change speeds up and the next five to 10 years promise to be even more momentous. How does the individual upskill to keep up as a "seismic" change in jobs and the workplace is predicted in just 10 years?
In just the last 10 years, there has been amazing innovation and disruption: you see it in our smartphone 'selfie' generation; pop culture; virtual reality applications; disruptive new brands (Uber, Airbnb); the transformation of companies such as Google into one of our most innovative technology companies - from a search engine a decade ago; the rise and rise of social communications brands like Facebook and Twitter, which did not exist a decade ago (Facebook was still a university network in 2005, Twitter only launched in 2006); robotics; the self-drive car; drone technology; Elon Musk's inventions and adventures; new medical and scientific advances; and a total transformation of personal communications... the list goes on.
The rate of change due to advances in technology and communications is leaving people feeling overwhelmed and worried about keeping up with rapid change in the workplace, communications and tech skills, and even banking systems.
I hear it at every trends presentation I give: 'How do you keep up?' 'How do I upskill?' 'How do I learn more?' Articles are being written about the jobs that won't exist by 2025 - only 10 years away; and we are seeing a raft of '2020' trends articles, because it sounds catchy and because 20-25 years is a milestone marker in a century.
I presented to the Business Women's Association in Cape Town on Friday about my '2020 Trends Vision' based on global and local trends across industry and communications. I emphasised that trends are important to make sense of the rapid change happening around us, that they give future context and offer hope to current realities. It is important to look ahead and 'up' to be reassured and not afraid of the future, that there are incredible human beings at the forefront of research and inventions which will have a positive impact on society and our future lives.
And of course it is so important to read. We pick up our phones every time there is a moment to spare or we are caught in a queue. So why not use that time to read interesting articles about trends in your industry or area of interest? Set up your social media feeds to push links from all the brilliant people and brilliant media out there, directly to you. It's all out there.
I've picked some of the best articles I've found in the past month on this subject from some of the media I follow and read every week:
- • In 2025 we will have grown to a global population of 8 billion connected humans and we will be connected through our devices and the clothes we wear, as this brief, but informative article on Singularityhub.com outlines in 'The world in 2025 - 8 predictions for the next 10 years'.
• Do you know if your job will exist in 10 years? There's been large scale disruption of service industries through new 'sharing economy' brands like Uber and Airbnb and technological advances in robotics, 3D printing and augmented reality, etc, are expected to turn most industries on their head in the next decade, leading to new skills being required, as this article from Fast Company (US), predicts in 'The new rules of work: The top jobs in 10 years might not be what you expect'.
• Robots will take some of our jobs, no doubt about it. In its series on 'The new rules of work', Fast Company also looked at how we will be affected at the workplace in 2025 in 'What work will look like in 2025'.
• In The Huffington Post, '7 Top Futurists Make Some Pretty Surprising Predictions About What The Next Decade Will Bring' with an awe-inspiring glimpse of what the future could be like in just 10 years.
Source: TRENDAFRiCA.co.za
TRENDAFRiCA is a trend watching portal on consumer insight, research and trends from South Africa and further afield on the continent of Africa. It includes DAiLY trends headlines from around the world, influential Trendspotter columnists and in-depth reports on industry segments. Louise Marsland is the founder and editor.
Go to: www.trendafrica.co.za