Coding, AI and Beyond — Which Skills are Going to Help our Children in the Future
The future is not predictable but one thing is for sure, it will be different from today and hence, we have to consider a few probabilities and prepare our children accordingly so that they are future-ready. Technical skills? Yes, we will need them by truckloads but they won’t be enough.
Our children will also need soft skills to tackle the challenges of the future and find a balance in their professional and personal lives. Let’s talk about the technical skills that we need to arm our children with along with key soft skills for the future.
Technical Skills for the Future
1. Coding
Coding is an essential skill for the future and it’s not just about learning the fundamentals of coding, children must become proficient in the latest programming languages and keep upgrading themselves. Coding can be beneficial for every child because of all the sub-skills that come attached with it. So, even if your child does not want to become an engineer, learning to code will be a good idea.
2. Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is a key skill for young innovators. Artificial intelligence or AI is the ability of computers to mimic human intelligence. It refers to detecting patterns, processing language, predicting behavior, etc. Our current environment is already dotted with instances of AI-driven services and devices and it is only going to become dense in the future when our children will be driving the world.
Furthermore, AI has a direct bearing on employability and future career success. Therefore, it is pragmatic to teach AI to children beyond Google Home and Alexa. Machine learning and deep learning are 2 of the most important and talked about verticals of AI.
3. Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is the technology that has made it possible for businesses to become agile and competitive. And not just businesses, it has become so affordable that even individuals are now using cloud services for their requirements for space, technology, and more. Cloud is already a big deal and will very much be a part of the tech future that our next generation will have to deal with.
Introducing children to cloud technology at an early age will give them a clear understanding of how current systems work. It will give them an insight into how systems connect to simplify various processes related to e-commerce, education, healthcare, and more and improve their outlook in the future job market.
4. BlockChain
The fintech industry is moving fast from technology to technology and some experts believe that digital currency will replace paper money faster than we previously anticipated. This kind of change is known as a revolution and has been heavily fueling the demand for blockchain developers.
Not only will our children be a part of the world that runs on the blockchain, but they will also face plenty of job openings that will branch out from blockchain to other verticals. All this only makes it important to teach children blockchain skills. It will keep them up to date with what’s happening in their world and there will never be a dearth of employment opportunities.
5. Spreadsheet Proficiency
Spreadsheets and documents are an important part of all the tech processes we undertake. Yet somehow, we fail to acknowledge their importance and do not teach them to children. Most children use the Word and Sheets for their homework and assignments but they fail to go beyond the basics.
All the documentation and spreadsheet apps available are highly efficient and can increase productivity with their functions. While we set out to teach our children all the latest technologies coming our way, we should introduce them to the nuances of these softwares that can support crucial aspects such as data collection, data sharing, documentation, and more of a project.
Soft Skills for the Future
1. Communication
Communication is the starting point of everything right from a conversation to a complex AI project. Our children need to learn that they have to work with others to achieve greater goals and success. And seamless collaborations happen only with crystal clear communication.
We need to prepare our children for the future by teaching them the basics of communication and the advantages of communication in collaboration. We also need to introduce them to different forms of communication and their good practices.
2. Love for Learning
A desire to learn in children guarantees greater success than forced learning done in the fear of poor grades. We need to promote willful learning where children want to learn because there are interested in a topic. Only this kind of learning will set them on the path to success and personal satisfaction which is otherwise hard to find.
Love for learning is found only in subjects/topics that children like. We have to identify those subjects so that children can start early and should also invest in teaching methods that inculcate a love for learning rather than normalizing cramming for A grade.
3. Problem Solving
Problem-solving is critical to getting ahead and surviving in a competitive world. Today’s children will be future grown-ups who will be needed to think critically about the problems at hand and come up with smart solutions.
Children need to analyze every situation in terms of — Why, How, and What if. They must be taught to look at all sides of complex problems and find a way out. If a child is already inquisitive, parents and caregivers have to support this skill and if the child isn’t he must be taught to ask questions and to think both subjectively and objectively.
4. Decision making
We make most of the decisions for our children. We stand between them and the consequences of a bad decision. This results in a protected upbringing where children grow up into indecisive adults. Yes, children cannot take all their decisions, but we have to prepare them for a future where they will be calling the shots. They have to be made aware of the fact that there are always some consequences attached to a decision.
Decision-making is all about behaving responsibly. Parents, teachers, and caregivers can teach children all about decisions and their results by letting them make decisions on small everyday matters.
5. Cultural Competency
We are already living in a world that is deeply connected. Work teams are spread all across the globe and even families live on various continents. This kind of global connectivity has made it important that our children have secular mindsets and are culturally competent.
They must understand that the world is a huge place and there are thousands of different races, communities, and cultures and each one of them deserves an equal amount of respect and acceptance. They must be prepared to work with a teammate who doesn’t look or think like them.
6. Creativity
Creativity is the harbinger of all things good. Creative minds are active and productive and are capable of imagination, out-of-box thinking, and positive collaborations. Imagination is what leads to original thinking and that makes it a must-have skill for the future.
Creativity and technology are tightly knitted into one another, unlike what we believe. We often consider them as two different entities that cannot co-exist, which is the most disastrous approach we can have while raising our children to be future-ready. Creativity has to be promoted within homes and classrooms.
Future is Coming Towards us at Full Speed
Raising future-ready children is a humongous task but it is achievable if we start early and consistently showcase good practices through our actions. While our children’s time will be way different than what we are experiencing right now, we can predict the future to a certain extent and lay some strong foundations that will empower our little ones when they are called to invent, collaborate and make decisions.
While you introduce your child to the world of robots and IoT, do not forget to arm them with the soft skills listed here. After all, coding can be learned but soft skills such as critical thinking and communication cannot be taught at a later stage in life. We have to start now, right now.
