When it comes to building future readiness, putting kids on a fluidity path means preparing them to fluidly change direction, switch jobs and pivot between careers. If we’ve learned anything since early 2020, it’s that suspecting what may be coming and being prepared to handle it are not the same things. So, what’s the lesson for educators trying to build career readiness?
Consider this: a 2020 report estimated that within five years, 85 million jobs would be displaced—but 97 million new jobs would emerge. You don’t have to look far to see concrete examples of this statistic in action, such as this 2022 list of 5 jobs that didn’t exist 5 years ago.
In such a rapidly changing job landscape, how do we personalize learning so that every student is ready for careers that may not currently exist?
4 steps on the fluidity path
In 2022, the median amount of time people 25–34 worked with one employer was 2.8 years. And while it’s commonly believed that older generations were different, the fact is that even baby boomers held (on average) more than 12 jobs from ages 18 to 54.
Given this, Gen Z needs to be ready to pivot on a dime—and a strong college and career readiness approach in sync with ESSA prepares students for as-yet-unknown jobs. Below are four strategies to help our students prepare for an ever-evolving career landscape.
1. Build self-awareness by exploring lifestyle options: In this context, the social-emotional learning competency of self-awareness is about helping students get familiar with what kind of life they want to lead. This should start with a lifestyle assessment that puts life first and career last, which may seem counterintuitive.
But think of it like this: Let’s say, in a traditional career-readiness program, a science-focused student who wants to help people is matched with doctor as a career. If the student starts there, they then have to unpack all the particulars around that career: many years of schooling, potential for astronomical student loans, long hours, etc. For many, that sort of lifestyle isn’t appealing, so then the hypothetical student has to go back to the drawing board.
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If you flip the funnel, so to speak, you start with what kind of life the student wants to lead. That will naturally funnel down to the careers that fit into that lifestyle, so you’re no longer trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. It’s a more efficient process that puts the student—and who they want to become—at the center of their own journey.
2. Develop social awareness by introducing mentors: A powerful way for students to become more socially aware is to hear from mentors in new, established, and emerging jobs. Importantly, these mentors should talk about their job journey so kids can get a sense of whether both the process of getting the job and the job itself are a good fit. Mentors in specific fields can share industry knowledge that students may not find elsewhere, which can help students sort through questions such as, “What actions do I need to take to train for the job and excel in it?”
Take this example: an athletic kid who’s focused on sports might initially think they want to go pro with, say, basketball. But hearing from mentors in related jobs, such as director of player engagement, team dietician, and athletic physical therapist would provide kids with more realistic options, and more choices to match the lifestyle they choose.
3. Promote career awareness by presenting a wide range of job options: Students need to be able to identify how their skills, talents, and interests can empower them to thrive. But instead of only matching student abilities and goals with those required in traditional jobs, we should also empower students to explore less traditional job paths, including esports developer, music producer, virtual fitness instructor, and so on. Kids need to get a sense of both overall industries (e.g., education, agriculture, entertainment) and the various jobs currently available within those industries to prepare for the jobs that may be available in the near and distant future.
4. Strengthen core life skills by building action awareness: Students need to be able to recognize and engage in actions that will help them achieve their future goals. Practicing flexibility, initiative, and productivity—all 21st-century life skills—will help students succeed in whatever jobs they choose. This is all about beginning the process of developing transferable skills that will allow kids to progress on a fluidity path throughout their careers. In other words, students shouldn’t just be thinking about their futures; they should be taking steps now that put them on that future path.
While we might think we know what to expect when it comes to the jobs of the future, the reality is this: we can’t. So we need to prepare students to succeed in whatever jobs may be available during their working lifetimes—and putting kids on a fluidity path will position them to build the type of life they want, whatever the future may bring.
