Area of Concern

Future of Learning

The work + learn economy is transforming before our eyes. Machines are doing jobs no one expected they'd be capable of performing. Meanwhile, full-time employment gains are shrinking, and more people—either by choice or circumstance—are working on a temporary, part-time basis. These shifts are only the beginning of even more massive disruptions ahead.

How can workers and learners succeed in such an uncertain, rapidly evolving world? To answer that, IFTF has launched the Future Skills initiative—a series of events throughout the year designed to help workers and learners of all ages develop skills to navigate a vastly different labor economy.

Our first event, held at the end of February, brings together innovators, influencers, and thought leaders in business, education, and the investment community to launch and discuss a work+learn framework that identifies peak performance zones and associated super skills that workers and learners will need to succeed in the workforce of the future. We'll also unveil a first-of-its-kind virtual reality training circuit designed to point learners and workers to the skills they'll need in the future. The circuit includes stops such as the “Befriending the Machines” station, where learners will find themselves in a future of artificial intelligence, working with or for robots in creative endeavors.

Future Skills Map cover