Get Skilled or Die – Part IV

Given the emergence of developing countries and the ongoing displacement of jobs from developed countries to low cost locations, the need for new and different skills among the workforce is continuing to grow.

The jobs created in developed countries are increasingly divided between high-skilled jobs and low-skilled jobs; with middle-level jobs being replaced by robotics, machines and software programmes.

The ‘hour-glass’ economy is developing as middle-level jobs disappear to leave well-paid opportunities for people with high-level skills and poorly paid or no opportunities for people with low-level skills.

These developments are already taking place as technology and competition increase their grip on local and global economies. The process is causing the relocation of millions of jobs around the world to where there is a match between skills and costs.

The result of such change is creating the need for different thinking and different solutions with a greater emphasis on the provision of training to ensure those looking for jobs develop the right skills.

The displacement of jobs is further affected by the fact that the numbers of people joining the workforce around the world has increased and will continue to increase as a result of the effects of globalisation.

The expansion of the global workforce has increased competition for jobs, particularly in relation to low-skilled work as it is flexible and can be moved around the world to low-cost locations.

Such change has had the effect of reducing the wages of people in developed economies and adding to the burden of the working poor and the unemployed at a time when growth is restricted in many economies.

Given the fundamental changes taking place in the global workforce there is a need to provide people with new and different skills to future-proof their ability to compete for well-paid sustainable jobs.

There are and will continue to be opportunities in the new economy but the opportunities will be focussed on employing people with the right skills for the work that needs to be done.

SO, the world of work is changing at a rapid pace and new and different solutions are needed to ensure people develop the right skills.

What do you think? Do you have the right skills? Get in touch, we would love to hear your views contact Nick on 028 8224 9494 or via Twitter @nick_oec.