Skills for the Shared Future<\/em>: how can young people prepare for labour market needs that will continue to evolve throughout their lives?<\/p>\n\u201cI think young people today need to be more open-minded, more flexible, more adaptable,\u201d said Francesca Fanelli, senior associate director of graduate career development at Columbia University.<\/p>\n
Amid helping students and recent graduates navigate today\u2019s competitive and rapidly changing job market, she spoke with UN News<\/em> about some of the best ways to rise to the challenge.<\/p>\nSkills for an uncertain future<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe World Economic Forum estimates that nearly 40 per cent of the skills workers rely on now could change or become outdated by 2030, making adaptability and lifelong learning more important than ever.<\/p>\n
The answer is not to search for an \u201cAI-proof\u201d career, Ms. Fanelli said.<\/p>\n
Photo courtesy of Francesca Fanelli.<\/span>
\n Francesca Fanelli, senior associate director of graduate career development at Columbia University.<\/span><\/p>\nWhile some students are reconsidering their career choices and showing greater interest in skilled trades, which are widely viewed as less vulnerable to automation, she cautioned against basing decisions primarily on assumptions about which jobs will be least affected by AI and technological change.<\/p>\n
Instead, she advises young people to focus on their interests and strengths while building a broad \u201ctoolkit\u201d of transferable skills that can serve them across different roles throughout their careers.<\/p>\n
Rather than committing themselves to a single career path, Ms. Fanelli encourages students to explore opportunities across different industries and remain open to new directions as the world of work continues to evolve.<\/p>\n
With AI, \u2018you\u2019re still the problem solver\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\nWhile the future of work may be difficult to predict, Ms. Fanelli believes one thing is already clear: knowing how to use AI effectively is becoming a valuable workplace skill.<\/p>\n
\u201cAI literacy is a skill now that employers look for,\u201d she says. \u201cThey want to make sure that people entering their office know how to use the tool.\u201d<\/p>\n
This includes knowing how to ask the right questions and write clear prompts while taking responsibility for fact-checking the information AI produces and deciding how to apply it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to use it as an assistant rather than as a problem solver,\u201d Ms. Fanelli says. \u201cYou\u2019re still the problem solver.\u201d<\/p>\n
Making AI work for you<\/strong><\/h2>\nFor job seekers, AI can be useful throughout the application process. Ms. Fanelli recommends using it to analyse job descriptions, identify the skills employers are seeking, tailor application materials and prepare for interviews. The quality of the results largely depends on the quality of the instructions provided, she noted.<\/p>\n
At the same time, she stressed that every application should reflect the candidate\u2019s own experience and personality.<\/p>\n
\u201cMake sure it\u2019s in your voice, that there are no phrases that you would never find yourself saying,\u201d she advises.<\/p>\n
Turning skills into a job<\/strong><\/h2>\nYet, learning to use AI is only one part of preparing for the job market. For many students and recent graduates, the process itself can feel deeply uncertain and overwhelming.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole process, I think, feels really overwhelming,\u201d Ms. Fanelli says. \u201cStudents are just feeling overwhelmed by the process and discouraged before they even start.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pointing to data showing that it takes job seekers in the United States an average of 6.6 months to secure employment, she said sustaining a search over such a long period requires an effective strategy and the resilience to cope with rejection and self-doubt.<\/p>\n
Many graduates also find themselves caught in what she described as a frustrating paradox. Despite having strong academic qualifications, they often worry that they lack practical experience, leaving them feeling \u201cboth overqualified and underqualified\u201d.<\/p>\n
Feeling unqualified does not necessarily mean that graduates lack the skills employers need. Ms. Fanelli said many underestimate the value of the abilities they have already developed during their studies.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery job posting, I still see collaboration, communication, teamwork. You\u2019re most likely developing those skills in your education. You just have to think about how you can communicate those skills to an employer in a way that they\u2019ll understand,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Beyond a dream job<\/strong><\/h2>\nAs young people prepare for an uncertain future, Ms. Fanelli encourages them not to put too much pressure on themselves to find the \u201cperfect\u201d career.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe dream job might not be exactly what you think it is,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Rather than searching for a role that fulfils every expectation, she advises young people to look for work that offers a sense of fulfilment in at least one respect, while recognising that purpose can come from many different parts of life.<\/p>\n
Family, friendships, community and personal interests can all be sources of meaning, she said, and work does not have to provide everything.<\/p>\n
\u201cA job sometimes is just for financial stability, and that\u2019s okay.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Key takeaways Nearly 40 per cent of skills workers rely on now could change or become outdated by 2030, but Francesca Fanelli, senior associate director of Columbia University, has some tips: Do not search for an \u201cAI-proof\u201d career Knowing how to use AI effectively is becoming a valuable workplace skill Explore opportunities across different industries […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37020,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11611],"tags":[3447,2755,562,1697,5364,4441,6205,6723],"class_list":["post-37019","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spyballoon-global-news","tag-changing","tag-future","tag-job","tag-market","tag-navigate","tag-skills","tag-uncertain","tag-youth"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",0,0,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",0,0,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",0,0,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",150,150,false],"medium":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",300,300,false],"large":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",1024,1024,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",1536,1536,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",2048,2048,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",370,265,false],"kava-thumb-s":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",150,85,false],"kava-thumb-s-2":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",230,230,false],"kava-thumb-m":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",400,400,false],"kava-thumb-m-vertical":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",370,500,false],"kava-thumb-m-2":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",570,450,false],"kava-thumb-l":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",1170,650,false],"kava-thumb-xl":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",1920,1080,false],"kava-thumb-masonry":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",600,999,false],"kava-thumb-justify":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",640,640,false],"kava-thumb-justify-2":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-11-2020-Oxford-COVID-vaccine-06.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",1280,640,false]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"#RiseCelestialStudios","author_link":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/author\/ralph-c\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"SPYBALLOON GLOBAL NEWS<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Key takeaways Nearly 40 per cent of skills workers rely on now could change or become outdated by 2030, but Francesca Fanelli, senior associate director of Columbia University, has some tips: Do not search for an \u201cAI-proof\u201d career Knowing how to use AI effectively is becoming a valuable workplace skill Explore opportunities across different industries…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37019","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37019"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37019\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37021,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37019\/revisions\/37021"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37020"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37019"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37019"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}