What the 2023 Intergenerational Report Means for the Future of Education

Every educator and institution around Australia shares a common goal: to equip their students with the knowledge and skills needed for success in work and life beyond the classroom. As the world continues to rapidly evolve and students prepare to graduate into a vastly different workforce, the need to adapt our education system in line with the changing landscape has never been more important.

The Australian Government's 2023 Intergenerational Report has provided a glimpse into this changing world and workforce. Across the board, the report makes one thing clear: as industry and the job market change, education must also change to give students the tools they need to succeed.

Building a Strong Foundation
One of the most compelling findings highlighted in the Intergenerational Report is the crucial role played by early childhood education in shaping the future of Australia. The report underscores the growing body of evidence that demonstrates the importance of high-quality early childhood education in supporting child development and lifelong outcomes, particularly for those from disadvantaged and vulnerable backgrounds.

Investing in early childhood education is an investment in the future of our society, as it equips children with the essential skills and knowledge necessary for success in an increasingly complex world. To prepare children for challenges such as the climate crisis, economic hardship, and an increasingly unpredictable world, education must focus on nurturing skills such as resilience, adaptability, emotional expression, and critical thinking. By prioritising the learning of these skills in early childhood education, we set children up for greater success in their future school years and beyond.

Preparing Students for the Digital World
The rapid advancement of technology has ushered in an era of digital transformation that is reshaping industries and occupations across the globe. As we move further into the digital age, the technological skills required for the workforce are evolving at a rapid pace.

Campion’s 2023 Digital Landscapes in Australian Schools report found that while most schools already incorporate technology into their learning, almost 40% were looking to deepen their technological integration in the coming years. This evolution is essential to preparing students for the digital world, equipping them with not only technical proficiency but also the ability to adapt to new technologies and a changing work landscape.

The 2023 Intergenerational Report also emphasises the ever-evolving presence of artificial intelligence in the workplace and what this means for the future workforce. The meteoric rise of Generative AI is one example of how quickly technology can revolutionise our world, posing significant and ongoing challenges for staff who don’t have an adaptive skillset or proficiency in learning new technology. The students of today will undoubtedly graduate into a world where AI and other emerging technologies will continue to shake up industries, so it is essential that we nurture skills like adaptability, tech literacy, and higher cognitive ability to prepare them for this reality.

Keeping Students Engaged in Learning
As the nature of work evolves, so do the skills required for employment. The Intergenerational Report draws attention to the increasing demand for higher-skilled workers in the Australian labour market, indicating that employment in occupations requiring a bachelor's degree or higher has risen from 15 percent in the mid-1960s to over 30 per cent in 2023. It’s also expected that by 2026, more than half of new jobs will require the highest level of skills, with an additional 40 per cent demanding Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications.

Looking ahead, this means that students will need to remain engaged in education for longer in order to gain the skills and qualifications required to excel in the changing workforce. To do this, it’s essential that we focus on more than just academic success.

Research has shown that students who feel connected to their teachers and excited about the future are 30 times more likely to remain engaged at school. At a critical age when students are learning about the world and their place in it, this points to the importance of fostering trusting, caring relationships between teachers and pupils. Cultivating a positive culture where students feel that their unique strengths and qualities are seen and valued is also key to ensuring they can see the long-term benefit of remaining dedicated to their studies.

Cultivating a Modern Skillset
According to the Intergenerational Report, the combination of an aging population and the widespread adoption of digital technology has pushed Australia towards a service-based economy. The Intergenerational Report acknowledges the rising demand for a modern skillset that enables students to adapt to a rapidly changing workforce.

With this in mind, it’s more important than ever that schools focus on the development of essential employability skills such as problem-solving, communication, critical thinking, information literacy, and collaboration. In a fast-changing world, these skills will allow students to adapt and continuously learn even when faced with complex challenges.

As the world continues to evolve and workforce expectations change, it’s essential that we equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive. If we focus on providing future-focused education, we will create a generation of students who can adapt and succeed despite any challenges they might face.

James Cathro is an education resource expert with more than three decades of experience across the education, broadcast, and IT industries. Since 1998, he has been the Managing Director of Campion Education. He has guided the company to evolve in line with the ever-changing educational landscape and maintained a company-wide commitment to shaping a brighter learning future for all.