We have shared the data around our educational outcomes in Michigan and how we’re facing a changing workforce and skills gap. Now we are taking a closer look as to why we need to ensure students are prepared for future jobs that don’t yet exist and work already underway in Michigan to address it.
We have shared the data around our educational outcomes in Michigan and how we’re facing a changing workforce and skills gap. Now we are taking a closer look as to why we need to ensure students are prepared for future jobs that don’t yet exist and work already underway in Michigan to address it.
Heather McGowan, an internationally known speaker, writer and thought leader, articulated the demands of our changing global workforce and how it requires a foundation of learning at CMF’s 46th Annual Conference.
“We’re entering the fourth industrial revolution when things wake up and everything around you has some intelligence and is speaking to each other, how do humans fit in that?” McGowan questioned.
McGowan shared the following data points:
65 percent of future jobs don’t exist yet
47 percent of tasks will be automated by 2033
She shared how “humans need to focus on being human and human skills,” which is rooted in strong emotional and social intelligence. Essentially, we need to have foundational learning to engage in critical thinking, spur curiosity and harness the abilities for lifelong learning.
“You’re going to add and delete many apps on your phones as you’re going to add and delete many careers,” McGowan said. “If you look at these things as foundational knowledge and fundamental literacies that will help you adapt and change in the future.”
How can we prepare students for this future?
CMF members and partners joined McGowan on stage to discuss the work of Launch Michigan, a diverse, statewide coalition of stakeholders, including CMF, committed to boosting educational excellence for every student and every school throughout our state.
“We won’t be prepared for the world and the economy that Heather laid out for us if we don’t do this work right now,” Julie Ridenour, president, Steelcase Foundation and member of the Launch Michigan Steering Committee said.
“The imperative I don’t believe has ever been as dire as it is right now. Therefore, I think people will rise up,” Nancy Moody, chair, DTE Energy Foundation and a member of Launch Michigan said.
Moody shared that DTE Energy, faced with the reality that 50 percent of its workforce will be eligible to retire within 5 years, has been working to connect youth and young adults to career pathways, through investing in career and technical education (CTE) programs, training and innovative partnerships.
Launch Michigan’s short-term focus includes:
Educator support and engagement
Accountability
Finance
Literacy
Ridenour shared that parents are the number one influencer in a child’s life and teachers are the second, which is why supporting our teachers is paramount.
Examples of work already underway that aligns with this effort are teacher leadership programs funded by the Steelcase Foundation and the Doug and Maria DeVos Foundation.
The Center for Excellence, Teaching and Learning (CETL), launched by Ed Trust-Midwest in partnership with the Steelcase Foundation, works with educators to better support instructional practice, collaboration and professional development. Three of the five elementary schools working with CETL are among the top improving schools in the state.
The Doug and Maria DeVos Foundation has also partnered with the Steelcase Foundation in supporting teacher leadership, creating systems where teachers can work alongside their peers to develop their talents through the Educational Network of Greater Grand Rapids.
“We start with teachers because highly effective teachers are the greatest in-school factor in changing outcomes,” Ashley Johnson, program officer for education, Doug and Maria DeVos Foundation said. “We partner with teacher leaders which changes how they do teacher learning and empowers them to share their knowledge and talent with their peers.”
Ridenour said Launch Michigan is currently forming work groups to quickly turnaround its first pieces of work in early 2019.
“We know that we need a successful educational system as a cornerstone of a prosperous community, a prosperous state and a very strong economy,” Ridenour said. “We also know that education is a safeguard for democracy so that the wise execution of democracy is the result of education.”
Want more?
Connect with Launch Michigan.
Read more from Heather McGowan’s "Work to Learn: The Future of Work is Learning."
