The young generation today has been wondering how we (the five series model) managed to survive those days back in the ancient pre-Facebook era. Their digital brains boggle even further trying to imagine how anyone could ever do their job without computers, email or mobile phones. They have to realise that in 20 years’ time, the coming generation will think the technology their parents use today will become as antiquated as the typewriter, pager and the big-size mobile phone we relied on to carry out our job 20 years ago. The same goes to the learning process. It is estimated that 40% of what tertiary students are learning will be obsolete a decade from now. If we realise, some of the most in-demand jobs today did not even exist 10 years ago. Looking at the globalization of talent and continued innovation in technology, it is hard to imagine what the world and the mobile force will look like 20 years from now. It is not just about keeping up with the rate of change and the nature of the work we do, but how we do it and where are also matters. Now people can work from everywhere. Traditional boundaries disappear and the global talent pool becomes more skilled and mobile. We simply have to adapt faster to stay competitive. The ability to adapt to change and proactively make changes to career will make a crucial difference. However, many people tend to stick with what they know and avoid situations or challenges they may be forced to learn something new. Instead, they do their best to ‘mould’ the changes going on around them, either in people, events and the environment, to fit with their current mental map. It may work fairly well for a while but what it doesn’t do is prepare them to adapt to a future that may well require an entirely new set of maps.
