Preparing for the world of work
My son is about to launch his post-secondary career and he is asking for my advice on what he should study in school. I have been around education for more than 30 years so he expects I will be able to give him some solid advice. This scenario will play out for most parents so will seem familiar to some. Of course, I give him the typical routes to take and try to encourage him to explore but I have a real concern about post-secondary institutions and their lack of adaptability.
I have been thinking lately that what is needed is more emphasis on problem-solving and these adaptive skills or sharpening his AQ (adaptability quotient).These are learned skills and a good life skill to have as by the time he graduates he will likely have a long 10-year career in the field then on to the next one.
The common thread in his future careers will be this AQ ability and skill that needs to be nurtured. So. my advice to him is to look for places that teach those skills but they are few and far between.
In this parent/child exercise it makes me realize how important this culture of adaptability is to not only my son but to everyone in the world of work. Having the confidence to face new challenges with an “adaptability mindset”. Stay tuned as I will in future notes write about exercises to strengthen this capability and your personal brand in the future of work.
- Kelly Parke
