Guest Commentator: Chekemma J. Fulmore-Townsend, President and CEO, Philadelphia Youth Network @PYNinc
What skills for the jobs of the future can we start to instill in our region’s youth today?
While it is difficult to predict with certainty the skills of the future, experience with teens and young adults provides valuable insight into the academic, technical, and interpersonal skills needed for success in the workforce of the future.
Preparing young people now means exposing them to the standards and expectations of different industries as early as possible. Teaching change management, effective communication strategies, and how to use social capital and social media helps build autonomy, integrity, and accountability — all of which help build positive professional acumen.
The value of building interpersonal relationships continues to grow in this new world of work. Helping teens establish relationships with adults as mentors and sponsors, while also empowering young people to share their knowledge and perspectives with adults helps cultivate leadership skills and models lifelong learning in practical ways. Additionally, as businesses continue to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion, young people will continue to use these interpersonal skills to help shape their professional identity and practice navigating organizational culture.
Flexibility continues to be an important mindset in the workforce. We must teach young people how to respond to change, learn from failure, and embrace resilience in the face of obstacles. Additionally, offering opportunities to explore flexible work (such as entrepreneurial efforts) gives young people insight into alternate career pathways.
Equally important are academic and technical skills. While the next generation of talent is known as digital natives, integrating technology into work experiences teaches young people to leverage technology to achieve business results. Fusing skills like computer literacy or mathematics with empathy, creativity, problem-solving, and marketing equips young people for the workforce. While access and comfortability with mobile and hand-held devices may vary, providing training opportunities to increase exposure to these tools gives young people have a leg-up for the future of work.
Lastly, jobs are a source of much-needed income for many young people. Without education or access to strategies to achieve financial stability and autonomy, young people are not fully equipped to manage their money or create wealth. Therefore, we must provide workshops that teach young people how to earn, save, and invest money appropriately.
Working collaboratively to challenge the status quo, inform the skill-building process, and imagine new ways to prepare young people for the workforce of tomorrow is critical. Committing now is the fastest path to economic viability as we recharge and rebuild, and the business community will continue to support these activities and challenge us all to grow.
The Chamber is a proud partner of WorkReady, a citywide initiative managed by the Philadelphia Youth Network providing career exposure to youth. Prepare our region’s young people for the future of work and ensure Philadelphia’s young people are not left out of our economic recovery efforts by signing on to provide virtual career exposure or an internship experience to a young person.
