Will your child cut it in the 4IR?

Published on 24th April, 2023 at 02:53 pm

As if there’s not already plenty for parents to worry about, navigating the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and how to equip your child with the necessary skills for success in it is another vital part of the job. Pure book knowledge is no longer enough to ensure success in the workplace and broader life. Instead, kids – and their parents – need to nurture soft skills to build resilience and create opportunities for the future.

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In this article you’ll learn:

• What the 4IR is, and the skills needed to succeed in it.
• How the Online Education by Boston Social and Emotional Learning platform can help prepare your child to succeed in the 4IR.
• About how the Personal Assistant benefit can help you source quotes to further learning.

What is the 4IR?

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) refers to the advancements in technology that are influencing the way we work and live. Things like automation, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) are all becoming part of our everyday lives, and with them come some major shifts in the way our world works.

The World Economic Forum’s Klaus Schwab explains the 4IR as a “technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work and relate to one another”. With all this considered, your child will have a vastly different workplace and career experience to the one you may have had – and therefore needs to have the skills to thrive in it. Read on for tips for how to help them.

Cultivate their emotional and social skills

While technical know-how is important, to enjoy longevity and success in a work environment, we require emotional and social skills such as communication, problem solving and empathy; our emotional intelligence, as it were.

Sanlam Reality’s Online Education by Boston benefit includes a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) component. “Our Social and Emotional learning platform was born out of the recent pandemic, when we realised that our students needed coaching beyond the traditional education offerings,” says Eli Katz of Boston Connect. With youth anxiety and depression being at record highs, and cyberbullying a growing societal ill, not to mention many youngsters being in academic and social catch-up mode with the pandemic easing, the SEL platform is an offering for our time.

The platform helps students enhance their critical thinking and decision making, and aids in giving them purpose and authenticity when engaging with others. This can ultimately empower them in the workplace one day.

We are entering into a world full of innovation, and it is essential that young individuals have the adaptability and grit to stay engaged, both socially and emotionally, while all this change is happening around them. Katz says that the SEL platform will equip students with resilience, to be able to withstand challenging situations, and even confidently make important decisions in the face of them.

Some of the categories the platform focuses on include self-awareness, self-management and relationship skills. It is also integral in teaching soft skills like social awareness and responsible decision making through various functionalities. For example, general debates facilitated by the platform allow discussions of opposing views and the practice of negotiation and cooperation skills. With improved social and emotional skills, an individual has the capacity to collaborate in teams and offer meaningful and valid contributions.

Encourage their digital literacy

Digital literacy is the ability to understand, use and create digital technologies. This includes basic computer skills, programming, data analysis and cybersecurity. You can start by teaching your kids how to use technology safely and responsibly, and gradually introduce more complex concepts as they mature.

How does your child manage exam time? Here are some tips to ease the pressure and help them succeed.

Don’t overlook their creativity

As we step into the age of automation, AI and robotics, things that make us human are going to become more valuable. The arts also encourage creativity and imaginative thinking, helping us to think critically, solve problems and innovate; all are skills that are key to success in this new era. There is also a strong correlation between studying the arts and developing good social and emotional intelligence, according to this study.

Your free Personal Assistant benefit can assist you in sourcing quotes for learning programmes to help grow skills in different areas.