Abridged version of Coursera's Job Skills 2022 e-book

According to Coursera's e-book: The Job Skills of 2022: "Skills-based learning provides tailored learning experiences to meet the particular needs of individuals at a specific point in time. It delivers the very specific know-how needed to enter a new job or progress in a career. Relevancy and focus with regard to an individual learning journey are at the heart of skills-based learning. It contrasts with approaches such as open-learning models, in which learners take whichever courses they want, or guided-learning models that feature courses recommended by a specific team or peers." 

"The fastest growing skills are those which have seen the biggest increase in their overall ranking in this time period, and therefore are expected to continue to grow or stay popular in 2022."

1. Digital skills

"UNESCO defines digital skills as “a range of abilities to use digital devices, communication applications, and networks to access and manage information.” Digital skills can incorporate everything from social media to cybersecurity, and are increasingly central to a thriving workforce, particularly as businesses have accelerated digital transformation in response to the pandemic. The term ‘digital skills’ is often used interchangeably with ‘technology’ and ‘technical’ skills." 

Fastest growing digital skills: Product Design (+71), Plotting Data (+69), User Experience Design (+54), Statistical Visualization (+50), Security Strategy (+45), Cloud Infrastructure (+42) Supply Chain Systems (+41), Social Media (+41), Operations Management (+38), Business Process Management (+37). 

2. Human Skills 

"Institutions often struggle when it comes to defining human skills, sometimes known as ‘soft’ skills. Yet they are vital for organizational success. Human skills are non-technical but no less valuable, or easier to learn, than ‘hard’ skills.They include a range of cognitive, social, and emotional skills, such as creativity, critical thinking, information interpretation, decision-making, and communication. Certain emotional skills may align with what are elsewhere understood as behavioral traits, such as resilience, empathy, and emotional intelligence—though by treating these traits as skills, we emphasize that they can be learned. 

Fastest growing human skills: Communication (+46), Change Management (+36), Professional Development (+21), Storytelling (+18) Planning (+17), Influencing (+17), Decision Making (+15), Problem Solving (+11), People Development (+10) Human Resources (+9). 

In the Remote Work Age, Communication, Storytelling, and Problem Solving are Vital

"More effective sharing of information between people is at the heart of many of the fastest growing human skills, including communication, storytelling, and problem solving. These often relate to digital skill trends, particularly the emphasis on the need for clear and compelling narratives seen in both data visualization (digital) and storytelling (human)." 

Conclusion: 

How can we prepare for 2022 and beyond?

"We’re on the cusp of a more equitable world of work, built on a foundation of life-long learning. To make progress towards this vision, institutions should act quickly.

Technology is enabling us to deliver unparalleled educational experiences to anyone, anywhere, across the globe. Simultaneously, the hyper-growth of remote working enables those same people to access high-quality jobs regardless of city, state, or even national boundaries. 

The future is not without challenges. Risks to the economy and personal success come from growing automation, rapidly-changing skill requirements, and labor shortfalls. Embracing technology and its ability to democratize access to new roles, and nurture the new digital and human skills that underpin those careers, will be vital in overcoming these risks. 

To deliver on the promise of a better future of work, public-private partnerships that create pathways, from skills development to job opportunities, will be essential. From digital expertise in data visualization to human-centric skills like storytelling, institutions should act swiftly to provide people everywhere with the job-ready knowledge they need to succeed in a changing world."