Pearson and Jobs for the Future today released a new report entitled Demand-Driven Education, which identifies a new wave in postsecondary education reform required to adapt to the emerging global economy. Demand-Driven Education, the report argues, focuses on ensuring graduates are job-ready, hirable, and have access to rewarding careers over the course of their lifetime by ensuring career-long alignment between education and the job market.
To better understand the systemic change needed, Jobs for the Future (JFF), with the support of Pearson, conducted an in-depth review of the field, interviewing more than 20 education and workforce experts in the US and the UK. JFF also performed original research comparing the data from The Future of Skills with United States Bureau of Labor Statistics projections.
"As the future of work is realized, what makes us human is what will make us employable; education systems are already evolving to develop and measure the skills that matter, but there is much more that can be done," said Maria Flynn, president and chief executive officer at Jobs for the Future.
"As the world's leading digital education company, understanding the future of work is vital to making sure that students are prepared for lifelong success, no matter how much the job market may change," said Leah Jewell, managing director for employability solutions at Pearson. "This research confirms that students need educational solutions that meet them where they are in life and that are accessible throughout one's career. Pearson's transition to more personalized digital learning tools is guaranteeing we are ready to meet this need as economies and workforce demands shift."
Demand-Driven Education follows a 2017 report from Pearson, Nesta and Oxford Martin School, The Future of Skills: Employment in 2030, the first study ever to combine diverse human expertise with active machine learning to produce a more nuanced view of future employment trends. The report challenged alarmism over widespread job automation, arguing that the convergence of trends in technological change, globalization, demographic shifts, environmental sustainability, urbanization, increasing inequality and political uncertainty will likely result in a world where work requires specific knowledge and skills, especially complex thinking and interpersonal capabilities.
About Pearson
Pearson is the world's learning company, with expertise in educational courseware and assessment, and a range of teaching and learning services powered by technology. Our mission is to help people make progress through access to better learning. We believe that learning opens up opportunities, creating fulfilling careers and better lives. For more, visit www.pearson.com and follow us on twitter @Pearson.
About Jobs for the Future
Jobs for the Future works with our partners to design and drive adoption of education and career pathways leading from college readiness to career advancement for those struggling to succeed in today's economy. https://www.jff.org
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