Education for Tomorrow's Leaders

The State of Education and the Need for Change

Last week, I participated in a panel discussion at a national congress on education alongside representatives from various government agencies. During the event, I shared several insights that highlight the current challenges and potential solutions in the Philippine education system.

One of the key points I emphasized is that recent graduates often fail to meet the minimum requirements for entry-level job positions. This is primarily due to two areas: technical skills and social skills. In today's job market, most roles are technology-based or require some level of technological proficiency. Therefore, it is essential for graduates to have more practical, hands-on skills rather than just theoretical knowledge. Even though machines are taking over many manual tasks, humans will remain relevant by leveraging their abilities in critical thinking, communication, creativity, adaptability, resilience, initiative, and emotional intelligence.

A Shift in Mindset

There is a clear need for a paradigm shift in how we view the relationship between academia and industry. Traditionally, schools see students or paying parents as their customers. However, the industry should be considered the customer of the academe. This means that academic institutions must collaborate with industries to translate theoretical knowledge into practical applications.

Academe provides theoretical knowledge, but industry requires individuals who can offer workable solutions through the right skills and competencies. To bridge this gap, academe and industry must co-develop the curriculum, immerse teachers in real-world environments, and bring managers into academic settings. This joint effort will ensure that graduates are well-prepared for the workforce.

The Role of Education Regulators

Education regulators and policymakers must also rethink their roles. They should act as enablers rather than strict regulators, creating more flexible policies that can adapt to the changing global landscape. The Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Education should grant colleges and universities greater flexibility in adjusting their curricula to meet the evolving needs of the industry, market, and world of work.

The Future of Work

The future of work is being shaped by automation, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, machine learning, and intelligent machines. These advancements are making certain skills and jobs obsolete. Without significant reskilling and upskilling, millions of Filipino employees could lose their jobs to those who are proficient in AI technologies.

To retain their jobs, employees must learn 40 percent new skills within the next five years. Education and training programs must focus on developing advanced technological skills and higher levels of soft skills to enhance employability.

Top Skills Missing in Graduates

Several top skills are currently missing in many graduates:

• Technological or hard skills: Data scientists, data specialists, fintech engineers, AI and machine learning specialists, blockchain specialists, and programmers using new languages.
• Enabling social or soft skills: Critical thinking, creative thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making.
• "Survival" skills: Resiliency, adaptability, learning agility, initiative, and self-management.
• Company knowledge: Understanding of the company’s business, technical capabilities, and ways of working.

Necessary Adjustments

To shorten the learning curve and help new hires become productive quickly, students should spend the last six months or one year of their schooling in an apprenticeship with a company that is likely to hire them. This would involve a half-day in school and a half-day in real work. Apprenticeship here refers to a learning modality, not an employment mode.

Key adjustments needed include:

• Re-evaluating the purpose of education.
• Refocusing from what academe wants to offer to what industries need in the future.
• Involving learners, industry practitioners, teachers, curriculum designers, and education policymakers in crafting reforms.
• Evaluating efforts to make education responsive to the country’s needs.

The Status Quo Is No Longer an Option

The current state of education is no longer viable if we want it to remain relevant. Employers have their own perspectives on the changes that should occur:

• Formal education will continue to provide theoretical knowledge and deep expertise, with relevant research expanding through collaboration with industry and international institutions.
• Education will become more outsourced as society becomes directly involved in educating its citizens. Learning will take place through diverse, privatized, and flexible arrangements such as micro-credentialing and short courses, driven by digital technology.
• Large schools will remain major learning hubs but will open their doors to connect with communities, favoring ever-changing forms of learning and innovation.
• Ultimately, education will happen anywhere, anytime, and on demand, focusing more on skills acquisition and credentialing.
• The distinction between formal and informal learning will become irrelevant as industry values skills regardless of where they are acquired. Students will prefer micro-credentials for skills that qualify them for jobs, and over time, they can accumulate more skills and credentials to build up to a diploma or certificate.

This vision is not too ambitious for generations Beta and Charlie. Ernie Cecilia is chairman of the human capital committee and the publications committee of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham); chairman of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines’ (ECOP) TWG on labor and social policy issues; and past president of the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP). He can be reached at erniececilia@gmail.com.