Skills for Life in 2035: 2035年生活所需技能：

A Research-Based Guide for Students, Parents & Tutors

翻譯版在英文之後

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https://youtu.be/_XNBqAuhBxs

Humans with great soft skills will remain at the centre

So... let's start with a fundamental question that every student, parent, and tutor should be asking: What skills will actually matter in ten years?

The answer comes from comprehensive research by the World Economic Forum, OECD, McKinsey, and the UK's Skills Imperative 2035 programme. And here's the critical finding you need to understand: 39% of workers' core skills will change by 2030. That means nearly half of what people know how to do today will need updating within five years.

But here's the good news: we know exactly which skills will matter most.

Now... Here's What the Research Shows

I think we should understand one key finding before we go further: Technology skills are growing faster than any other type, but human-centric skills like creative thinking, resilience, and empathy remain absolutely critical.

Let's think about that. The future isn't about choosing between being technical or being human. It's about being both.

Nearly 90% of new jobs will require higher proficiency in essential transferable skills. So while you or your child learns coding or data analysis, you will equally need to develop empathy, creativity, and resilience.

The Top Academic Skills for Life You Need to Build

So... what specific academic skills should students focus on? I think we should look at four critical areas:

First: Analytical Thinking & Data Literacy

Seven out of ten companies consider this essential. This means students need to develop complex problem-solving abilities, data interpretation skills, statistical literacy, and evidence-based reasoning. When someone asks "why?" about something, we should encourage them to gather data and analyze it. Nothing is simple – we need to think clearly about what evidence there is to support or falsify it.

Second: AI & Big Data Proficiency

We need to understand and use AI systems

Over 90% of companies expect significant increases in AI use. Students don't need to become programmers, but they do need to understand AI capabilities and limitations, basic machine learning concepts, prompt engineering skills, and data management. If your child uses Claude or ChatGPT for homework, excellent—now teach them to question the output critically.

Third: Technological Literacy

This ranks in the top 10 core skills and includes digital fluency across platforms, cybersecurity awareness, and computational thinking. Notice this isn't about mastering one app or platform—it's about understanding how technology works fundamentally.

Fourth: STEM Foundation with Integration

Traditional reading, writing, and mathematics show a small decline in isolated demand, but STEM literacy remains foundational when integrated with scientific inquiry, mathematical modeling, engineering design thinking, and interdisciplinary problem-solving. The key word here is "integrated"—these skills matter most when combined with real-world applications.

The Critical Soft Skills That Will Define Success

Now... here's where many parents and tutors get it wrong. They focus exclusively on academic skills and ignore what employers actually say they need most.

Fifth: Creative Thinking & Innovation

Creative thinking ranks fourth among core skills and is rising rapidly. This includes originality and initiative, design thinking, ideation and brainstorming, and an innovation mindset. When a colleague or child comes up with an unusual solution to a problem, resist the urge to correct them immediately. Ask them to explain their thinking first.

Sixth: Resilience, Flexibility & Agility

Flexibility is being like water

This ranks second in core skills and shows the most substantial increase in importance. We need adaptability for stress management, mental agility, and bounce-back capacity. The person who can recover from failure and adapt their approach will outperform the person who never faces challenges.

Seventh: Emotional Intelligence

Demand for social and emotional skills will rise by 26% by 2030. This means self-awareness and self-regulation, empathy and active listening, social awareness, and relationship management. Can your child read the room? Do they understand how their actions affect others? These aren't soft skills—they're essential skills.

Eighth: Communication Skills

Communication ranks first among six vital essential employment skills for 2035. This encompasses clear verbal and written expression, active listening, persuasion and negotiation, and cross-cultural communication. Every subject offers opportunities to practice this. Make your child explain their homework to you. Have them write emails. Let them practice presenting ideas.

Ninth: Collaboration & Teamwork

Collaboration is the second-most essential employment skill projected for 2035. Students need team coordination, conflict resolution, the ability to build trust and psychological safety, and cross-functional collaboration skills. Group projects aren't just busy work—they're preparing students for how all significant work gets done.

Tenth: Leadership & Social Influence

Leadership has seen a 22 percentage-point rise in importance. This includes inspiring and motivating others, ethical decision-making, stakeholder management, and inclusive leadership. Leadership isn't about being the loudest person in the room—it's about helping others succeed.

The Essential Meta-Skills That Enable Everything Else

So... we've covered academic and soft skills. Now let's look at the meta-skills that make all other learning possible:

Eleventh: Curiosity & Lifelong Learning

To be curious is to be alive

Students need a growth mindset, self-directed learning abilities, continuous skill updating habits, and learning agility. The student who stays curious will never become obsolete. Ask your child what they're curious about, then help them explore it.

Twelfth: Systems Thinking

Systems thinking helps students recognize interconnections, understand feedback loops, maintain a holistic perspective, and anticipate ripple effects. When discussing current events, ask your child: "What caused this? What will this cause? Who else is affected?"

Thirteenth: Critical Thinking

Problem-solving and critical thinking are becoming increasingly essential as technology embeds itself in work. Students need to evaluate information sources, use logical reasoning, identify assumptions and biases, and make sound judgments. In an age of misinformation, this might be the most important skill of all.

Four Emerging Priority Skills You Shouldn't Ignore

Now... beyond the core thirteen, let's look at four emerging skills gaining importance:

Fourteenth: Environmental Stewardship shows the largest net increase in demand. Students need sustainability awareness, climate literacy, green technology understanding, and circular economy thinking.

Fifteenth: Networks & Cybersecurity ranks in the top 10 fastest-growing skills. Digital safety practices, security principles, privacy awareness, and risk assessment are no longer optional.

Sixteenth: Organizing, Planning & Prioritizing ranks fourth for 2035. Time management, resource allocation, strategic planning, and execution excellence separate high performers from the rest.

Seventeenth: Information Literacy is the sixth essential skill for 2035. Students must discern credible sources, synthesize information, fact-check and verify, and manage information overload.

Leading others and leading yourself

What This Means for You: Three Critical Insights

So... now that we have examined the seventeen key skills, let me give you three insights that change how you should approach education:

First: Integration is Everything

Success in 2035 won't come from any single skill but from integrating technical expertise with human capabilities. The top skills include both AI and big data alongside creative thinking, resilience, and curiosity. Don't make your child choose between technical and human skills—they need both.

Second: Soft Skills Outweigh Technical Skills

While specialist knowledge is vital, transferable essential employment skills will be in greatest demand. The research shows approximately 60% emphasis on soft and transferable skills and 40% on technical and academic skills for optimal future readiness. If you're spending 80% of tutoring time on math and 20% on everything else, you're preparing students for the past, not the future.

Third: AI Won't Replace Human Skills

Skills needed which show very low or low substitution capacity are those requiring human interaction, empathy, and physical execution. This means your child's ability to connect with others, show empathy, and think creatively will matter more, not less, as AI advances.

What You Should Do Next

So... now you understand the skills that will matter most. What's your next step?

I want to suggest three things:

For Students:

Build a strong foundation in analytical thinking and data literacy. Actively develop emotional intelligence through diverse social interactions. Cultivate genuine curiosity and self-directed learning habits. Practice creative problem-solving across disciplines. Engage with technology purposefully, understanding both its capabilities and its limitations.

For Parents & Tutors:

Shift from knowledge transmission to skill development. Create authentic, complex problem-solving opportunities. Foster interdisciplinary thinking and systems perspectives. Emphasize collaboration, communication, and critical thinking in all subjects. Integrate technology as a tool for learning, not just content delivery.

For Everyone:

Embrace continuous upskilling and reskilling. Develop both depth through specialized expertise and breadth through transferable skills. Prioritize adaptability and resilience. Build networks and collaborative capabilities. Stay technologically literate while deepening human skills.

The Bottom Line

The research overwhelmingly shows that the future belongs to those who can blend technical proficiency with uniquely human capabilities—thinking critically and creatively, adapting flexibly, collaborating effectively, and learning continuously throughout their lives.

Your child doesn't need to be perfect at all seventeen skills tomorrow. But they do need to start developing them today. Because 39% of current skills will be outdated by 2030, and the students who thrive will be those who learned how to learn.

More insights on future-ready education in our upcoming blogs

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2035年生活所需技能：給學生、家長和導師的研究指南

點擊此處查看簡要概述 https://youtu.be/_XNBqAuhBxs 

首先，讓我們從一個每位學生、家長和導師都應該問的基本問題開始：十年後，哪些技能才真正重要？

答案來自世界經濟論壇、經濟合作暨發展組織（OECD）、麥肯錫公司以及英國「2035技能要務」計劃的綜合研究。以下是您需要理解的關鍵發現：到2030年，39%的工作者核心技能將會改變。這意味著在五年內，人們今天所掌握的技能中，近一半將需要更新。

但好消息是：我們確切知道哪些技能最重要。

研究結果顯示

在進一步探討之前，我認為我們應該理解一個關鍵發現：技術技能的增長速度超過任何其他類型，但以人為本的技能，如創意思維、韌性和同理心，仍然絕對關鍵。

讓我們思考一下。未來不是在技術型和人性化之間做選擇，而是兩者兼具。

近90%的新工作將需要更高水平的基本可轉移技能。因此，當您或您的孩子學習編碼或數據分析時，同樣需要發展同理心、創造力和韌性。

您需要建立的頂級學術技能

那麼，學生應該專注於哪些具體的學術技能？我認為我們應該關注四個關鍵領域：

第一：分析思維與數據素養

十家公司中有七家認為這是必不可少的。這意味著學生需要發展複雜的問題解決能力、數據解讀技能、統計素養和基於證據的推理。當有人對某事問「為什麼」時，我們應該鼓勵他們收集數據並加以分析。沒有什麼是簡單的——我們需要清晰思考有哪些證據來支持或證偽它。

第二：人工智能與大數據能力

超過90%的公司預期人工智能使用將大幅增加。學生不需要成為程序員，但確實需要理解人工智能的能力和局限性、基本機器學習概念、提示工程技能和數據管理。如果您的孩子使用Claude或ChatGPT做作業，很好——現在教他們批判性地質疑輸出結果。

第三：技術素養

這在前十大核心技能中排名，包括跨平台的數位流暢性、網絡安全意識和計算思維。請注意，這不是關於掌握一個應用程式或平台——而是從根本上理解技術如何運作。

第四：STEM基礎與整合

傳統的閱讀、寫作和數學在孤立需求上顯示出小幅下降，但當與科學探究、數學建模、工程設計思維和跨學科問題解決相結合時，STEM素養仍然是基礎。這裡的關鍵詞是「整合」——這些技能與現實世界應用結合時最為重要。

定義成功的關鍵軟技能

現在，這是許多家長和導師犯錯的地方。他們只專注於學術技能，卻忽略了雇主實際上最需要的東西。

第五：創意思維與創新

創意思維在核心技能中排名第四，並且迅速上升。這包括原創性和主動性、設計思維、構思和腦力激盪，以及創新心態。當同事或孩子想出解決問題的不尋常方法時，不要立即糾正他們。先請他們解釋自己的想法。

第六：韌性、靈活性與敏捷性

這在核心技能中排名第二，並顯示出重要性的最大幅度增長。我們需要適應能力來進行壓力管理、心理靈活性和恢復能力。能夠從失敗中恢復並調整方法的人，將勝過從未面對挑戰的人。

第七：情緒智商

到2030年，社交和情緒技能的需求將增長26%。這意味著自我意識和自我調節、同理心和積極傾聽、社會意識和關係管理。您的孩子能解讀氣氛嗎？他們了解自己的行為如何影響他人嗎？這些不是軟技能——它們是必備技能。

第八：溝通技能

溝通在2035年六項重要就業技能中排名第一。這包括清晰的口頭和書面表達、積極傾聽、說服和談判，以及跨文化溝通。每個科目都提供練習的機會。讓您的孩子向您解釋他們的作業。讓他們寫電子郵件。讓他們練習展示想法。

第九：協作與團隊合作

協作是2035年預計的第二重要就業技能。學生需要團隊協調、衝突解決、建立信任和心理安全的能力，以及跨職能協作技能。小組專案不僅僅是忙碌的工作——它們正在為學生準備所有重要工作的完成方式。

第十：領導力與社會影響力

領導力的重要性提高了22個百分點。這包括激勵和激發他人、道德決策、利益相關者管理和包容性領導。領導力不是成為房間裡最大聲的人——而是幫助他人成功。

使一切成為可能的基本元技能

我們已經涵蓋了學術和軟技能。現在讓我們看看使所有其他學習成為可能的元技能：

第十一：好奇心與終身學習

學生需要成長心態、自主學習能力、持續技能更新習慣和學習敏捷性。保持好奇心的學生永遠不會過時。問問您的孩子他們對什麼感到好奇，然後幫助他們探索。

第十二：系統思維

系統思維幫助學生認識相互聯繫、理解反饋循環、保持整體視角並預測連鎖反應。在討論時事時，問問您的孩子：「是什麼導致了這件事？這會導致什麼？還有誰受到影響？」

第十三：批判性思維

隨著技術融入工作，問題解決和批判性思維變得越來越重要。學生需要評估信息來源、使用邏輯推理、識別假設和偏見，並做出正確判斷。在錯誤信息時代，這可能是最重要的技能。

您不應忽視的四項新興優先技能

除了核心十三項技能之外，讓我們看看四項日益重要的新興技能：

第十四：環境管理顯示出最大的淨需求增長。學生需要可持續發展意識、氣候素養、綠色技術理解和循環經濟思維。

第十五：網絡與網絡安全在增長最快的前十項技能中排名。數位安全實踐、安全原則、隱私意識和風險評估不再是可選的。

第十六：組織、規劃與優先排序在2035年排名第四。時間管理、資源分配、戰略規劃和執行卓越性將高績效者與其他人區分開來。

第十七：信息素養是2035年第六項必備技能。學生必須辨別可信來源、綜合信息、事實核查和驗證，以及管理信息過載。

這對您意味著什麼：三個關鍵見解

既然我們已經檢視了十七項關鍵技能，讓我給您三個改變您應該如何對待教育的見解：

第一：整合就是一切

2035年的成功不會來自任何單一技能，而是來自技術專長與人類能力的整合。頂級技能既包括人工智能和大數據，也包括創意思維、韌性和好奇心。不要讓您的孩子在技術技能和人文技能之間做選擇——他們兩者都需要。

第二：軟技能勝過技術技能

雖然專業知識至關重要，但可轉移的基本就業技能將是最大的需求。研究顯示，為了實現最佳未來準備，大約60%的重點應放在軟技能和可轉移技能上，40%放在技術和學術技能上。如果您將80%的輔導時間花在數學上，20%花在其他所有事情上，您是在為學生準備過去，而不是未來。

第三：人工智能不會取代人類技能

顯示非常低或低替代能力的所需技能是那些需要人際互動、同理心和實際執行的技能。這意味著隨著人工智能的進步，您的孩子與他人聯繫、表現同理心和創造性思考的能力將變得更加重要，而不是更不重要。

您接下來應該做什麼

現在您了解了最重要的技能。您的下一步是什麼？

我想建議三件事：

給學生：

建立分析思維和數據素養的堅實基礎。通過多樣化的社交互動積極發展情緒智商。培養真正的好奇心和自主學習習慣。跨學科練習創造性問題解決。有目的地使用技術，理解其能力和局限性。

給家長和導師：

從知識傳授轉向技能發展。創造真實、複雜的問題解決機會。培養跨學科思維和系統視角。在所有科目中強調協作、溝通和批判性思維。將技術整合為學習工具，而不僅僅是內容傳遞。

給每個人：

擁抱持續的技能提升和再培訓。通過專業知識發展深度，通過可轉移技能發展廣度。優先考慮適應性和韌性。建立網絡和協作能力。在深化人類技能的同時保持技術素養。

結論

研究壓倒性地表明，未來屬於那些能夠將技術熟練度與獨特人類能力相結合的人——批判性和創造性思考、靈活適應、有效協作以及終身持續學習。

您的孩子不需要明天就在所有十七項技能上完美。但他們確實需要今天開始發展它們。因為到2030年，目前39%的技能將過時，而蓬勃發展的學生將是那些學會如何學習的人。

更多關於面向未來的教育見解將在我們即將發布的博客中分享

我們由Train The Teacher Ltd（2008年）擁有並進行質量保證，其客戶名單包括英國文化協會香港和倫敦三一學院。我們在香港和中國培訓了數千名教師。

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