Labour Market Skills for a New Economy

"The new economy will reward creative problem solving while assigning the routine tasks to computers" (Arnold Packer, Session 3 presentation, Workforce 2020, September, 1998 http://www.hudson.org).

There is an acceleration of the shift toward highly skilled workers. (Masse et al., 1998; Lavoie and Roy, 1998; Report of the Expert Panel on Skills, 2000; O'Grady, 1999)

Is there a changing skill structure in the workplace? A lot has been written about the need for new, high-level skills because of changes brought about by new technology, global competition and organizational restructuring. But, what does it mean to the worker and the employer?

The spotlight is on skills. The same information technology that increased the demand for higher-skilled workers and created the real-time consumer has enabled the increased tracking of rapidly shifting skill requirements, and the gathering and dissemination of a great deal of specific skills information. Work is being defined by required skills and skill gaps rather than the duties assigned to an occupational title. "Occupational labels, which can be quite static, cannot do justice to the constantly evolving and expanding mix of technical, management and essential skills and attributes sought by employers" (Report of the Expert Panel on Skills, 2000, pg. 14).

This shifting mix of skills characterizes the structural change in labour market skills. Workers who retain the same position title with the same basic job outcomes now require additional skills to be successful in that position. Scientists now need accounting skills, engineering technologists need to use design software formerly used only by engineers, and automotive technicians need to read entire manuals on computer diagnostic programs.

Employers - themselves real-time consumers in the employee market - will increasingly be demanding the ability to custom analyze their skill gaps instantly and immediately find and interview custom-matched recruits.

The recruits will also be demanding additional, more accurate and very specific information about the skills they need. They will want instantaneous information on where to get training in those skills and will expect customized, targeted training to bring them up to competence in the specific areas they want - without wasting time on skills they already have.

Skills Trends Shifting structure of demand to that of higher-skilled workers. Increasing demand for new manager skills: nurture a respectful environment, develop decision making in employees, encourage innovation and experimentation, share planning, treat employees as partners. Gathering LMI through skills classifications systems. Multi-skilling for multi-tasking. Using work portfolios and skills portfolios in the workplace. Skills assessment, analysis and training in relation to the work world in elementary and secondary schools. Most school boards have developed career portfolios with skills sections for students.

And how is the market responding to these needs? Skills are being recategorized as fast as they are identified for new areas. Bigger, better and faster surveys for human resource needs are being conducted. New self-directed tools for skill development and assessment are being created. There are business service companies creating work profiles, career transcripts, skill portfolios in various formats to help workers and employers organize, classify and plan their skills acquisition.

It is no wonder that members of the labour force need help to sort out what they require in order to manage themselves and the changing skill demands.

One of the most useful things those providing career services can do for clients and students is to advise them of the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to operate successfully in a world of non-stop change. In other words, they must learn how to self-manage their own career development. This includes the need to:

• realign expectations;
• become informed consumers of educational/training services;
• develop generic employability skills;
• develop entrepreneurial skills and outlook;
• understand all the steps in the career decision-making process; and
• develop research skills.

A. Skills for a New Economy

The remainder of the chapter describes in more detail, six core skills of particular importance to finding, creating and keeping work.