Demand for Enterprise Skills on the Rise

New analysis of 4.2 million job advertisements has shown that more Australian employers are demanding enterprising skills among young employees as the most critical skills for the jobs of the future.

The Foundation for Young Australians has released its latest report in the New Work Order series, The New Basics: 4.2 million job ads reveal the skills young people need for the new work order.

The report shows a significant increase in demand for transferable enterprise skills which are now considered just as important as technical role-specific skills across a range of industries and professions.

The report found that demand for digital skills has gone up 212 per cent in the past three years, while critical thinking has gone up 158 per cent, creativity increased by 65 per cent and presentation skills are up 25 per cent.

It found that employers value enterprise skills more and are willing to pay a premium for job seekers who have them.  

The analysis showed this trend will continue as jobs of the future, including professionals, managers, community and personal service workers, demand enterprise skills 70 per cent more than jobs being affected by automation.

FYA CEO Jan Owen AM said the report highlighted the need for Australia to invest in a national enterprise skills strategy, to ensure young people are equipped to navigate the increasingly complex future of work.

“This report shows that the changing world of work identified in our New Work Order report is now on our doorstep and young people need a new skillset to drive economic and social progress in years to come,” Owen said.

“No longer can a young person rely on the technical skills particular to their field of work to get their foot in the door.

“They will also need a toolkit of transferable enterprising skills including communication, critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, digital and financial literacy.

“These skills are demanded across all occupations and industries, for example digital skills are not just required in IT and technology related fields. Digital skills are now required by employers for roles as varied as dentists, art directors, veterinarians and personal assistants. This is the new work order in action.”

FYA’s report showed young people were not being adequately equipped with these skills with data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) showing close to one-third of Australian 15 year olds demonstrated low proficiency in both financial literacy and problem solving while a quarter demonstrated low proficiency in digital literacy.

Owen said that Australia must to take action now to ensure young people are equipped to drive Australia’s economy forward.

“These new findings demand action to build the skills of the next generation. At FYA we are renewing our call for a national enterprise skills strategy, to ensure students across Australia are developing these skills inside and outside the classroom,” she said.

“Australia’s 4.3 million young people are our greatest resource. They will inherit the outcomes of the decisions we make today and will have to navigate the increasingly complex world of work.

“As our population ages, we need to ensure all our young people have the necessary skills to participate in our economy and drive social progress in decades to come. We cannot afford for any to be left behind.”

To read a full copy of the report click here