How international schools future-proof skill development in a world of Artificial Intelligence

With the paradigm shift it is creating within the global workplace, Artificial Intelligence is an unavoidable topic. How many jobs will it replace or displace? For schools, a persisting question is what can be done to future-proof students' skill development?

The future of work

Around 41% of people surveyed by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) believe that Artificial Intelligence could partially or completely carry out their job. The World Economic Forum (WEF) forecasts that by 2030, only a third of work will be performed by human labour. Many jobs will be partially or fully automated. The Amsterdam School of Innovation (ACBI) suggests that 9 million jobs may be displaced due to AI, while 11 million new jobs may be created. There are opportunities, and career prospects are not futile.

Creativity, resilience, analytical thinking, lifelong learning, curiosity, leadership and influence; these are just a few of the human traits jobs will emphasise at their core. In the near future, people-oriented roles will replace task-oriented jobs.

The role of schools 

International schools have an opportunity to focus on and develop emotional intelligence, empathy, relationship-building, ethical decision-making, and adaptability in a more meaningful way. Here, pedagogy, namely how students should be learning rather than simply what they should be learning, becomes essential to advancing. Courses need to transition from knowledge-based to inquiry-based, experiential learning.

By offering the flexibility to create their own courses beyond a set curriculum and to develop alternative pathways, including career programmes, international schools foster these skills. In the Netherlands, and in Rotterdam, there is ample opportunity for such tracks to be community-focused.

For example, REACH programmes encourage students to investigate possibilities to improve their school or give back to their community through their own actions and projects. This builds socio-emotional skills, leadership, sustainable decision-making, and a sense of responsibility in adolescents.

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Oracy programmes play a pivotal role in facilitating soft-skill development. Within international schools, there are extensive opportunities for students to develop the ability to articulate their viewpoints, empathise with others' perspectives, and navigate a world full of division. 

When constructed effectively, experience suggests that international students develop these skills quickly, learning from and adapting to new surroundings, listening to global perspectives, and developing empathy with peers from a multitude of backgrounds. 

Student leadership programs should be purposeful and meaningful. They are not just a mere afterthought, as they encourage students to work collaboratively and take ownership of school-based activities, whilst fostering a culture of self-driven, student-centric decision-making. Leadership programmes should be designed to cultivate leaders who value ethics, sustainability, and a culture of respect and responsibility.

Entrepreneurship provides the expertise

Whilst AI can analyse information, perform tasks, and even generate ideas, it cannot follow through with the decision-making, nor develop the people who will make it happen. It cannot empathise with team members, communicate a vision, or negotiate with people.

Developing "brain skills" through experiential learning

Enterprise and career programmes provide a platform for developing courage and taking calculated risks. Research suggests that well-developed entrepreneurial programmes significantly improve decision-making and problem-solving skills.

Students in the enterprise and career tracks develop their own businesses and learn through experience; they attend and create events, work in partnership with professionals, and thrive on the opportunity to cultivate a passion and forge their own autonomy. 

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) or the Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) in an International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) are opportunities for experiential learning in skills such as creative promotion, team-building, work experience, and sales techniques.

Growing with experience 

I have seen this firsthand, supporting students as they develop ideas and use their inquiry and empathy skills to solve a problem, need, or want within their local community. They use resourcefulness and creativity to develop a brand, conceive marketing ideas, and utilise their oracy skills to pitch and present a project.

Students come to understand how ethics and sustainability can be applied, and how striving for profit may conflict with sustainability. For example, students often see that recyclable packaging is much more expensive but perhaps morally worthwhile or that acquiring resources from certain e-commerce platforms may be economical but not the most ethical choice.

Complications with key equipment, low demand, hidden costs from ordering supplies, and challenges in managing time and compliance with school regulations are navigated with courage and resilience. Students develop formal communication skills by liaising with senior staff and one another. They develop organisation and time management by preparing resources for enterprise fairs or key sales dates, and by negotiating with suppliers to secure resources or even with their own peers.

Students' self-confidence thrives through participation in entrepreneurship competitions, pitching ideas and products to judges and fellow students. They develop persuasive skills by convincing friends, family, teachers and members of the public to purchase products. They enhance their financial literacy by creating budgets, being resourceful, and investing diligently. All of these core skills are crucial and transferable to their future.

Motivation to succeed

I have seen students flourish as their ideas come to life, jubilant as their products proved popular, and satisfied with the positive feedback from their community. They take ownership of their work, having the self-determination to succeed, while learning from their mistakes and developing their own pathway to success.

When students are in environments that prioritise human skills and experiences over pure knowledge acquisition, they are prepared for their own future and the future of work.