How new learning modes will shape the 'future of work'

The function and makeup of the workforce will change as industries adapt to new technology and processes, raising questions about how educational models are responding to deliver relevant training, explains a new white paper from the World Economic Forum and the Boston Consulting Group.The report examines eight possible outcomes for the future of work based on three variables: educational models, workers' economic mobility and the rate of technological advancement. A combination of the outcomes is most likely, the authors note.One common theme throughout the outcomes is what the report positions as a consequence of educational models being slow to adapt to workforce needs: displaced workers competing for fewer jobs as industries become increasingly automated. The ability for workers to develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the workplace "is one of the most impactful and uncertain variables for the future of work," the authors write.