What if you were 17 again?
In today’s world, fields of study and career prospects have diversified into multiple areas where technology plays an important role, opening up a range of opportunities and constant evolution.
I firmly believe that in the year 2100, we will talk about this era as a time when imagination, creativity and digitalisation took off. It will be remembered as the beginning of new professional careers, the dawn of exploration towards transformation, the tip of a technological iceberg, the new landscape of our digital destiny.
We know that technology, with the increasing use of artificial intelligence, is profoundly transforming industries around the world: from healthcare and agriculture, finance and manufacturing, video games and transport, security and marketing, education and logistics. And its impact will continue to expand.
With that in mind, I firmly believe that all professional or technical training today will always take technology into account. And the trend towards the use of AI will continue to grow and shape the way industries operate, with new products, solutions and services. Likewise, users will also have the role of continuing to adapt and interact with the exponential growth of technology. And here, I believe that the key word is adaptation.
As Darío Alonso highlighted in his article ‘Will AI replace human employment?’ in response to the conundrum of whether AI will leave us without jobs: ‘we have a responsibility to educate ourselves in technological tools and to encourage others to learn about them.’ Technology offers us many opportunities, such as improving decision-making through data analysis, optimising various processes, strengthening digital security (for example, with the use of Blockchain), automating tasks (and above all relieving us of repetitive ones), generating new, more personalised products and services, and promoting research and development in such valuable fields as medicine and agriculture.
A very important point is made by William Marcelo, AI expert in the Live Artificial Intelligence Product Discovery Area: ‘artificial intelligence is truly in the hands of people.’ Technological knowledge, skills and competencies are valuable, but we must always take into account soft skills that are just as important: adaptability, effective communication, critical thinking, teamwork, problem solving, resilience, a positive attitude, empathy and leadership, among others.
Returning to the starting point of this post, yes, I reaffirm that I would love to get into a ‘DeLorean’. I would opt for professional training with a strong emphasis on technology, without losing sight of the cross-cutting skills and networking that are so important in today’s challenging and dynamic job market. And although there is still no machine that can take us back to the past, I don’t think we need to return to the age of 17 to venture forth and continue learning, enhancing our knowledge and skills for today’s market.
To paraphrase the title of the splendid work ‘The World is Wide and Foreign’ by the writer Ciro Alegría: the world for reskilling or upskilling is wide, but not foreign. In the current landscape, there are multiple learning platforms that offer specialised courses, certifications, communities and events to expand your network and keep you up to date with market trends and demands, such as Conecta Empleo or New Career Network.
In the current context, it also depends on our attitude, motivation, enthusiasm, willingness and effort. And remember that, whatever our age, the best is yet to come.
Boost your digital skills and knowledge
- Conecta Empleo is a free online digital skills training platform promoted by Fundación Telefónica, which has trained thousands of people in Spain, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela.
- New Career Network (NCN) is a platform that guides you and recommends training in the technical skills needed to qualify for the most in-demand digital professions today. It is also designed to connect you with leading companies looking for profiles with digital skills.
