Article authored by Carolina Babo, Business Manager at KCS iT, originally published in RH Magazine

It's no surprise that integrating automation into our daily activities is a key factor in our evolution. From early on, humans used animals to reduce the need for and effort of human labor, even when automation wasn't yet possible. Later on, we began developing automation solutions, such as water mills or, more recently in vogue, Robotic Process Automation. The desire to do more, better, and faster is, in fact, embedded in us.

Automation and technological evolution are transforming the world and shifting paradigms, including the very nature of work and jobs. This implies the need to prepare ourselves for future jobs whose landscape is unpredictable today. With artificial intelligence and robots getting ever closer to our jobs, how can we stay up to date and keep adding value?

In its The Future of Jobs Report 2020, the World Economic Forum notes that the top skills needed to thrive as an employee have been changing at an accelerated pace, highlighting continuous learning as a key success factor for the future of the job market. I highlight 10 of the skills identified as most in demand for the future of work:

1. Analytical thinking and innovation
2. Complex problem-solving
3. Critical thinking and analysis
4. Active learning and learning strategies
5. Leadership and social influence
6. Technology use, monitoring, and control
7. Creativity, originality, and initiative
8. Service orientation
9. Resilience, stress tolerance, and flexibility
10. Emotional intelligence

This list reflects that although robots may perform tasks more efficiently, they still lack skills such as creativity and emotional intelligence. Will the most valuable employees of the future be those with these irreplaceable skills, or those with exceptional technology know-how? The answer, of course, could only be... Both!

Even though the list is extensive, I believe the key factor for success lies in the ability to embrace change. Given how fast this happens in the job market, employees will need to be agile and know how to keep up with the evolution. We know that human beings, in their natural state, are creatures of habit and tend to view change as something frightening. I must confess that when I decided to accept the challenge of working in IT with a degree in Economics and prior experience in accounting, the feeling was no different. However, the enthusiasm I bring to challenges, along with the confidence and training KCS iT gave me, overcame any hesitation.

One answer to this challenge lies in collaboration between employers and training institutions to promote access to crucial skills, since the ability to innovate, beyond being mandatory, is starting to become commonplace.

From the employee's perspective, it's expected that they take responsibility for continuously acquiring new skills in support of their career progression.  It's also required to be able to learn and interpret different areas of specialized knowledge, given the converging trend between technology and specialized subject matter.

With the world evolving so quickly, which skills should every professional master? It's up to each of us to work on our own future, acquiring knowledge that will be valuable resources throughout our careers.