Competing in a global world

[Jinsei]

I have read a number of posts recently about how much more competitive the world has become, and the importance of preparing our kids to thrive and succeed in the global market. I don't doubt the truth of this, but I'm curious to know what people think will help the next generation to compete.

For me, this means focusing on the soft skills such as communication, teamwork and people skills, in addition to the more traditional qualifications etc. Cultural awareness and language skills are also important in my view. And IT literacy is another obvious one.

But I'd like to know what others think. What skills and competencies do you think your kids are going to need in order to succeed in their future careers. And do you do anything to help them acquire/develop these skills? If so, what?

@Bonsoir Because while they may have multiple high level skills, they may not be as relevant to the job in hand as those of every other member of the team (who may have the same skills these uber kinder have but ALSO have the experience and technical qualifications they have yet to obtain). And the scanning (more likely than photocopying these days) still needs to be done. When they invent robots to do the scanning it will be a great day for everyone. Till then.......

gramcy the paragons of excellence won't do photocopying. Nor would a high school drop out from our beloved GB. That is the arrogance of youth. it has nothing to do with excellence or even to some extent culture. I have seen this in uk graduates as well as graduates from say the Philippines. That is why the lack of arrogance and a can do attitude is all the more important.

It is economic nonsense to ask someone with multiple high level skills to do low-skilled tasks. You have to be very stupid to do that.

Large firms have photocopying depatments FHS. If there is a large amount to be done...they are the man.

Ohter than that, for the odd sheet, everyone does their own. Even DH who is uber senior bobs to the PC room from time to time.

Learning another language is always a good thing & I love France and the French language but honestly, how useful is French today? How will it add to your employability? The 21st century belongs to Asia, so many think the rise of China is all a flash in the pan it seems. The enlightened have already taken this on board I think.

bonsoir I agree with ur point. However, the days where we employed secretaries to carry out these tasks are too few. Even a CEO has to make his own cup of tea these says. I agree with you that making someone do these tasks specifically due to their lack of experience is short sighted and will mean they have lost that talent before we can even begin developing it, but at the same time, a balance approach is essential. Give tasks that does both. Set examples. I have seen the CEO empty his own bins therefore it is okay for me as a
Graduate to do a few photocopies of the team needs it. In return, the team will let me develop my communication skills by takin me to X technical seminar.... It's give and take. Again, lack of arrogance on all parts.

French is pretty useful in France. and Luxembourg (where I'm going tomorrow. With a French speaker in tow because I'm concerned my french may not be sufficient to the task in hand in this instance (it normally is but this trip will need more nuance than I am confident I can deliver in a language other than English)).

That's great Metabilis3. I am sure your French is better than you think. I fear Europe is disintegrating around us and worry for the future.

Work Really Hard
Speak 3 languages
Study Science
Make lots of friends, and be highly sociable.
Travel

Bonsoir - I think that someone who is too high and mighty to do photocopying/whatever when necessary is on a fast track to nowhere. Talking about "low-skilled tasks" - oh, dear. Immature is the word that springs to mind.

It's not about being high-and-mighty. It's about using the skills you have to their best economic advantage, which is what business is all about. Sure, everyone can scan or draft their own document these days, thanks to technology. But highly-qualified and highly-skilled young members of staff should not being doing administrative tasks for others. That is not how they will learn their job.

Lots of foreign travel, exposure to different cultures and languages. Teaching them that different cultures have different ways of doing things and non one is superior

I think that cultures have different ways of doing things... and that in all probability one way is the best way.

mumzy well said.

I agree with the IT person above saying it is hard to go in as a programmer and move on / up into management etc. In terms of UK companies and career structures you do need to hvae a reasonable degree and go in to things at management level in all kinds of jobs. We still have a pro degree bias and separation between those doing the donkey work and those in charge so it helps if you can go in in the in charge area.

As for the more general points I speak French and German and in nearly 30 years have hardly ever had to speak them. I go all over the world for work. I often ask the companies what is their company language. It still tends to be English (not in China of course although even this week the Weekend FT's lunch (with a business man who this week was I think Japanese) he is forcing his staff to make English the language of their business which is very unusual there. So I am not sure making children learn Mandarin which they will never be much good at when they have loads of children in their schools who speak it from birth as they are English/Chinese is necessarily worth the effort. I woudl certainly want children to have a broad education and at least one language GCSE. The biggest English book sold in China is not Harry Potter. It's a how to speak English book for the Chinese written by a lecturer at Middlsex ex Poly who has made a fortune from it.

I want them to have experience of places abroad, working abroad if they can in university holidays as some of mine have as that hugely broadens the mind. Lots of trips.

Work ethic - I think it very much helps if your parents work 6 or 7 days a week actually. Housewife at home can lead to very lazy child. Mother who adores her work and works very hard is going to give the child the work ethic it needs.

Eradicate sexism at home too. Many of the new rich in China are women. They don't let their sex hold them back.

Ensure they are healthy and happy. I think the sports my children have done like show jumping, skiing, sailing, running tend to help them find international commonality with others of their ilk. The more succesful you are the more likely you are fit, take part in expensive sports and are slim and healthy. So I think not working so hard at school you are as dull as ditchwater without friends and no hobbies is wise. Have hobbies, have contacts and friends.

Be adapatable to change and have high expectations for yourself. Chinese are returning to the country because there is a recession. Things are not great even in growth areas. People tend not to be with one employer for life.

I have encouraged and will encourage mine to seek jobs where ultimately they can oswn the show, work for themselves or set up on their own as that is what I have found so satisfiying and so much more lucrative than being someone's hired hand.

I will simply encourage my DC to be curious and interested in the world around them. They already speak a second language (their fathers mother tongue is spanish).

However if what you want for your DC is an international career and options, I have one word for you - McKinsey. I spent years pre DC working in several of their offices and it is a very international environment. Certainly wasnt for me but if thats what you want for your DC, then its the way to go.

By the way, you better be prepared to do some menial work if you want to work in interesting start ups, small dynamic businesses etc. Sure, larger organisations have lots of admin support but to be truly involved in an organisation you really need to get your fingers dirty. Good managers lead by example and show their teams that they are not above the work they are asking others to do.
That is not stupid, its common sense.

I also agree with Xenia about owning your company and not being dull as ditchwater. All of our DC will be exposed to numerous sports and activities.

I don't think I want our DC to have international careers per se. Sorting out our pensions has been a nightmare and moving around is wearing. We are considered high income so I hate to think how those on less manage when moving around, even if their employers are paying for things.

DH is now quite senior and he started out doing 99% menial work and now does about 5%. For a big customer he doesn't think twice about doing menial work.

We all get our hands dirty at times and it is very very good for everyone to be knocked off their high horse, particularly teenagers and young people nad learn to realise that if everyone has gone at 2am you might well be with your boss doing something anyone off the street could do but you'll do it to finish the task. It tends to be those who turn their hand to anything willingly with a positive attitude whom employers like. Some of these things people are born with, though, not taught.

And you can learn Xenia, sometimes the hard way.

I think working for yourself requires a set of skills that I would love to imbue into my DC.

DH and I are both self employed, and have started up a number of companies, so hopefully we are leading by example.

If you're not afraid to do it, there is always money to be made.

Agree, Word. Those who make the most money are never the hired guns.

Something else to ponder, the Eurozone is going to collapse. We can't keep bailing out. Can someone explain how that might play out long term as regards opportunities for our children & our global competitiveness?

I agree, although most people get experience working for someone else first which makes sense.

One of the things which concerns me most about the recession is whether countries will become "fortress" US/France/China etc and put up barriers to movement of capital and people as happens when people feel threatened. Free trade tends to help most nations and I hope we can perserve that in the current economic climate.

The sun used never to set on the British empire and vast swathes of the planet still use our legal system and many our language although we all know we are not quite in our hey day still. We (UK) are in the G8 (8 largest economies although China, Brazil and India ought to be in there too now) so are still doing pretty well.

For how much longer though Xenia? The West is now in, slow terminal decline IMHO.

I agree with the comments about can do attitude and curiosity.
Communication/soft skills are going to be vital for the majority as jobs that need you physically present are going to be the ones left if DC is not going to make the grade as international high-flier. eg doctor, nurse, teacher, hairdresser.

I learnt recently that PWC are outsourcing swathes of professional accountancy work (not call centre stuff) to India so anticipate further decline in middle-class office roles.