Digital Workplace

       

Technological changes impacting the workplace

It is widely acknowledged that the structure of the Australian workplace and labour market is changing at a rapid rate, with globalisation, competitive pressure and the exponential rate of technological development, digital disruption and transformation identified as key drivers (Reeson, et al., 2019, p. 11; Seet, et al., 2018; Cascio, 2019, p. 284; Brown, et al., 2020, p. 5; OECD, 2018, p. 2; OECD, 2019, p. 15; Murdoch & Fitcher, 2017, p. 14; Gekara, et al., 2019, p. 23; Joyce, 2019, p. 7; Lim, et al., 2013, p. 59; Schwab, 2016).

The following video The Future of Work Series provides a synopsis of the new work realities facing employers and employees.

Video: The Future of Work Series: Deloitte on “The New Realities of Work” – 3:35

Technological changes impacting Education

Whilst it is difficult to anticipate the full scale and impact of digital technology in the wider industry, Deloitte Access Economics (2016) has identified that there is an urgency to develop ‘digitally skilled workers across all industries to take full advantage of the opportunities presented by new technologies’ (p. 5). It is essential that vocational education can effectively support unavoidable and rapid technological changes in the workplace (Joyce, 2019, p. 7). In building innovation, the need to support learners in acquiring and transforming their knowledge is necessary (Aprea & Cattaneo, 2019, p. 378) to not only master industry tools in context, but also to establish a superior level of digital competency, literacy and skill (Gekara, et al., 2019, p. 25).

The following video provides an insight into the exponential digital transformation we are experiencing.

Educational practice has been impacted by digital technology, and it is evident that digital literacy and digital citizenship will be increasingly important for all workers (Reeson, et al., 2019, p. 13; Adams-Becker, et al., 2018). In an era of perpetual change, vocational education is central to the development of the knowledge, skills, capacity, agency, character, attitudes and values that will support people in contributing to, and benefit from, an inclusive and sustainable future in our sophisticated digital, information and knowledge society (OECD, 2018, p. 3; Cascio, 2019, p. 285; Voogt & Pelgrum, 2005, p. 157; Kemmis & Edward-Groves, 2018, p. 2; Kalantzis & Cope, 2012, p. 103; Monash Commission, 2018, p. 10; OECD, 2019, p. 13; Fleming, 2020).