Honouring Tradition, Preparing for the Future

They will invariably be inspired by effective teaching and the satisfaction of personal achievement will always be motivating. At Toowoomba Grammar School, the power of high-quality instructional practices has resulted in the development of a strong academic culture that has endured for nearly 150 years. Preserving core principles provides stability and continuity. However, we must be open to continuously adapting our methods so that our students are well-prepared for the ever-changing world they will navigate. As put by CSIRO CEO, Dr Larry Marshall, “Australia is at a pivotal point. There is a tidal wave of disruption on the way, and it’s critical we take steps now to get ahead of it” (CSIRO, 2022).

Several megatrends identified by the CSIRO are set to shape future society. Technological advancement, particularly the rise of machine learning and the Internet of Things (IoT), will drive augmented and autonomous intelligence across many industries and blur the lines between physical and digital. A global focus on environmental sustainability is predicted to drive industrial change. Global geopolitical shifts will occur for stability and economic growth. Lastly, demographic change, particularly an ageing and more urbanised population, will create new needs. In relation to demographic change, Jobs and Skills Australia projects that across all industries, the greatest growth is expected in health care and social assistance, with its share of total employment reaching 16.7% by 2033 (Jobs and Skills Australia, n.d.).

These megatrends will have far-reaching implications for the workforce. According to the World Economic Forum (2023), 44% of workers’ core skills are expected to change by 2027. Incredibly, the Business Council of Australia estimates that 5–10% of jobs could be entirely substituted by technology over the next decade. Technological change will also generate jobs. The field of robotics, for example, has seen a sudden demand for automation specialists, robotics law specialists, robotics ethicists, trainers, educators and job re-design specialists tasked with developing new roles and skill sets for jobs with increased automation (International Federation of Robotics, 2024). It is important to consider that the above-mentioned jobs will be industry-agnostic and relevant to agriculture, sport, finance, retail trade and more.

Looking forward allows us to reflect on the gap that exists between where our students are now and where they will need to be. In his 2019 book Teaching for Tomorrow, renowned futurist and educator Michael McQueen identifies four capabilities that will be critical for individuals to succeed and thrive in future society. At TGS, we are aware of these projected “capability gaps” and are taking steps to address them in the following ways.

First, we know that students will require self-direction to cope with rapid technological and job change, especially in a booming gig economy. As such, we are positioning our students as lifelong knowledge seekers who can adapt their skill sets to stay ahead.

Second, we know that an increasingly competitive job market and pressure to continually master new skills will require tenacity. Consequently, we continually look to create opportunities for our students to deal with perceived failure and develop grit, resilience and optimism in the process. Third, we understand that the rise of artificial intelligence will result in competing organisations having access to the same information. Originality and creativity will, therefore, become highly sought-after skills, further solidifying their importance in our educational program. Lastly, a world of automation and information abundance will require individuals who can think ethically and with acuity. That is, to discern truth and identify biases. The TGS curriculum continues to place value on this higher-level thinking.

We know that developing all these skills requires a broad knowledge base, and this underpins our pedagogical approach of Explicit Direct Instruction within a knowledge-rich curriculum. Giving our boys deep and relevant background knowledge will develop their acuity to solve complex problems and to think critically and creatively in the future (AERO, 2024). Parents can be assured that we are building an educational program that is suitably responsive to future needs.

Additionally, we continue to explore ways of developing our students’ technological capacity. Our forthcoming Design, Engineering and Technology Centre exemplifies our commitment to this cause. Boys will gain further opportunities to automate workflows, use cloud-based solutions and engineer prototypes, for example. From virtual reality to robotics labs, there will be boundless potential for innovation, not to mention the opportunities that the Agriculture and Industry Centre will also offer. Importantly, these planned spaces will connect our boys with industry and the broader community to foster authentic learning.

In partnership with parents, we can equip TGS boys with the skills and dispositions needed to thrive in this ever-evolving world.

References

Australian Education Research Organisation. (2024, March). A knowledge-rich approach to curriculum design. Australian Education Research Organisation. https://www.edresearch.edu.au/sites/default/files/2024-02/knowledge-rich-approach-curriculum-design-aa.pdf

CSIRO. (2022). Our Future World. CSIRO. Retrieved May 05, 2024, from https://www.csiro.au/en/research/technology-space/data/our-future-world

Jobs and Skills Australia. (n.d.). Employment projections for the decade ahead. Jobs and Skills Australia. Retrieved May 01, 2024, from https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/publications/towards-national-jobs-and-skills-roadmap-summary/employment-projections-for-the-decade-ahead

McQueen, M. (2019). Teaching for Tomorrow: A Blueprint for Future-Proofing Our Schools, Students and Educational System. The Nexgen Group Pty Ltd.

The World Economic Forum. (2023, May 1). Future of jobs: These are the most in-demand skills in 2023 - and beyond. The World Economic Forum. Retrieved May 02, 2024, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/05/future-of-jobs-2023-skills/