800 million jobs could be gone by 2030.

Billionaire Jack Ma of Alibaba group says that only by changing education can we compete with machines. Instead of teaching our children knowledge, we have to teach something unique: Values, Believing, Independent thinking, Teamwork, Care for others Arts, Sports. These are areas a machine can never catch up with us on.

I understand his point of view. In fact, according to Deloitte’s study of employment, no, there’s no need to hit the panic button. Their research indicates that over 144 years in the UK, technology has actually created more jobs than it has eliminated, replacing dangerous, repetitive, and less interesting work with knowledge and people-oriented jobs.

Assessing the vulnerability of modern jobs and understanding trends that put them at risk is crucial, but we are also reaching a point in technology that allows us as humans to decide whether we want to add to the portfolio of already available careers in order to fuel the economy, or take advantage of the flexibility machines are giving us, and spend time fueling society.

The 6 month off - 6 month on approach.

The aim of my 6 month approach is primarily to easy the level of unemployment society views as a threat by 2030, but have a numerous number of benefits as a result.  It is a simple scheme that I can see working on a sign up basis. A recruitment platform that posts jobs working according to the scheme, that allows two applicants to be chosen for each role. In other words, the job would be ‘shared’ by successful candidate A and B, six months of the year each.

Not viable for all jobs.

Of course, this kind of approach would not be viable for all jobs, but the beauty of the platform is that any job posted on it is up to the employers discretion, as is the hiring. Traction on what kind of job is the most successful via this approach would be fascinating. Which industry would this be most popular in?

Would the employer choose two people of the same calibre? Would they chose complete opposites to add diversity? As a study of human hiring, it could be an interesting pilot to run. The added benefit to the employer is that they would be paying essentially two for the price of one in any role they submit to this scheme.

With a fresh new and energetic perspective only six months down the road each time. If candidates A and B are hired well, the six months out could be used as a time for self improvement and innovation, that they will bring back to benefit your company.

As a candidate, the scheme is a rolling sabbatical. A  six month holiday with the peace of having a job secured six months down the line to a dot. It is a time for self improvement relating back to Jack Ma’s human uniqueness. Values, Believing, Independent thinking, Teamwork, Care for others Arts, Sports.

I am not naive enough to think a scheme like this is foolproof,  but when we think of the future, and the millions that could become unemployed as a result of incorrect education to cater for the undeniable rise in technology, we have to start thinking outside the box.​

"If we don’t change the way we teach in 30 years we will be in trouble.
We need to stop teaching our kids knowledge.
We have to teach something unique: Values, Believing, Independent thinking, Teamwork, Care for others, Arts, Sports.
So that a machine can never catch up with us.."

An interesting point of view from Jack Ma, Alibaba Group