Future-Ready Schools: Preparing Educators and Students for the Shifts Ahead

The future of work is changing rapidly, and the skills students need to thrive in 2030 look very different from those traditionally emphasised in schools. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 highlights key trends in emerging and core skills, providing valuable insights for educators shaping the next generation of learners.

World Economic Forum. (2025). The Future of Jobs Report 2025 (p. 41). World Economic Forum.

One of the most striking aspects of the report is the emphasis on AI and big data as a core skill in 2030. As industries continue to integrate technology, understanding how to interpret and leverage data will be essential for almost every profession. Yet, how often do we equip students with the ability to analyse, question, and utilise data effectively? Schools must ensure computational thinking and data literacy are embedded across subjects, rather than confined to specialised STEM courses.

Another insight worth exploring is where reading, writing, and mathematics sit on the graph. Traditionally the foundation of education, these skills now fall into the ‘out of focus’ quadrant, less essential and not expected to increase in use. This does not mean these fundamentals no longer matter, but rather that they are no longer enough on their own. Instead of focusing solely on content acquisition, schools must ensure students develop the cognitive flexibility to apply these foundational skills in dynamic, problem-solving contexts. Literacy and numeracy remain critical but need to be integrated with higher-order skills such as analytical thinking and systems thinking.

The placement of ‘teaching and mentoring’ in the ‘out of focus’ quadrant is also telling. This suggests a shift in what it means to be an educator. If traditional methods of delivering content are becoming less relevant, what skills do teachers need to develop to stay impactful? The report highlights capabilities such as leadership, social influence, resilience, flexibility, and agility as core skills for the future. Educators must move beyond content delivery and instead focus on facilitating learning experiences that cultivate curiosity, adaptability, and problem-solving in students.

This shift from content-driven to capability-driven education is crucial. Rather than asking, What do students need to know?, we must be asking, What do students need to be capable of? Schools that embrace this mindset will be better positioned to prepare students for a workforce that values creativity, collaboration, and adaptability over rote knowledge.

So, how do we support educators in making this shift? How do we help teachers reimagine their role—not as content providers but as designers of learning experiences? Professional learning needs to evolve to equip teachers with the skills necessary to guide students through a rapidly changing world. This means moving beyond traditional professional development models and embedding ongoing, collaborative learning experiences that reflect the very capabilities we want to foster in students. Schools must create cultures where teachers are encouraged to experiment, reflect, and adapt their practice, where professional growth is not an afterthought but a core expectation.

The insights from the Future of Jobs Report serve as a call to action for schools. And while 2030 might seem distant, in the context of education, it is just around the corner. The students entering Year 7 today will be graduating Year 12 in 2030, stepping directly into this evolving workforce. The teachers leading classrooms now will be shaping the skills and mindsets of these future workers. How are we preparing teachers to embrace this new paradigm? How do we support them in unlearning outdated models and adopting new ones that align with the skills of the future? This is the challenge ahead, not just for schools, but for teacher education programs, policymakers, and professional learning networks. If we want to prepare students for the future, we must first ensure that teachers are prepared to lead them there. What are we doing today to make sure both students and educators are ready for the world that awaits them?

• Mel Evans, Co-Founder, The EduShift Collective