Original 2021 statement: Half of the knowledge we get in the first year of university or college is obsolete, or out of date, by the time we graduate
What Jim has written about this
From “Keynote: Association of Private Sector Colleges & Universities, Denver : Education in the Era of Skills Acceleration” (June 2015)
1/2 of the knowledge that a student gets in their very first year of a college or university program is obsolete or revised by the time they graduate. Most companies have skills they don’t require, and can’t get access to the skills they need. There is a dreadful mismatch between the knowledge we have and the knowledge we need. Those are just a few of the themes I explored at this massive event, with over 2,000 education professionals in the room.
From “Article: Want to Future Proof Your Degree?” (September 2016)
I was recently interviewed about the future of knowledge and careers. It was timely; my oldest son has just completed a college degree but is immediately pursuing another educational path at a community college.
For many, this week marks a new chapter in their lives: the first week of university. Like countless students before them, those first few weeks are a flurry of experiences and opportunities that sets out the road to independence. However, that expectation that in four short years their education will be complete is rapidly becoming a relic of the past. Rather, they will be entering a professional world where in order to compete, they must embrace the ethos of life-long student.
Jim Carroll, a futurist and speaker based in Mississauga, describes the work force that students can expect to graduate into as one of “rapid knowledge obsolescence.”
From “Daily Inspiration: “At this very moment, someone somewhere is busy inventing something that will be so common in but 10 short years that you simply won’t know how you lived without it!”” (February 2022)
Need to get inspired for the future? Head on over to my post, ‘101 Things We Know About Our Future’ - An Esoteric List of Things That Are Happening Now and Next! - it’s right here . As I note in that post: My mind all too often races with ideas; I think too much. The busy activities in my head lead me to regularly scribble down lots of thoughts about the world around me. Overall, as a futurist, it’s a remarkable time to be alive – and with that in mind, here’s a list that I’ve accumulated as to ‘101 things we know about our future.’
Read the full pieces on jimcarroll.com:
Keynote: Association of Private Sector Colleges & Universities, Denver : Education in the Era of Skills Acceleration
Article: Want to Future Proof Your Degree?
Daily Inspiration: “At this very moment, someone somewhere is busy inventing something that will be so common in but 10 short years that you simply won’t know how you lived without it!”