We all know that the future of work is changing. The jobs and career choices available tomorrow will be markedly different in the future.

Some of those new jobs are still unclear – we don’t know exactly what they will be, but we know the types of likely skills required to get those jobs.

The Western Bay of Plenty economy is expected to create more than 40,000 additional jobs by 2050 – and it’s important that we grow the potential of our own communities to fill them.

One of the barriers we’re facing to be ready for the future is the current disconnect between what subjects our students are taking at school and the types of jobs are being created.

Health, education, IT and horticulture are areas where there are current study gaps, but this is where there will be future employment demand. IT is particularly worrying with next to no one studying it at school, yet we’re seeing an increasing demand for those skills in the local and global workplace.

It’s also important to emphasise transferable skills for school leavers, such as critical thinking, creativity, communication and resilience. Employers are increasingly looking for those skills in job seekers. In an era where artificial intelligence and automation will become more prevalent, human skills are more important.

If you have teenagers who are thinking about what types of jobs would suit them, make sure they head along to this year’s Canvas Careers Expo this Friday and Saturday at Trustpower Arena.

See more about our Future of Work campaign.