3.1 Awareness of the forces for new jobs and skills for the future

Technological advancement is a major driver of the economic growth and has raised living standards enormously (though unevenly) across the globe. Digital technologies radically transform the structure of organisations and employment models. However, there is a growing fear of "technological unemployment" as technology become dominant in the economy. Such fears were experienced repeatedly through history in response to new technologies.

Technological change has reshaped the workplace continually over the past two centuries since the industrial revolution. The speed with which automation by digital technologies is developing today and the scale at which they could disrupt the world of work are largely without precedent. In the long term, technology has increased the productivity of workers and driven very substantial increases in living standards [3].

A 2011 study by McKinsey's Paris Office found that the Internet had destroyed 500,000 jobs in France in the previous 15 years but at the same time had created 1.2 million new jobs. This was a net addition of 700,000 or 2.4 jobs created for every job destroyed. Digital technology integration is having an amplifying effect on the institutional change. As new technologies come online and existing jobs are displaced, society will be under greater pressure to adapt and learn new skills. Jobs and employment models are continually changing with technology, owing to consumer preferences. These developments have been reshaping through the industrial revolution. New jobs, requiring new skills, are being created in manufacturing, mining, as well as the service sector industries. There is nothing new about continual change in the types of jobs people do and how they are done. Throughout history, governments, industries and society have been failing to make important choices about how to reskill human resources for the transition workforces into the future. One important difference about today's change is that we have many lessons to learn from. Many lessons have been learned about labour force transitions from the industrial revolution in the nineteenth century. In the knowledge economy, employability is directly related to relevant education and training [4]. Knowledge economy is based on knowledge and information [5], which forms the intellectual capital of organisations [6] and is a driver for growth and employment across industries [7]. Knowledge-rich industries, including professional, scientific and technical services, show rapid economic growth. Higher-skilled jobs are more complementary with technology and innovation, increasing productivity and earnings [8]. Patent growth is one of the indicators of technology innovation and growth in the knowledge economy [5, 9, 10]. These trends and projections highlight the importance of technical and vocational education for those who are yet to enter the labour market [11].

The advances of technology, digital connectivity and globalisation and the rise of new economic structures are creating new forms of jobs and employment models over the coming 20 years. We are witnessing a unique combination of forces that

leads to much more rapid development and restructuring of labour markets in the near future than previously experienced.

3.2 Contribution of STEM knowledge and skills to digital technology jobs

STEM for Sustainable Skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Snapshot at Some TVET…

an even more common part of the workplace.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89294

tion and productivity and support economic growth.

4. Data analysis and discussion

three TVET colleges.

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The world of work is in a state of flux, which is causing considerable anxiety to everyone. There is growing polarisation of labour market opportunities between high- and low-skilled jobs and unemployment and underemployment especially among young people [15]. STEM education curricula at schools and TVET colleges have not kept pace with the changing nature of work, resulting in many employers saying they cannot find enough workers with the skills they need [16]. Education and training institutions should stop educating students for jobs and occupations that do not exist. The future requires workers to think creatively, work collaboratively, deepen their emotional IQ and integrate technology into everything they do [17]. It is unfortunate that even the best public and private schools still maintain an outdated focus on memorisation and following directions (ibid). To prepare students relevant to this technological era, schools must regularly make technology an integral part of their teaching, learning and assignments. Technology is becoming

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) knowledge is associated with 75% of the fastest growing occupations, innovations and wage premiums [15]. A technology- and knowledge-driven economy needs workers trained in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The majority (70%) of employers in developed countries (e.g. Australia) characterise employees with STEM skills as the most innovative. About 75% of the fastest growing occupations require STEM knowledge and skills (ibid). The digital revolution and an increasing demand for designing and manufacturing are driving the growth of the creative sector which extends from arts to science and technology, creativity and innovation [18]. The new generation of workers often referred to as digital natives appears to be creative and looking for opportunities to express their creativity. Designing and making objects in STEM as creative thinking is expected to become increasingly important as a contributor to the national economy and the job market. Existing and new jobs are likely to require a creative approach to perform nonroutine tasks and solve problems, while future workers are likely to appreciate an opportunity to act creatively. STEM skills and knowledge are required for work in a growing range of existing occupations in the future and will also contribute to the creation of new professions within the digital technology era [16]. However, current trends demonstrate the lack of interest and poor performance in STEM. Furthermore, STEM subjects and related vocational courses and occupations (e.g. mechanical and civil) are still traditionally seen as more male-dominated work. There is declining trend in STEM knowledge and interest [19].This situation needs to be resolved to meet future workforce of vocational and technology needs. STEM education should provide employees, both males and females, with essential skills that promote innova-

Student questionnaire results on vocational educational and training practices at

This section presents data collected from questionnaires administered to three TVET colleges. The data is presented in four tables. Table 1 shows the biographical data of students at the three colleges combined. Table 2 presents data on relevant workshop materials and equipment for teaching and learning vocational subjects. Data on Table 3 provide students' views on the integration of theory and practice in the subjects. The data in Table 4 provide information on the partnership between

As compared to previous technologies such as electricity and telephones, the rate at which new digital technologies are being developed and adopted is much faster [12]. The Internet and its accompanying technologies have been a game changer for many industries. They may be yet to unleash their full disruptive potential, owing to the establishment of the Internet infrastructure in both rural and urban areas. Unlike the first, second and third industrial revolutions, where the geographic limitation affected the flow of products and labour, the digital technology revolution (fourth industrial revolution) also known as internet change everything (ICE) has no geographical barriers. The new global Internet-enabled workforce employs new skills and competes with the local workforce, in just about anywhere in the world [13]. With the device connectivity, computing power, data volumes, ecommerce, social media use and other indicators of digital technology growth, we experience exponential growth both in terms of adoption and functionality. Employment models and jobs are significantly impacted by the connectivity. Most of the opportunities and risks associated with the "Internet of things" are yet to transpire. Essentially, the digital technology offers access to a whole new world of connectivity that is on 24/7 basis and that in itself is changing the way people work and live day to day.

IoT contains a variety of connected objects. The "Internet of things" is exploding. It is made up of billions of "smart" devices—from miniscule chips to mammoth machines—that use wireless technology to talk to each other (and to us). Our IoT world is growing at a breathtaking pace, from 2 billion objects in 2006 to a projected 200 billion by 2020. That will be around 26 smart objects for every human being on Earth. IoT is the combination of low-cost, low-power processors with "real-world" electronic sensors and wireless network connectivity being added to a wide range of electrical devices.

Mobile broadband and Internet access show the most rapid growth in developing countries. However, the divide between developed and developing countries remains vast, with mobile broadband penetration reaching 84% in the former and only 21% in the latter [14]. These digital divides need to be addressed in order to ensure that as many people as possible are able to access affordable, efficient mobile communication networks and the associated development opportunities, including employment.

The future of digital technological advancement holds exciting opportunities for the way we work, consume and interact and also poses challenges. Youth and people who lack high-level technological and interpersonal skills are becoming vulnerable due to digital-automated jobs. There is a need for targeted and strategic skills, education and training that are responding to the changing technological world. Supporting individuals in the application of transferable skills will be a key priority as we foster a sustainable and more productive economy. High-level technical skills in STEM education is required to underpin a successful economy. Technological digitisation and automation of our activities will have profound effects on the future labour markets. What are the deep-seated technological trends? And how can we prepare to maintain high standard of living in the country? The impact of these trends and the resulting skills must be better understood so that the appropriate STEM education and training is put in place to provide a prosperous and innovative economy for the emerging type of employees of tomorrow.

Increase of digital technology-automated systems is raising the complexity of tasks and the need for higher-level skills for entry-level positions. An increased STEM knowledge and skill levels in digital technology is imperative to access new jobs. Many middle- and high-skilled jobs are being automated. The consequence is the likelihood of a raised STEM skill training and education bar for entry into many professions and occupations.
