For more than a decade, I have had the privilege of leading transformations in the education sector from different continents, institutions and executive roles. I have also been able to grow up to new disruptive universities, designing programs for children, adolescents, even launching learning trajectories for global executives and Silver Economy. Throughout this path, I have witnessed a trend that has been growing worldwide: the way in which people access professional opportunities are changing radically, and with it, also the way we conceive of education and learning.
The growing adoption of skills-based hiringor skills -based hiring, it is challenging the classic model focused on academic diplomas and credentials. Many companies in the technology or consulting sector such as Google, Accenture or LinkedIn no longer demand a university degree as a condition to access competitive jobs. What is really making the difference is the demonstration of concrete, verifiable and applied skills in real situations.
This change is not anecdotal. According to him World Economic Forummore than 50% of employees worldwide will require a reeducation or update of skills before 2027. The speed with which markets evolve and technologies have generated a gap between what the educational system traditionally teaches and what organizations really demand. And, given this disconnection, the labor market is reacting.
So how are educational organizations responding, from K-12 to university and executive training, given this paradigm shift in the new work spaces?
Of the traditional curriculum to the future skills portfolio
The skill -based hiring model is based on a simple but revolutionary principle: what a person can do more than where he learned. Therefore, instead of reviewing only one CV with names of universities, many companies are beginning to evaluate portfolios, microcertifications, projects carried out or even live tests.
This does not mean that traditional diplomas will disappear, but they stop being the only passport towards professional success. More and more, we will see a coexistence between formal, informal and self -taught learning routes. University programs are also gradually adapting, integrating modular trajectories (stackability), Digital Badges and collaborations with the business sector that validate these skills.
In this new scenario, universities are acquiring a historical opportunity, going from being centers of static knowledge to becoming continuous and personalized learning ecosystems. It is no longer about “forming for the future”, but form in real time for real life, depending on what each individual needs for their professional objectives.
In my experience, directing the strategy of new continuing education portfolios of a university with a presence throughout the continent, I have learned that the solutions should be flexible, scalable, hyper-personalized and focused on the impact of the learner. That is, it is not enough to offer transactional courses, but with designing learning experiences that translate into professional and personal changes in time. And to achieve this, educational institutions must act more as Orchestraders that as suppliers, collaborating with companies, governments and other universities to co-create integrated learning routes.
Globally, several institutions are already redesigning their educational programs according to the skills-based hiring. For example, the Arizona State University (ASS) has integrated digital credentials and micro-certifications that students can obtain as they develop specific skills, such as data analysis, critical thinking or sustainability. Similarly, Northeastern University in Boston has established strategic alliances with companies such as IBM and General Electric to offer programs for experiential learning directly connected to the demands of the labor market.
In Europe, the University of Helsinki is promoting the model of competency-based education For Stem races, while in Latin America, institutions such as the Tecnológico de Monterrey are leading curricular design processes focused on real challenges, transferable skills and interdisciplinary experiences with companies that strengthen employability.
In the technical and vocational field, the Miami Dade College has been one of the pioneers in the United States to offer programs based on industry credentials validated by technology and health companies, facilitating the labor insertion of thousands of students in less than a year.
This evolution also reaches new disruptive universities such as Minerva University, which has created a global model based on the resolution of complex problems through projects, the application of critical thinking and soft skills, aligning its curriculum with the most demanded transversal competences today.
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Life-long learning: “Yes for a lifetime”
The paradigm also transforms in the temporality of learning. We no longer talk about studying during the first 20 years of life and then “work until you retire.” In the era of extended longevity and constant disruption, learning is beginning to accompany people throughout their lives. In fact, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) states that countries that do not develop effective models of Life-long learning They will be economically and socially marginalized.
The rise of skills-based hiring It is then an accelerator of this change, since it forces people to stay updated and build a professional trajectory based on continuous improvement. But it also forces educational systems to offer solutions that adapt to the needs of each vital stage, from the first job to retirement. Therefore, we see the tendency of the launch of new educational organizations focused on continuous learning of people 55 years and older, calls Silver Academies.
Of course, this change also brings risks. First, the massification of courses and certifications without rigor can banalize the concept of “ability” and becomes a challenge to determine which Edtechs and universities are offering optimal quality in their short courses or knowledge pills. Secondly, without clear validation mechanisms, confusion in the market could be generated in terms of the validity of a certification.
Therefore, it is essential that governments, universities and companies work together to establish standards, common platforms and international certification mechanisms for these short and micro-credient courses that are trend today. Only then will we ensure that the transition to a skill -based economy is inclusive and sustainable.
Latin America: a golden opportunity for Life-Long Learning
In Latin America, this transformation can represent a great competitive advantage. Our region has a young population with more than 160 million people with less than 29 years, with strong digital adoption and an appetite for entrepreneurship. But we also face educational gaps, structural inequalities and obsolete accreditation systems.
Adopting skill -based models will allow us to expand access to job opportunities without depending exclusively on long university processes. These new models will complement the traditional ones and allow talent to form based on local and global needs, connecting the millions of young people who are now outside the educational system or sub-employed with opportunities for economic and professional development.
We see promising examples: microcredial platforms, University-company alliances, training hubs for technological industries, and even governments that are already recognizing these new forms of training as part of their public policies.
From Coursera, Credly and Platzi, which allow students to accumulate certifications aligned with the demands of the labor market, to alliances between universities company such as the University of Buenos Aires with Mercado Libre to train software programmers with immediate job exit. We also see training hubs for technological industries such as Laboratory in Latin America, which prepares women to enter the Tech sector with intensive skills development programs.
A new educational paradigm
In short, the rise of skills-based hiring It is not just a human resources trend. It is a confirmation that the world is changing its way of valuing, hiring and retaining talent. As educators, entrepreneurs and leaders of the future, we have the responsibility to accompany this change with vision and adaptability.
We need to build new educational portfolios that foster new professional trajectories that are committed to the complementary development of university degrees, where each learner can build their own path, creating learning and employability communities that translate into growth opportunities.
The future of work has already arrived. And with him, the future of education is also playing the door. It is in our hands to adapt and create new learning opportunities with impact.
The author has more than a decade of experience in the education sector. He was Vice Dean at the recognized business school IE Business School in Madrid. She is a winning teacher, Edu-Emprendora and Speaker International, with papers and master classes recorded in more than 25 countries. It is currently responsible for the design of the future portfolio in the Tec de Monterrey (Mexico). Passionate about education, it is also an Advisor and member of Board of Directors in other institutions of Higher Education and K-12 schools internationally.
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