Final assignment for the Future of Work MOOC

1. Final Project:
Something important that you have learned during this
course that examines human capital in the context of
your own work or community setting
Assignment as part of the fulfilment of the MOOC offered by the World Bank Group
Trudi Smit
The Future of Work:
Preparing for
Disruption

2. Presentation Outline
Introduction
My work in context
Why HC is relevant
How HC can be applied

3.  This assignment forms part of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC): The Future
of Work: Preparing for Disruption
 The MOOC explores the workforce of the future and the 2019 World
Development Report (WDR)
 Through the MOOC, the following aspects were explored and learned:
 Factors behind the changing nature of work
 The types of new skillsets required for the future
 The Human Capital Index (HCI) rationale
 The importance of social assistance and social insurance
 Appropriate policy reactions for government around the world
This presentation will highlight important aspects that I have learned during this course
that examines human capital in the context of my own work setting
Introduction

4.  Profession: Development Economist
 Area of specialisation: Skills and Enterprise Development
 Country of origin and work: South Africa
My work in Context
Work background:
 My work entails undertaking research for government departments,
agencies and support organisations
 Majority of our work is for the Sector Education and Training
Authorities (SETA) of South Africa

5. SETA Background:
 Vocational skills training organisation is South Africa
 There are 21 SETAs
 SETAs are responsible for:
 Facilitate industry/sector skills development needs
 Managing and creating learning programmes and
occupational qualifications
 Disbursement of skills development grants
 Monitoring of industry/sector education and training
 Ensure alignment of skills development with emerging
technologies
 Addressing changing skills needs through re-skilling and
upskilling
 Each industry and occupation in South Africa is
by a SETA
My work in Context

6.  Human Capital is defined as:
 “…the knowledge, skills, and health that people accumulate throughout their lives,
enabling them to realize their potential as productive members of society” (World
Bank)
 My work is directly related to the development of human capital, through doing
research for SETAs on:
 Sector/industry trends
 Sector/industry skills needs
 Impact of skills and learning programmes on the community, industry and individual
 The South African Government and SETAs are gearing themselves for the
fourth industrial revolution, and seeking clarity on how the changing nature of
work will:
 Impact workers
 Impact industries
 Impact society
Relevance of Human Capital to my work

7.  Through this course, I have learned that to address the changing nature of work,
a multi-pronged approach is required:
How this could be applied to my work
• Approximately 3 million South
Africans are illiterate
• Increased efforts to ensure
literacy level are required to
ensure individuals can
participate in the economy
• Adult learning programmes
need to be accessible for the
poor, and flexible
Cultivate a culture
& environment for
life-long learning
• Labour market regulations should be relooked in
relation to the changing nature of work to ensure
adequate protection
• South Africa needs to investigate in alternative social
protection programmes, such as the Universal Basic
Income
Ensure social security
• Although SETAs focus on Post-School training, more
government investment should be allocated to Early
Childhood Development
• Many South African families cannot afford the cost
of acquiring human capital
• The first 1000 days of a child life is most critical for
building a foundation for human capital
Focus on Early Childhood
Development
• Acknowledge that technology
generates new jobs
• Ensure that workers that are
being displaced, are reskilled
• Focus on socio-behaviour skills
development (skills that cannot
be automated)
Understand the changing
nature of work

8. THANK YOU!