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Beyond School: Reimagining Life Skills for Youths Today
Our recent webinar at World Futures Day | Young Voices was a resounding success, attracting a diverse global audience for an insightful discussion. Organized by Teach The Future, a global education non-profit dedicated to promoting futures literacy, this annual 24-hour event empowers young people in shaping conversations about the future.
Titled ‘Beyond School: Reimagining Life Skills for Youths’, the Singapore session sparked meaningful dialogue, with participants showing a keen interest in the evolving nature of work and the essential skills needed to navigate an uncertain future.
Hosted by Carol Lim, Co-Founder of Teach The Future Singapore, Jun Hao Goh, a Biomedical Engineering graduate, and Louis Puah, Founder of Praxium and passionate advocate for youth development—the session offered valuable perspectives on the challenges and opportunities young people face as they prepare for the workforce of tomorrow.
Key Insights from the Webinar
The world is changing faster than we can keep up, and young people today face a future filled with uncertainties. According to a 2023 World Economic Forum report, 65% of children entering primary school today will work in jobs that don’t yet exist. Additionally, by 2025, half of the global workforce will require reskilling, yet the fastest-growing skills needed are not solely technical or AI-related but involve a broader set of life-skill competencies.
The Challenges Facing Today’s Youth
A key insight from the webinar focused on the pressing concerns young people face today. Citing the National Youth Council’s statistics in Singapore, the discussion highlighted that the top three sources of stress among youths are uncertainty about the future, emerging adult responsibilities and financial concerns.
The most engaging segment involved an interactive session where the audience was invited to define which ‘life skills’ should be prioritised in schools. While traditional curricula often emphasize academic achievement, the conversation underscored the growing importance of futures thinking, financial literacy, and emotional intelligence & resilience.
As a Gen-Z himself, Jun Hao reflected on his high school years a whirlwind of responsibilities, where many teenagers often felt overwhelmed and disorganized. He highlighted the need to equip young people with time management and adaptability skills to better navigate their personal and academic lives.
Louis Puah, on the other hand, stressed the importance of integrating real-world skills into the curriculum. He explained that as young people develop their identities and independence during adolescence, mentorship becomes increasingly vital to guide them through this phase. Louis also advocated for greater autonomy in learning, suggesting that students should have more freedom to choose what they want to learn and how they prepare for their future careers.
Looking Ahead: The School of Life
The webinar serves as a reality check that preparing for the future goes beyond acquiring technical expertise—it’s about cultivating the right mindset, adaptability, and essential life skills. At Praxium, this mission lies at the core of everything we do.
In closing, we’re thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of our new flagship program, The School of Life—an experiential and dynamic learning initiative co-created with youths. This one-of-a-kind program empowers participants to collaborate with our trainers, shaping both the content and approach to their learning. By doing so, we ensure that their journey is not only engaging but also relevant to their unique needs and aspirations.
What life skills do you think should be taught? Give us a shout and share your thoughts with us!
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