To thrive in tomorrow ’s economy, workers need to boost lifelong cognitive abilities

___ The Cognitive Limits of Lifelong Learning (Project Syndicate): “As new technologies continue to upend industries and take over tasks once performed by humans, workers worldwide fear for their futures. But what will really prevent humans from competing effectively in the labor market is not the robots themselves, but rather our own minds, with all their psychological biases and cognitive limitations… Lifelong learning is supposed to provide the intellectual flexibility and professional adaptability needed to seize opportunities in new and dynamic sectors as they emerge, as well as the resilience to handle shocks in declining industries … trade unions and business associations should establish formal mentoring programs to advise workers on how to progress in their careers or in a transition to a new sector. Employers, for their part, should establish formal feedback processes, not just to evaluate the performance of their employees, but also to assess what skills need to be updated or can realistically be acquired. In addition, companies should be granted generous tax incentives to boost investment in training programs. Reflecting the reality of adults’ cognitive abilities, such programs should aim to transfer new knowledge gradually, while leveraging crystalized intellectual skills. More experienced workers might be less prone to learning altogether new skills than their younger colleagues, but they may excel in other valuable areas, such as problem-solving, self-m...
Source: SharpBrains - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Cognitive Neuroscience Education & Lifelong Learning Peak Performance Professional Development cognitive limitations cognitive-abilities intellectual flexibility labor market Lifelong-learning minds psychological biases robots work Source Type: blogs