The demands of the modern workforce, and the future of work in more general terms, are changing due to increasing globalisation and rapid technological developments. It is well recognised that students enrolled in a Humanities degree, develop an extensive set of capabilities (such as critical thinking and problem-solving), through their study of ideas, movements and theories in culture, society, history, language, reasoning, and more. Their in-depth engagement with their respective discipline allows them to form a broad understanding of the world around them and the ways in which humans connect and interact.
Humanities degrees involve many technical skills including quantitative analysis skills, policy development, software use and foreign language skills. A recent report conducted by Deloitte Access Economics identifies around 30 technical skills that students may acquire in a Humanities degree, that are highly valued by employers across different sectors. In addition to those technical skills, Humanities graduates develop a strong set of ‘transferable’ skills, in areas such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, innovation, emotional judgement, and so on, which have at their core, the ability to solve complex problems by taking a flexible and adaptable approach — a set of skills highly valued by employers, across a range of sectors.
Transferable skills matter
Employers have identified gaps between the demand and supply of transferable skills, in particular, communication skills, and due to changes in the labour market, these skills will be increasingly sought after, as the proportion of the work force with transferable-skill-intensive employment is forecast to steeply increase, over the next decade.
Moreover, according to recent employability reports such as the one released by the Foundation for Young Australians in 2017, employers are increasingly looking for graduates who are able to articulate which highly transferable skills they have developed during their studies, and who are able to communicate and demonstrate these. Reports such as the Australian ‘Social Sciences Shape the Nation’ report, articulate the complexity of the issues graduates will need to solve, in an ever-changing national and global landscapes, and the capabilities they need to activate to meaningfully contribute as employees and engaged citizens. Students studying Humanities and social science subjects are acquiring high levels of literacy, as well as digital, cultural and interpersonal skills, which equip them to face the challenges our increasingly complex societies pose.
One of the core values that a Humanities degree instils is the ability to recognise, critically analyse and communicate different points of view – a core skill in today’s increasingly complex global settings that forms the basis for mutual understanding. Humanities studies have a major contribution to make in understanding how our society and economy can adapt to conditions of rapid change due to globalisation, rapid technological development (artificial intelligence, for instance) and changes to economic structures. Humanities students will be well-equipped to face these challenges with a critical mindset and a well-developed ethical compass that enable them to make a contribution in a wide range of national as well as global professional settings.
The writer is Executive Dean, Faculty of Arts, Macquarie University, Sydney
