Role Of Education In Shaping The Skills Landscape In The Disrupted Economy Of COVID-19

Abstract

COVID-19 has deeply affected our existence. The commotion amongst people and their livelihoods has been shocking. The economic corrosion has thrown many industries into survival mode. As we struggle to revitalize economies and  jobs, it will be essential to understand the impact of the crisis on the skills landscape.  At the crest of the pandemic, UNESCO  reported that 1.6 billion learners were affected by school closures, and more than 200 million in higher education. To extenuate the impact, educational institutions transitioned to crisis remote teaching overnight,   administer evaluation, and even hold online graduation ceremonies. Few months down the line, they have, in some form, adapted to virtual learning despite being largely unprepared for such an abrupt shift. It is observed that the fastest rising occupations will require higher[1]level cognitive skills in areas such as problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity, and nearly  40 percent of jobs will require explicit social-emotional skills. The pandemic has further uncovered many inequalities with respect to education and employability. The unemployment crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionally battered low-skilled workers. The International Labour Organization has estimated a loss of 435 million jobs in the first half of 2020. The economic progress in a post-COVID world would rely on equipping individuals with employment[1]relevant skills. The onus is on educational institutions to prioritize skills development training, enabling diversity  into the workforce and energizing their economies. Although this call for action is clear, educational leaders are still struggling to identify which skills are important and the pandemic has further heightened the need to understand which skills shall command the future jobs. The findings of this research are meant to help higher education institutions, businesses, and individuals  understand how the pandemic has impacted the skills landscape and how best they should upgrade, update and  move forward.