Building the Foundational Skills Needed for Success in Work at the Human-Technology Frontier

The proliferation of new technologies has changed the way we live, learn, and work. The vision of the future includes a new machine age, where various technologies (sensors, communication, computation, and intelligence) will be embedded around, on, and in us; where humans will shape technology and technology will shape human interaction; and where technologies and humans will collaborate to discover and innovate. Without question, the U.S. workforce will need a new set of skills and competencies to succeed in the future work environments on this Frontier--which feels like it grows closer with each new technological advance--and to move our society forward as a global leader in the 21st century. To ensure the workforce is future-ready, our society will need to address existing challenges related to education for workforce development, economics, equity, and ethics. As our society works to understand and identify strategies to overcome these complex and interrelated challenges, two theories--the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT) and Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) -- can help us understand and attend to the following key factors in cultivating a future-ready workforce: (1) The importance of work to society; (2) why work is critical to human identity; (3) how youth develop their work identities; and (4) why we should be concerned about making sure that there is decent work for everyone. Both the PWT and SCCT theories argue that because career development is an iterative process that begins early and is nurtured through both in- and out-of school experiences, we need to start supporting STEM workforce development long before youth reach the undergraduate level. Drawing upon these theories, this paper explores the potential to build on the National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program's successful use of a "helix" approach, which blends career and content learning to help young people master the foundational skills they will need for work success at the Human-Technology Frontier. [Additional support for this report was provided by the STEM Learning and Research Center (STELAR) and Boston College.]