Read Carefully

Assessment 1

The Future of Work

What does it mean when we discuss the future of work? It means that we are moving away from a classic employment model in which most careers tended to follow a particular path: after graduation, you got a job in an office where you worked 40 hours a week alongside everyone else at your company. You’d get promoted along a predictable path, before eventually retiring in your sixties.

The future of work is, in fact, not the future. It is happening now. You may remember learning about the industrial revolutions of the past and the way in which these revolutions transformed the economy and the nature of work. We are now in the fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0. This new world of technology is characterized by:

• Expansive instant communication and connectedness.


• Virtual or remote workspaces.


• Age-diverse workforce.


• Move away from lifelong careers at a single company to more of an open talent or contract-based economy.


• Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, or machines taking over some workforce tasks and jobs.


• Assessment InstructionsOverview
  
  What do we mean when we discuss the future of work? We are moving away from the classic employment model: you are hired full time and work 40-hour weeks, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at a desk in an office with your fellow employees. The future of work is really happening now. You may remember learning about the industrial revolutions of the past and their impact on the economy and the nature of work. Today we are in the fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0. This new world of technology is characterized by:
  
  
  
  
  • Instant communication and connectedness.
  
  
  • Virtual/remote workspaces.
  
  
  • Age-diverse workforce.
  
  
  • Move away from lifelong careers at a single company, more of an open talent economy.
  
  
  • AI and automation, or machines taking over some workforce tasks and jobs.
  
  
  • In this assessment, you will examine the future of work and the key skills and behaviors necessary for succeeding in the evolving workplace.
    
    Preparation
    
    Review the resources for this assessment. Use the Capella University Library to locate at least one article or book that discusses the skills and aptitudes needed to succeed in the 21st-century workforce.
    
    Instructions
    
    For this assessment:
    
    
  
  
  • Write a 2–3-page essay that addresses the following questions: 
    
    
    
    • What types of jobs will most likely be automated in the future?
    
    
    • What types of jobs are more resistant to automation and why? 
    
    
    • How will automation and continued technological advances impact how you work?
    
    
    • Why one or more of the employability skills (such as self and social awareness or agility) are essential for remaining competitive in the 21st-century workplace? Explain.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Additional Requirements
    
    Your assessment should also meet the following requirements:
    
    
  
  
  • Written communication: Written communication should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
  
  
  • APA formatting: Citations should be formatted according to current APA Style and Format guidelines. 
  
  
  • References: Your assessment should include at least two credible references. One of these references should be obtained from the Capella library.
  
  
  • Length: 2–3 pages of text, excluding the title and reference page.
  
  
  • Competencies Measured
    
    By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies through the following assessment scoring guide criteria:
    
    
  
  
  • Competency 1: Describe the importance and impact of key skills and behaviors that are necessary for success in the future of work. 
    
    
    
    • Describe the influence of automation in the 21st-century workforce.
    
    
    • Explain how automation and technological advances affect the nature of work.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Competency 3: Develop skills to support a successful learning experience and career. 
    
    
    
    • Explain why employability skills are essential for remaining competitive in the 21st-century workplace. 
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Competency 4: Compose text that articulates meaning relevant to its purpose and audience. 
    
    
    
    • Write coherently with correct grammar, usage, mechanics, and citation of sources.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • The Future of Work Scoring Guide
    
    The Future of Work Scoring Guide Criteria Non-performance Basic Proficient Distinguished Describe the influence of automation in the 21st-century workforce.Does not attempt to describe the influence of automation in the workforce.Attempts to describe the influence of automation in the workforce, but the description is unclear or incomplete. Describes the influence of automation in the 21st-century workforce.Describes the influence of automation in the 21st-century workforce, providing specific examples of jobs that may be automated in the future. Explain how automation and technological advances affect the nature of work.Does not attempt to explain how automation and technological advances affect the nature of work.Attempts to explain how automation and technological advances affect the nature of work, but the explanation is unclear or incomplete. Explains how automation and technological advances affect the nature of work. Explains how automation and technological advances affect the nature of work, providing specific examples that support explanation. Explain why employability skills are essential for remaining competitive in the 21st-century workplace. Does not attempt to explain why employability skills are essential for remaining competitive in the workplace.Attempts to explain why employability skills are essential for remaining competitive in the workplace, but the explanation is unclear or incomplete.Explains why employability skills are essential for remaining competitive in the 21st-century workplace. Explains why employability skills are essential for remaining competitive in the 21st-century workplace. Write coherently with correct grammar, usage, mechanics, and citation of sources.Writing is unclear as a result of poor organization, grammar, usage, or mechanics.Attempts to write coherently, but there are examples of incorrect grammar, usage, or mechanics. Writes coherently with correct grammar, usage, mechanics, and citation of sources.Writes coherently with organization and correct grammar, sage, and mechanics.