Five “future skills” for the next five years
What skills will matter most by 2027? New insights from the EU and the World Economic Forum highlight the rising importance of technological literacy and lifelong learning.
The job description of a data scientist, for example, has only developed with the emergence of large amounts of data in recent years. This is why the forecasts for the most important “future skills” are also a point of reference for the jobs of tomorrow.
The EU Year of Skills training initiative
The European Union has recognized the importance of continuing education and lifelong learning. In May 2023, the EU Year of Skills was launched – an EU-wide initiative to promote vocational training. This is because the future viability of the European economy is closely linked to the continuous development of (future) skills, particularly with regard to demographic change.
Five Up-and-Coming “Future Skills”
The Future of Jobs Report 2023 by the World Economic Forum highlights which competencies will become increasingly relevant across industries in the coming years. According to the report, the ranking of the top future skills expected to be most important by 2027 has shifted only slightly, except for one newcomer in the top 3: technological literacy.
Top 5 Future Skills by 2027:
- Analytical thinking
- Creative thinking
- Technological literacy
- Resilience, flexibility, and agility
- Curiosity and lifelong learning
The competencies ranked 1, 2, 4, and 5 are already in high demand today and will continue to gain importance. What is particularly relevant from a TUM perspective is the rising importance of technological expertise. As digitalization and mechanization progress across industries and society, technological skills have become essential for professionals in both technical and non-technical roles.
How Our Programs Strengthen Your Technological Expertise
Technological expertise covers a broad spectrum of knowledge:
- For managers without a technical background:
We enable them to understand key technologies (e.g., IoT, advanced manufacturing, distributed ledger technologies, AI, quantum technologies) and make well-informed strategic decisions.
- For specialists:
Our programs help deepen existing expertise and build skills in established and emerging technologies. This includes areas such as software development, data analytics, and AI.
After completing a course, participants have the latest specialist knowledge and can apply it in a targeted manner.
We recognize the growing importance of technological expertise. That is why our programs consistently focus on current technology trends and teach either foundational knowledge or advanced applications.
EuroTeQ University Alliance: Future skills for Engineers
Together with five other European technical universities, we are working as part of the Technical University of Munich on the further development of a Europe-wide study campus for a joint transfer of research and knowledge, also involving industrial partners. Within the framework of EuroTeQ, professionals have the opportunity to take short interdisciplinary training formats, so-called micro-credentials.
Discover Our Certificate Programs
Our course portfolio covers a wide range of future-oriented skills – from foundational knowledge of quantum technologies to responsible leadership in times of disruptive technologies:
