15 Aug 2016

We’re often told that as technology improves, jobs are disappearing and the future of work is a bit precarious. It’s true that technology is advancing and jobs will be lost through these advancements, but that doesn’t mean we need to be fearful. It’s just a matter of figuring out what skills are in demand and honing them.

One word: creativity.

The term “creativity” has seen a 65% rise in job ads over the past three years, according to the Foundation for Young Australians.

Part of the reason creativity is so sought after is because it’s such a uniquely human trait. If we could teach computers to do it, we would (in fact, we’re trying, it’s called artificial intelligence). So far, creativity isn’t something computers can do, which makes it a really important skill across a range of industries.

However, creativity is broad, difficult to define and may be impossible to teach.

One definition of creativity is exemplified in disruptive industries such as Uber, AirBnb and AirTasker. Uber is essentially a taxi service that doesn’t own any cars. AirBnb a hotel service that doesn’t own any property. And AirTasker an employment provider that employs no staff. These companies use simple platforms to connect customers to independent service providers and in doing so, they lower costs and provide a more competitive service. Rather than building on the tried and true business model that preceded it, it was necessary to construct a totally new one from scratch. This is true creativity.

Another example is in the field of materials science, which is focused on the design and discovery of new materials. In an article by the SMH, Jehan Kanga, an artist turned materials scientist, explained how the laboratory methods are expanding beyond the traditional. “Now it’s more like the creative development we see in the arts. We sit around a table and discuss ideas,” he said. Even the scientific industry, which is generally associated with closed experiments and hard data sets, is changing to value methodologies that are more creative.

Other obvious creative industries are graphic and web design, advertising, media production, art direction and cheffing. These are exciting, yet safe industries.

My advice: find your creativity and cultivate it. Whether you’re interested in photography, app development, coding software, web design, business remodelling, writing copy, painting murals or whatever else, work out what you like and learn how to do it well. Creativity won’t just provide the means to an income, it will also intrinsically provide you with new ideas and challenges. It’s a boredom killer, a money maker and a way to keep your soul enriched.