Long Life Learning audiobook cover - Preparing for Jobs that Don't Even Exist Yet

Long Life Learning

Preparing for Jobs that Don't Even Exist Yet

Michelle R. Weise

★ 4.0 / 5(96 ratings)
Start ListeningDownload App
Categories:
Career & SuccessEducation

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

Listen to Long Life Learning — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from Long Life Learning

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Long Life Learning

Mind Map

Long Life Learning
The New Reality of Work+
Rethinking Academia+
Employer Responsibility+
Five Principles for the Future+
Data Networks & Infrastructure+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 11
Why is the traditional life plan of finishing school, building a career, and retiring at 65 becoming less plausible?
  • A. Automation is eliminating the majority of entry-level jobs.
  • B. Steady increases in human life expectancy mean people may need to work much longer.
  • C. College tuition has become too expensive for the average person to afford.
  • D. Younger generations are no longer interested in traditional retirement.
Question 2 of 11
According to 50 years of data from The Freshman Survey, what is the consistent number one reason students give for going to college?
  • A. To gain a global perspective.
  • B. To explore their personal passions.
  • C. To be able to get a job.
  • D. To improve their social skills.
Question 3 of 11
How does the book describe the initial target audience for 'disruptive innovations' in a market?
  • A. Wealthy early adopters who can afford premium products.
  • B. 'Nonconsumers' who currently have no product or service targeted at them.
  • C. Highly educated professionals looking to upskill.
  • D. Traditional university students seeking online alternatives.
Question 4 of 11
Why will companies soon be forced to invest in training their existing employees rather than just hiring new talent?
  • A. Federal laws are mandating corporate training quotas.
  • B. Younger workers are refusing to work for companies without training programs.
  • C. The rapid growth of workers over 50 and the projected depletion of social safety nets.
  • D. Universities are producing fewer graduates than in previous decades.
Question 5 of 11
How can AI-powered guidance systems help workers who want to change careers?
  • A. By automatically applying to hundreds of jobs on their behalf.
  • B. By replacing the need for a formal college degree with an AI certificate.
  • C. By identifying skills developed on the job and showing how close they are to a new career path.
  • D. By predicting exactly which industries will be automated in the next ten years.
Question 6 of 11
What is meant by 'wraparound supports' in the context of adult education?
  • A. Comprehensive assistance such as mental health services, financial counseling, and transit passes.
  • B. Accelerated degree programs that can be completed entirely online.
  • C. Government grants that fully cover the cost of tuition for low-income students.
  • D. Mentorship programs where university alumni tutor current students.
Question 7 of 11
What is an educational 'on-ramp' as described in the text?
  • A. A prerequisite course students must take before entering a four-year university.
  • B. A program designed specifically to upskill adult learners and integrate them into a local job market.
  • C. A government subsidy that pays for internet access for low-income learners.
  • D. A corporate orientation program for recent college graduates.
Question 8 of 11
How do Income Share Agreements (ISAs) help integrate learning and working?
  • A. They allow employers to share the cost of a worker's education with the government.
  • B. They provide students with a monthly stipend to cover living expenses while they study.
  • C. They allow students to access education for zero dollars upfront, paying only after they land a job.
  • D. They force universities to guarantee a job placement for every graduating student.
Question 9 of 11
What is the primary negative consequence of 'upcredentialing' (credential inflation)?
  • A. Universities are forced to create new, highly specialized degree programs.
  • B. Employers pack entry-level job postings with steep formal requirements, creating a disconnect with job seekers.
  • C. Employees are increasingly forging their resumes to appear more qualified.
  • D. The government is forced to subsidize bachelor's degrees for all citizens.
Question 10 of 11
What metaphor is used in the book to describe the ideal open infrastructure for connecting education and workforce data?
  • A. A coral reef that supports diverse marine life.
  • B. A beehive where every worker has a specific, integrated role.
  • C. The Pando tree, a massive network of aspen trees sharing a single root system.
  • D. A spider web that catches and connects disparate pieces of information.
Question 11 of 11
What does the concept of 'skill shapes' reveal about the job market?
  • A. That technical skills are universally more valuable than human skills.
  • B. That the specific skills demanded for a role can vary significantly depending on the region of the country.
  • C. That most workers already possess the exact skills needed for the jobs of the future.
  • D. That employers prefer candidates with a broad, generalized education over specialized training.

Long Life Learning — Full Chapter Overview

Long Life Learning Summary & Overview

Long Life Learning (2020) argues decisively that the ways in which we currently think about education and its relationship to work are broken and passé. More and more jobs are being automated, college degrees have been devalued, and people are living longer lives than ever before. These factors, combined with others, are a blaring signal that we must shift toward learning that is designed to be both lifelong and suitable for longer lives.

Who Should Listen to Long Life Learning?

  • Current or aspiring business and political leaders
  • Educators who want to help reform academia
  • Anyone curious about the future of work

About the Author: Michelle R. Weise

Michelle R. Weise, PhD, is the vice-chancellor of strategy and innovation at National University System. Previously, she was a senior advisor at Imaginable Futures, a philanthropic investment firm, and chief innovation officer at both Strada Education Network and Southern New Hampshire University. She was one of 30 management and leadership thinkers on Thinkers50’s list of people to watch in 2021.

🎧
Listen in the AppOffline playback & background play
Get App