The career landscape is changing; technological developments, geopolitical tensions, and climate emergencies are expected to reinvent the global labour market by 2030. This is resulting in surging demand for AI and data specialists, cybersecurity professionals, and autonomous vehicle engineers, yet the need for distinctly human-centred transferable skills remains just as vital.
Skills-based hiring allows businesses to prepare for an unpredictable future by building teams that can think critically and adapt as fast as the market evolves. This is why the World Economic Forum (WEF) ranks analytical thinking as the most sought-after skill by global employers, followed by resilience, flexibility, and leadership.
However, the ‘skills gap’ is widely reported, reflecting the widening discrepancy between business needs and employee capabilities. How can international schools close this gap and prepare students for success in a rapidly changing job market? Jinane Helou from ABA Oman International School, Barry Cooper from The Global College, and Jared Nolan from Hochalpines Institut Ftan AG showcase their school’s unique initiatives to address this need.
ABA Oman International School
Jinane Helou is the University and Careers Counsellor at ABA Oman International School, an IB curriculum school in Muscat committed to fostering leadership, adaptability, and innovative thinking in its students.
Jinane introduces students to career-focused knowledge through tools such as Springpod, a digital platform offering industry-specific work experience and courses. Topics of focus include data science, cybersecurity, finance, and sustainable technology – by comparison, the WEF features big data specialists, FinTech engineers, and environmental engineers among the world’s fifteen fastest growing jobs.
Building upon this, the school’s newly introduced Careers Day introduces students to a range of pathways through workshops and panel discussions. This year’s event featured advice and insights from professionals in fields such as media, law, finance, and big pharma, along with focused sessions on topics like CV writing and discovering your professional calling. This preparation facilitates students’ early insight and skills development for high demand future careers, enabling them to make informed decisions through mentorship opportunities and practical experience.
Young people worldwide are increasingly considering careers less vulnerable to automation, whilst simultaneously recognising the need for continuous technological learning and upskilling. ABA Oman International School prepares students for both pursuits through an extensive extracurricular programme, which includes a Coding Club, Robotics Club, Model United Nations, and arts performance groups. Alongside this, students work towards the Global Citizen Diploma, a high school credential which allows students to showcase a range of skills and core values such as management and public communication. Enrichment activities such as these support the development of essential workplace competencies that cannot be digitally replicated, making them particularly valuable in increasingly technology-driven roles and industries.
Source: ABA Oman International School
The Global College
Barry Cooper is the Founding Principal of The Global College in Madrid, an IBDP international school fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in a world of rapid digitalisation.
Entrepreneurship is a focal point at the school. Barry regards it as a “meta skill” that encompasses leadership, teamwork, analytical thinking, and communication – some of the WEF’s core skills for 2025. Skills such as these give students the ability to adapt and thrive in an uncertain world, something which is essential across all industries given the rapid market changes predicted for the 2025-2030 period.
Accordingly, in partnership with IE University’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center, The Global College runs ‘The Entrepreneurship Project’ where students learn how to present and become persuasive public speakers, design and carry out experiments to validate ideas, and learn from an exclusive network of social entrepreneurs. This experience prepares students to pitch ideas, test new innovations, and build industry connections, introducing them to influential mentors at this early stage.
Alongside this, in addition to implementing technological methodologies and new AI tools, Barry and The Global College proactively champion the humanities. Subjects such as literature, languages, and the arts are integral to connecting students to culture, encouraging creativity and clear communication, and retaining value in the face of automation. This is why the school is home to four different arts spaces – a film studio, video studio, and two visual arts rooms – in addition to running four different languages in the core curriculum. By developing a global mindset through the humanities – studying and critiquing these subjects in depth – students will be able to answer the challenging questions raised by technological change.
Source: The Global College
Hochalpines Institut Ftan AG
Jared Nolan is the Director at Hochalpines Institut Ftan AG (HIF), a Swiss international school and leading sports academy that encourages confidence and independence through adventure-driven learning.
Whilst new technologies and AI advancements are regarded as the primary forces driving global labour market transformation, rising living costs, economic stagnation, and societal issues also play significant roles. Addressing these challenges requires a global perspective, cross-cultural collaboration, and a deep understanding of country-specific nuances. International schools need to prepare students for this future. In Jared’s words:
“we need to support [students’] development of a strong sense of right and wrong, foster sensitivity to the claims that others make about us and the world, and empower them to challenge the limits of individual and collective action.”
Jared Nolan
To put this into action, HIF runs ‘Ignite: Switzerland’, an outdoor education programme that challenges students to think differently and develop a global mindset through experiential learning. Seasonal sports instruction, such as skiing, sailing, and rock climbing, encourages resilience and teamwork, whilst cultural visits to European cities allow students to experience new ways of living. The programme places strong emphasis on real-world, transferable experiences: students can achieve credentials in first aid, water safety, and forestry management, and engage in learning opportunities at organisations like UNICEF and CERN.
The success of ‘Ignite’ has led to a specialist pathway diploma at HIF, integrating experiential learning and now accepting enrolments for September 2025. Though this will initially set HIF apart on the international stage, it also marks a significant step as international schools evolve into world-leading institutions that foster globally minded citizens, ready for the future world of work.
Source: Hochalpines Institut Ftan AG
Bridging international education to the future
As the career landscape continues to evolve, international schools need to prepare students for an uncertain future market. Institutions like ABA Oman International School, The Global College, and Hochalpines Institut Ftan AG are implementing visionary initiatives to balance academic excellence with practical, cross-disciplinary experience. This approach allows students to develop uniquely human skills that resist automation, and a global perspective to tackle the world’s biggest challenges.
