Why is creativity an important skill in the 21st century?

We have already established that creativity is a core human skill. It is foundational for our development as a species. It is also a skill that has been identified as being more and more sought after in workplaces (World Economic Forum 2020) and it is something that we all need to solve some of the more challenging problems our world is facing.

In many places across our globe, there is a growing reliance on technology, artificial intelligence, robots, and automated work processes, however creativity is still one of those skills that we humans seem to master better than machines. The ability to be creative in your workplace is also usually more fun, which suggests it can be good for our mental health and wellbeing.

There are several lists of so called 21st century of ‘future of work’ skills, and many of these include creativity as a core skill that students need to have to succeed in the future.

For example, the World Economic Forum article linked above (October 2020) identifies the top 15 skills for 2025. The four identified ‘capabilities’ students require are:

• Critical thinking/problem solving
• Creativity
• Communication
• Collaboration

Similarly, Forbes listed the follow five ‘future of work’ skills as vital for the future:

1. Creativity
2. EQ (Emotional intelligence)
3. Analytical (critical) thinking
4. Active learning with a growth mindset
5. Judgment and decision making

Let’s discuss

Reflect on the above information and video, think about how you might demonstrate your creativity if you were applying for a new role? Share your thoughts in the comments below.