The Future is Now

By Di Wright

No one can accurately, or consistently predict the future. That said, it is important , like Richard Worzel- known as “The Futurist “(futurist@futuresearch.com), recommends that you have plan B and even C ready to be implemented, especially when it comes to your career.

For instance, whether we like to acknowledge it or not, the Canadian economy is affected by the American one- more than 70 % of Canadian Trade is with the US and so our economy is very much interconnected.

With respect to career planning, it is best to use scenario planning in order to have Plan B, and C ready to go , if necessary. Use different scenarios based on your research and development, and professional network and memberships to help design your career plan strategies. This is one way of being “ proactively creative” in a very difficult market place.  List all your skills and competencies and see how they can be transferred to different fields. You will be quite impressed to know that your skills can fit in with many other professional fields, particularly if you have to change fields due to a layoff or a restructuring process.

In your scenario planning,  it is important to keep in mind that the  economy of the 21^st century  will be driven by innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology.

Personally,  to maintain “the future is now” mentality, I try to keep up on the trends -looking  for declining sectors and future areas of growth by watching the channel- CP24, reading the online version  and e-updates from the Canadian Business magazine, Business Week, Globe and Mail,  Macleans, and  watching the Business News Network Channel .  Subscribing to all of these previously mentioned  for  their e-newsletter/e- updates can also keep  you in the “know”.

In addition, you  can   subscribe to the e-updates/ newsletter for Money Sense,  and Profit magazines that will get you  up -to -speed regarding what is happening in the economic world. Other sites , such as  Statistics Canada ,Manpower, and Canadian Federation of Business can give you current information on various sectors and demographics for doing your scenario planning. .

Furthermore,  you  can  do extensive research  at these sites: The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development: www.oecd.org/ ; and The Conference Board of Canada, which has a team of more than 60 experienced researchers,  that can specifically  target your search:  www.conferenceboard.ca/

Finally, studying Canada’s Economic Action Plan: www.actionplan.gc.ca  is highly recommended  in developing a foundation for your career strategy.

Di Wright is a Certified ESL Teacher by the Teachers of English as a Second Language of Ontario, and has accumulated a total of 11 years in the career and education management field—both in the non-profit (e.g. Toronto Board of Education ) and corporate sector. She has well-rounded insight and hands-on experience in coaching, counseling and instructing/ facilitating individuals, either on an one-onone basis or in groups. For the last six years, she has taught business communications/ workplace competencies at a private career college for internationally educated professionals.