Super Skills to Succeed

It is estimated that by 2025, 85 million jobs will be replaced by rapid automation and 40% of core skills will change for workers. New jobs such as Product Design, Plotting Data and User Experience Design will be the new hot positions of the (foreseeable) future and soft skills such as storytelling, change management and communication will become more prevalent to support hard skills.
A skill is defined as the ability to do something well by using your knowledge and aptitude. Skills therefore require special training and knowledge. The need for skills is flexible as it is determined by the needs and wants of people. For this reason, skills will always evolve to stay on trend with current developments.
New skills for new times
We are living in very unique and unpredictable times. In our post-COVID world, and due to pioneering developments in technology, everything is evolving at a faster pace. The result is that many skills that we have mastered in the past, are now irrelevant or not desirable anymore.
Research done by the Coursera group (an online course provider) shows that despite automation “taking” 40% of the jobs, new opportunities to work in technology and automation will more than make up for the predicted job losses. Our children will be the guinea-pigs of a new era where the development of adapted core skills will be crucial to navigate the workforce.
Soft skills take centre stage
Coursera published lists with the top 10 hard skills and soft skills that would be required of the workforce in the modern world. Soft skills include: communication, change management, professional development, storytelling, planning, influencing, decision making and problem solving. The trend shows that hard skills must be complemented by soft skills to give consumers and customers the ultimate user experience. An employee will therefore be required to not only have hard skills such as technological skills, but will also need soft skills to communicate, make decisions and be flexible.
Storytelling and influencing are two relatively new skills that will directly influence advertising. Customers have so much to choose from these days that they want to know the story behind the product and be convinced that they cannot live without the product. Both Product Design and User Experience Design therefore focus heavily on the consumer and on customer satisfaction. Another hard skill on the top 10 list is Social Media, which ties in with the focus on consumers and customers. Although hard skills are more specific to talent and interests, soft skills can be developed.
You can help develop your children’s soft skills by:
Asking them to make decisions
Being able to make a choice or a decision is an important soft skill to learn. Don’t give your young child too many complicated choices though, stick to simple choices like choosing between orange or apple juice. Teenagers should be able to make more complicated decisions with your guidance. If they do make a decision or choice, it is important to hold them accountable for it.
Encouraging them to solve problems
Solving emotional and academic problems are both great soft skills to learn. Young kids can learn problem solving skills through play, e.g. building a ramp for his toy car. Ask questions to guide them, but don’t give the solution immediately. The best way to solve a problem is to try different solutions, until you find the perfect solution.
Letting them tell you about their day
Being a mother of two teenage boys, I know this is easier said than done. The key here is to not force the conversation. Most kids do not want to have elaborate conversations on the way home after school. If you do get your child to talk, ask questions that will encourage them to elaborate – this way they will practise their storytelling and communication skills.
Helping them to plan their week ahead
This is another soft skill that does not necessarily come naturally for all people. Planning your children’s week ahead with them is not only beneficial to your household, but also teaches them a skill and habit that will benefit them for life. People who plan, plan for success.
Teaching them to be flexible
Flexibility or the ability to adapt to change in our new world is an indispensable soft skill. Some personalities find it easier than others to adapt to change. Encourage your children to embrace change and not to fear it. There are many everyday situations where you can teach your children to be flexible. Although planning and routine are important, the real world is full of curve-balls that children should learn to navigate.
A double disruption, led by automation and COVID-19, is reshaping work and the skills it requires across industries and markets. Make sure your children (and you) stay ahead of the curve by sharpening their soft skills to succeed.

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Woman writing math equations on a chalkboard, holding a notebook, with a thought bubble of the pi symbol.

Preparing for Maths Assessments

By Estelle Barnard • October 22, 2025

Mathematics rewards practice with purpose: spaced revision, plenty of self-testing, making notes, checking with feedback, and calm, consistent routines. Below you’ll find exactly how to do this at different stages of school. The Big Three for All Learners Space it out Short, regular sessions beat last-minute marathons. Plan 20–40 minute slots across the week and revisit topics before you forget them. This is known as the spacing effect (Cepeda et al., 2008). Retrieve, don’t just reread Close the book and try to solve or recall from memory. Use past questions, quick quizzes, and “write-from-memory” summaries. Retrieval practice strengthens long-term learning, especially when you check your answers (Roediger & Butler, 2011). Think about your thinking Teach learners to plan, monitor, and evaluate how they study. Simple questions like, “What will I practise today? How will I know I’ve improved?” turn revision from passive to purposeful (EEF, 2018). Primary School (Grades 4–7) Goals Build number sense and fluency (times tables, fractions, decimals). Understand why methods work, not just how to perform them. Study Rhythm Mon/Wed/Fri: 20 min mixed practice (across old and new topics). Tue/Thu: 20 min facts fluency (typically something like time tables or fractions) Weekend: 25–30 min “Teach-Back” session: learner explains one concept aloud (e.g. “How do we find a common denominator?”). High School (Grades 8–12) Goals Strengthen algebraic fluency, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, and calculus. Build exam stamina and the ability to select appropriate methods. Exam Preparation Plan Weeks –4 to –3: Cover all topics and create a spaced schedule. Weeks –3 to –2: Attempt past-paper sections; very important to check with detailed memos. Prepare an error log of frequent mistakes. Weeks –2 to –1: Interleave topics and focus more on challenging topics (e.g., trig, functions, geometry). Final Week: Short, focused recall sessions from your “error log.” The Value of Writing Your Own Notes and Step-by-Step Summaries One of the most effective yet overlooked study habits is summarising key procedures in your own words . Mathematics is full of repeatable processes: simplifying fractions, expanding algebraic expressions, finding derivatives using first principles, or completing the square in a quadratic equation. Writing out the steps helps learners form mental blueprints they can rely on in tests. Why this works Research shows that encoding information through writing and explaining strengthens understanding and recall (Dunlosky et al., 2013; MIT Teaching + Learning Lab, 2020). When learners create their own step-by-step summaries: They engage in sense-making, not just copying. They uncover misconceptions early. They connect formulas with reasoning (“why does this step come next?”). They create a quick reference guide for revision. Examples: Simplifying fractions: Find common factors → Divide numerator and denominator → Check if it can simplify further. Completing the square: Divide so that x squared stands on its own →Take the constant term to the right-hand side →Add half of the coefficient of x squared to both sides → Factorise the left-hand side to form a perfect square → Simplify and solve for x. Visualisation and Trigonometry Trigonometry can be tricky until you visualise how angles behave on the Cartesian plane . Remember: in trigonometry, angles are measured from the positive x-axis , moving anticlockwise for positive angles and clockwise for negative ones. (See the labelled diagram above, showing where each trigonometric ratio is positive or negative, including the reduction formulae.) Using StudyChamp Resources Effectively StudyChamp’s detailed memos and step-by-step worked examples make maths study easier: Compare your solution to the memo. Highlight key reasoning steps. Add the process to your “Maths Procedures Notebook”. By exam time, that notebook becomes your own personalised study guide: practical, and written in your own words. References Cepeda, N. J., et al. (2008). Spacing effects in learning: A temporal ridgeline of optimal retention. Psychological Science, 19(11). Dunlosky, J., et al. (2013). Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest. Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning Guidance Report. Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1). MIT Teaching + Learning Lab. (2020). Note-Taking and Sense-Making Strategies. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.