WISE WORDS

In Singapore for the Education Benefit Gala last December, former U.S. president Barack Obama charmed the audience with personal stories peppered with delightful wit as he spoke about leadership, future-proofing the workforce, and that elusive work-life balance

- JAMIE NONIS

The private charity event, organized by Novena Global Lifecare healthcare and aesthetics group and held at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, featured a moderated dialogue in which the 44th president of the United States spoke about the global economy, climate change, the evolving mediascape, and the call for more diversity — in society and in the workplace. Here are some excerpts.

On future-proofing the labor force

“We live in a knowledge-based age and so the most important skills are going to be ones that involve work between the ears rather than using your hands. Everybody has understood this for quite some time. Some countries have adapted better, some worse, but this will accelerate much faster than we’ve ever seen.

“Essentially, anything that is repeatable will be done by a machine. There are certain things humans cannot compete with, and it’s not just factory work.

“What that means is that we have to then retrain, redesign and revalue those unique things that humans can do that machines cannot do. A machine cannot spark a sense of self-worth and inspiration in a child the way a teacher can. And yet, we pay teachers miserably compared to some other professions.

“In healthcare, there are some things a machine should do because they do it better, but the ability to nurse someone and care for them, those are examples of occupations that we currently undervalue but that’s actually going to be the thing humans [ought to] do.