When I ask the folks at Google, or Apple, or Liberty Mutual Insurance, or Cisco Systems what they need from the next generation, here's what they tell me.

Productivity

We want employees who are not afraid to do more with less. Workers who can accomplish more with less waste, less pollution, fewer people. Folks who will enable us to compete in the world market, not by working for lower pay, but by working smarter. We are looking for people who are more productive.

Communication

Our ideal employee can read faster, and extract more meaning from the material. She can also think quickly and speak clearly so others understand her. He can write succinct and effective directions, explain a complex process to a novice, and persuade a customer to buy a product. The person we are looking for knows the best tool for the task, whether it be email, instant message, videoconference, podcast, or personal visit. She can understand the point of view of her correspondents, and see things from their perspective, a kind of social intelligence. He can bring to bear on modern day-to-day interactions the classic ideas of literature and art. The people we need are competent communicators.

Research

And they can figure things out for themselves. They can recognize a problem as it arises, research possible solutions, and design a new system to fix it. All without close supervision. They constantly scan the world (and the world wide web) for information and ideas relevant to their work. On their own they collect it, compare it, and then predict what might happen next. The folks we are looking for are good independent researchers.

Media

These people employ several languages to understand and communicate. English for sure, but the most valuable have a couple of foreign languages as well. The best can speak the language of mathematics, along with the vocabulary of one or two of the sciences. They are equally at home expressing themselves through text, voice, images, drama, music, poetry, animation, and video. Whatever it takes to get the job done. They consume critically these forms of expression, and produce persuasively in every one. The most valuable employees recognize beauty in each of these forms. They are masters of all media.

Publishing

Our best workers can tell their own stories. They can explain complex ideas to confused customers. They can present and demonstrate procedures to their co-workers. They know how to compose effective reports to their supervisors. They use whichever channels work best to get the message to the audience. They author their own work and they do it quickly. The best of them do it truthfully, beautifully, and ethically. We need people who can present and publish.

Not...

It is interesting to note what these folks are not asking for. I have never heard an employer (or an admissions officer at a competitive college) ask for people who can...

• Factor polynomials on paper.
• Fill in blanks in paper forms.
• Do long division with a pencil.
• Alphabetize a list by hand.
• Write in cursive script.
• Know the capitals of the states by heart.
• Write a creative personal essay.
• Pin things up on bulletin boards.
• Cut out shapes with scissors.

These things don't make it to the short list of essential competencies for the future.

Technology