Skilled

The world of work is rearranging itself underneath our feet: workforces are rapidly aging, remote work and the gig economy are surging, young people are turning away from universities, manual trades are begging for new hires and AI is fundamentally altering the landscape. The ideas we grew up with about what work is desirable, secure or meaningful no longer seem to apply, leaving many of us to wonder: Will I still have a job in the years ahead? And if so, what will it look like?


In Skilled: How to Master the Changing World of Work, Oxford economist and data scientist Dr Fabian Stephany gets to the heart of this sweeping transformation, cutting through the alarmist headlines and utopian promises to reveal a core truth: while the future of work may be more uncertain than ever, the key to thriving remains timeless - skills. It sounds simple, but with the rise of new modes of work and the widening 'skill gap', Fabian argues that learning the right skills isn't just a survival strategy or gateway to opportunity but also of vital political importance. The gap between those few with the skills suited to emerging forms of work and those many without is only widening - leaving those 'left behind' prone to simple truths in an increasingly polarized world.


Through historical and present-day examples, Fabian Stephany examines how individuals and groups have learned new skills and leveraged existing ones with success. Skilled sets out a roadmap for individuals and policymakers of the future.