"I've loved every minute of it. My family keeps asking if I want to stop, but I have no plans to retire." Dolly Saville was speaking as she celebrated her 100th, and final, birthday last year. Over 75 years as a barmaid in the Buckinghamshire town of Wendover, she served pints to a James Bond, a prime minister, a great classical ballet dancer and the first-ever European footballer of the year. One expert now thinks Dolly's experience might look normal when today's children are older. FuturologistFuturology is the study of possible and probable futures. Rohit Talwar says those aged 11 in 2015 may work until they are 100 and live to the age of 120. He foresees them doing 40 or more jobs in ten or more careers over their lengthy lifetimes. Talwar contends that people's lifespans are extended for five months with each additional year they live, as a result of medical advances such as life-extending drugs. He also says robots could eliminate 30 to 80% of jobs in the British economy, meaning we will need to work harder. Such trends could require us to work very differently. Our view of work is already undergoing significant change: globalisationThe growing interdependence of the world's economies, peoples and cultures. is making it easier to move people and capital around the world and access cheap labour and materials. Talwar says then sharing economy will develop increasing significance and children should learn more 'soft' skills, such as meditation and stress management. For at least 90% of human history, the work of humans involved hunting and gathering in order to survive. A subsistenceSubsistence farmers are people who only grow what they (and their families) need – though if they grow more than expected, they might sell a small amount of produce. These farmers need to be self-sufficient, meaning that a poor crop can cause starvation. It is common in parts of Asia, including India and China, and some of southern and eastern Africa. lifestyle still exists in parts of the developing world. But there have also always been thinkers who saw work as a far more complex activity. Over 2,000 years ago the Greek philosopher and scientist AristotleA student of Plato, tutor to Alexander the Great and the father of political philosophy. said that anyone who has to work is effectively enslaved. In the 19th Century Karl MarxA 19th-Century German economist and philosopher who argued that capitalism was doomed to collapse. examined people's need for enriching work and criticised capitalismA form of economy characterised by private property and competition between companies. for failing to provide it. The prospect of doing 89 more years of work will make some 11-year-olds think: are you joking? We should be trying to do less work, not more. Very few people enjoy working. Advances in technology should be used to make us less dependent on work, rather than more. Others say we should see Dolly Saville as an inspiration. She had no academic qualifications, but by committing herself to her job she met amazing people and touched thousands of lives. Imagine someone with her mentality in the age of opportunity which lies before today's youngsters: they could lead a life full of enriching experiences. Work is our greatest opportunity to make a difference while we live and to be remembered after we die. Q & A How should I prepare for this? Whether you end up working to 100 or not, work is already changing a great deal. Many more people, for example, now change careers or work for themselves. Staying in one job is becoming harder because rapid change is making more jobs obsolete. This makes it important to be flexible, have a range of skills and be prepared to show initiative; you will need to consider why different employers might hire you. And don't underestimate the importance of people skills - it is difficult to foresee robots being made which can interact with humans as well as we can ourselves. Should I change the way I live now? Talwar has stressed that memory will be an important skill in years to come, and that we should get more sleep: our working lives are likely to be chaotic.KeywordsFuturologist - Futurology is the study of possible and probable futures.
You’ll work to 100, expert tells 11-year-olds
"I've loved every minute of it. My family keeps asking if I want to stop, but I have no plans to retire." Dolly Saville was speaking as she celebrated her 100th, and final, birthday last year. Over 75 years as a barmaid in the Buckinghamshire town of Wendover, she served pints to a James Bond, a prime minister, a great classical ballet dancer and the first-ever European footballer of the year. One expert now thinks Dolly's experience might look normal when today's children are older. FuturologistFuturology is the study of possible and probable futures. Rohit Talwar says those aged 11 in 2015 may work until they are 100 and live to the age of 120. He foresees them doing 40 or more jobs in ten or more careers over their lengthy lifetimes. Talwar contends that people's lifespans are extended for five months with each additional year they live, as a result of medical advances such as life-extending drugs. He also says robots could eliminate 30 to 80% of jobs in the British economy, meaning we will need to work harder. Such trends could require us to work very differently. Our view of work is already undergoing significant change: globalisationThe growing interdependence of the world's economies, peoples and cultures. is making it easier to move people and capital around the world and access cheap labour and materials. Talwar says then sharing economy will develop increasing significance and children should learn more 'soft' skills, such as meditation and stress management. For at least 90% of human history, the work of humans involved hunting and gathering in order to survive. A subsistenceSubsistence farmers are people who only grow what they (and their families) need - though if they grow more than expected, they might sell a small amount of produce. These farmers need to be self-sufficient, meaning that a poor crop can cause starvation. It is common in parts of Asia, including India and China, and some of southern and eastern Africa. lifestyle still exists in parts of the developing world. But there have also always been thinkers who saw work as a far more complex activity. Over 2,000 years ago the Greek philosopher and scientist AristotleA student of Plato, tutor to Alexander the Great and the father of political philosophy. said that anyone who has to work is effectively enslaved. In the 19th Century Karl MarxA 19th-Century German economist and philosopher who argued that capitalism was doomed to collapse. examined people's need for enriching work and criticised capitalismA form of economy characterised by private property and competition between companies. for failing to provide it. The prospect of doing 89 more years of work will make some 11-year-olds think: are you joking? We should be trying to do less work, not more. Very few people enjoy working. Advances in technology should be used to make us less dependent on work, rather than more. Others say we should see Dolly Saville as an inspiration. She had no academic qualifications, but by committing herself to her job she met amazing people and touched thousands of lives. Imagine someone with her mentality in the age of opportunity which lies before today's youngsters: they could lead a life full of enriching experiences. Work is our greatest opportunity to make a difference while we live and to be remembered after we die.
<h2>Q & A</h2>
Futurologist - Futurology is the study of possible and probable futures.
Globalisation - The growing interdependence of the world's economies, peoples and cultures.
Subsistence - Subsistence farmers are people who only grow what they (and their families) need - though if they grow more than expected, they might sell a small amount of produce. These farmers need to be self-sufficient, meaning that a poor crop can cause starvation. It is common in parts of Asia, including India and China, and some of southern and eastern Africa.
Aristotle - A student of Plato, tutor to Alexander the Great and the father of political philosophy.
Karl Marx - A 19th-Century German economist and philosopher who argued that capitalism was doomed to collapse.
Capitalism - A form of economy characterised by private property and competition between companies.
You’ll work to 100, expert tells 11-year-olds
Glossary
Futurologist - Futurology is the study of possible and probable futures.
Globalisation - The growing interdependence of the world's economies, peoples and cultures.
Subsistence - Subsistence farmers are people who only grow what they (and their families) need – though if they grow more than expected, they might sell a small amount of produce. These farmers need to be self-sufficient, meaning that a poor crop can cause starvation. It is common in parts of Asia, including India and China, and some of southern and eastern Africa.
Aristotle - A student of Plato, tutor to Alexander the Great and the father of political philosophy.
Karl Marx - A 19th-Century German economist and philosopher who argued that capitalism was doomed to collapse.
Capitalism - A form of economy characterised by private property and competition between companies.