What do fighter pilots and accountants have in common?

I know this may sound like the leader to a joke but surprisingly, fighter pilots and accountants will have convergent work and training requirements into the future. Let me explain…

To gen Xers like me, it would seem there is a growing urban myth about our progeny – the “gen Y.” I must admit to being loathed to even make reference to our children in such a manner! However, there is cause to consider how the requirements of our workforce will change with the passing of the old and the entry of the new. The interesting thing is that in the large, these same requirements of our younger sisters and brothers will be required in all professions and walks of life. That is, from fighter pilot to graduate accountant, new graduates and early career professionals will have different expectations, beliefs, and capabilities.

I was reading a United States Air Force (USAF) document entitled “Air Space Cyberspace On Learning: The Future of Air Force Education and Training” the other day and it really made an impression on me. Here’s a description on the global environment the USAF is flying into:

1. Greater competition for skilled labour will make it difficult for the USAF to maintain its current deployment. Therefore, The USAF will have to do more with less personnel.
2. There is an “explosion of knowledge” unrivalled in human history, which puts pressure on the USAF to maintain its strategic advantage.
3. Adaptation to new circumstances must be incorporated quickly into the USAF’s operational systems because there is little strategic advantage to be gained from technology itself – agressors will have access to similar resources and the difference between victory and defeat will become associated more with human capability rather than superior firepower.

Here’s a heads-up on a couple of ideas the authors had regarding training and managing career airmen and women in that environment:

1. Collaboration tools will be critical to success. “Net Natives” (gen Y) have different views on sharing and privacy and social media environments will be an essential place for knowledge sharing. “Loose ties” and group accomplishment are defined preferences of these new workers and systems must be oriented to provide this functionality.
2. Net natives have been raised in an environment where simulation gaming is ubiquitous. Therefore, tranining and working environments should be oriented to provide highly interactive experiences with clear learning objectives. “Serious gaming” will be a regular part of training, education and on the job experience.
3. New “bottom-up” demands will be focussed on the provision of digital over traditional forms of work-related media. This will require the adoption of richer media and more complex learning management systems that can be accessed on any electronic device at any time. Mobile technologies will become an increasingly important educational tool.
4. The USAF will need to invest in their personnel “to hedge against the vagaries of an uncertain and rapidly changing future threat environment. The USAF needs to dramatically improve its ability to operate in a cognitive domain and increasing the intellectual capital of Airmen and women will be critical to this effort.”

The similarities between the USAF and civilian organisations are profound.

These snippets should make us pause to reflect on our own management of employees and the parallels between USAF HR requirements and activities and those of the new millenium enterprise. Finally, these sentiments force me to realise just how much things have changed since the turn of the 21st century and I believe truly the best and most profound changes are yet to come. In the end, organisations who can retain their employees and manage their knowledge assets honestly and openly will be the victors.