New research by RBC says that 50 per cent of Canadian jobs will be disrupted by automation in the next 10 years.

The RBC research paper, Humans Wanted – How Canadian youth can thrive in the age of disruption, says that because of this disruption, Canada's young people who are currently transitioning from education to employment are unprepared for the rapidly changing workplace.

The study, released today, says that with a shift occurring from a jobs economy to a skills economy, young people will require a portfolio of "human skills" to remain competitive and resilient in the labour market.

Skills revolution

"Canada is at a historic cross-roads – we have the largest generation of young people coming into the workforce at the very same time technology is starting to impact most jobs in the country," said Dave McKay, President and CEO, RBC. "Canada is on the brink of a skills revolution and we have a responsibility to prepare young people for the opportunities and ambiguities of the future."

The study found an increasing demand for human skills will grow across all job sectors and include: critical thinking, co-ordination, social perceptiveness, active listening and complex problem solving.

Digital literacy

“Rather than a nation of coders, digital literacy – the ability to understand digital items, digital technologies or the Internet fluently – will be necessary for all new jobs,” says the study.”