Dr. Tracey Wilen on Future Technology

Dr. Tracey Wilen is a leading authority figure on the impact of technology on society, the workplace and careers. She is currently the Vice President and Managing Director of the Apollo Research Institute, whose research underlines the importance of education and aims to ensure that our workforce is equipped to deal with a rapidly changing technological landscape. We recently had a chance to ask Tracey a few questions.

You are a thought leader on technology trends—what are three major future trends, and how will they impact career women?

Extended longevity—the fact we are living longer to 100 years or older means we are working longer. In the past we scoped our careers to be 20-30 years. Today women need to realize they will be working for 50-60 years. This means they need to think about how to remain employable in a digital world where new technologies emerge yearly. This may mean planning a career that has numerous job stops and each one will build skills and expertise. The final job stop may be self-employment.

Technology creates and displaces jobs. As the world becomes more automated I think it is important for women to think about how their own jobs and careers will change. For example, if marketing is now embracing social media, get on board with this early. My advice is to keep up with technology trends in your field, job and industry.

Globalization creates a number of opportunities in terms of market expansion, international projects and overseas assignments. But it also creates a more competitive landscape for individuals whose jobs can be outsourced.

What qualities are needed to get a career edge with the advances you are seeing?
Firm trends include:

Be an entrepreneurial employee. Someone who views themselves like the CEO of their job.
Master communication skills—speaking, negotiating, written.


Be a team player but also be able to lead. Competency helps credibility and your personal brand.