Music education could help future-proof kids against the AI revolution

Governments need to invest more in primary school music education to give the next generation the skills to beat automation in the future job market.

Speaking on the Sonos ‘Better Listening’ panel in Sydney last week about the power of music education, ARIA CEO Dan Rosen said many jobs in science and maths will be automated within 20 to 30 years, so we should train our kids to do what robots can’t – create art and music.

“We don’t know what those future jobs will be, but we do know we’re going to need empathy, emotional intelligence and creativity.

“Evidence shows music can teach those skills.”

By not providing everyone with music education, we are under-investing in our young people,” Rosen said.

Rosen recently partnered with The Song Room charity to launch the inaugural ARIA music teacher award. Hundreds of school children voted for Adelaide teacher Renee McCarthy last year and the search is on again for this year’s superstar music educator.

When we speak to award-wining musicians and artists, there was always a teacher somewhere along the way who sparked their love of music,” Rosen said.

But McCarthy belongs to a rare breed, with only one in four Australian primary schools employing a specialist music teacher.

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