The Skills That Will Define Tomorrow: A Conversation with Linda Perry Lube
R.O.S.A. has launched a new interview series exploring the future of education, from AI in the classroom to closing the digital divide for underserved learners. The latest installment features Linda Perry Lube, a member of R.O.S.A.’s Board of Directors, who brings her experience at IBM to the organization’s mission.
The conversation opens with a striking statistic: the World Economic Forum estimates that 65% of students currently in school will work in jobs that don’t yet exist. Lube’s take is that schools can no longer train students for a single career path; education has to prepare young people “to adapt, think critically, solve problems, collaborate, and keep learning throughout life.” That means rethinking the classroom through real-world projects and portfolios, because, as she puts it, “the future of education isn’t about preparing students for one job, it’s about preparing them to thrive in constant change.”
Asked which human skills will matter most as AI reshapes the workforce, Lube named three: critical thinking, creativity, and emotional intelligence, “the ones that make us most human.” In a tech-saturated world, she added, these skills “won’t just matter, they’ll define what makes us irreplaceable.” On closing educational gaps, she was clear that access alone isn’t enough: technology “can help break down barriers of geography, language, disability, and limited resources,” but only when it’s designed with underserved communities in mind from the start.
Lube joined R.O.S.A.’s board to connect the organization with resources through IBM and its culture of volunteerism. The most meaningful part, she said, has been “helping create connections that strengthen the organization’s impact,” and she hopes to see R.O.S.A. “continue expanding its reach… and creating greater access to education and global digital literacy for communities around the world.”
Her point about emotional intelligence is already showing up in R.O.S.A.’s work on the ground. On June 29, the TTT Program community in Zanzibar gathered virtually for a mentoring session on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), led by guest speaker Serena Seibel, Co-Founder of CLAIM. Participants explored practical strategies for fostering student well-being, strengthening classroom relationships, and building positive, student-centered learning environments, while trading examples of active learning practices from their own classrooms. It’s a reminder that preparing students for the 21st-century job market isn’t only about digital literacy; it’s also about equipping teachers to nurture the human qualities that will matter most in an AI-driven future.
Together, these conversations point to a simple truth: the future of education won’t be defined by any single tool or technology, but by how well we prepare both students and teachers to adapt, connect, and grow alongside it.
