Published by Wanda Rich
Posted on April 17, 2024
3 min readLast updated: January 30, 2026
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You will often encounter white papers, LinkedIn posts, and business journal articles that take inventory of the future of business. And often, they name-check the usual suspects driving change: macro trends in global trade, emerging technologies, changing attitudes on eco-consciousness, etc.
You will often encounter white papers, LinkedIn posts, and business journal articles that take inventory of the future of business. And often, they name-check the usual suspects driving change: macro trends in global trade, emerging technologies, changing attitudes on eco-consciousness, etc.
However, arguably, the most significant impact on the future of business is education. Education underscores everything. It nurtures the next generation of minds who will create those unforeseen technologies, spearhead those trade trends, and implement those green business practices.
Within education, the most significant trend has been the skyward success of online learning. In the past two decades, online schools went from being a niche version of correspondence classes to a full-blown industry disruptor. Spoiler: This is good news for the business world.
This article explores how online education prepares a new generation of businesspeople for success.
According to recent statistics, roughly 80% of the working population (one in five) uses a computer daily. Expect that number to increase in the coming decades.
As the business world increasingly digitizes, it needs backing from an education system tailored to this new reality. And that’s precisely what online learning does. Online education prepares its students for the real professional world, encouraging students to submit projects online, collaborate digitally, communicate via online channels, etc. High school students who work through online courses are better prepared for the modern workplace.
Most brick-and-mortar schools work on an “instructor-led model.” In this model, a teacher tells students what to do and when to do it, effectively externalizing their sense of motivation.
The best online schools, like Ontario eSecondary School, operate on what’s called a “self-paced model.” In a self-paced model, students must work at their own pace, creating their own schedules for course completion, and managing their time personally. This model helps students internalize a sense of motivation, fostering critical soft skills like self-reliance, effective time management, adaptability and a self-starting work ethic.
The rise in online education has done more to democratize learning across the globe than pretty much anything that came before. A STEM enthusiast in India can now access a Canadian education remotely; a math genius in Nigeria can tap into the American high school system; a business prodigy in Taiwan can remotely gain a North American diploma with an easier track toward world-class universities.
It’s hard to tell exactly how impactful this global approach to education will be for future business. However, it will probably be a massive game changer.
Lastly, online education is flexible. Because the best online schools are self-paced (see above), they do not operate on a fixed, 9 AM to 4 PM daily schedule. This flexibility allows online students to pursue extracurricular passions.
If an online grade 12 student wants to earmark a portion of their time to put together a business proposal or build the backend of a new app, they are free to do so. Online learning’s flexibility helps business-minded students nurture their skillset before they enter the job market.
In summary, the future of education and the future of business are inextricably linked. Luckily, the rise in online schools should have positive knock-on effects for the business world.
Online education refers to learning that takes place over the internet, allowing students to access courses and materials remotely, often at their own pace.
Soft skills are personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with others, including communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
Self-paced learning allows students to progress through educational material at their own speed, rather than following a fixed schedule set by an instructor.
Education plays a crucial role in shaping the skills and knowledge of future business leaders, influencing innovation and economic growth.
Global education access refers to the ability for individuals around the world to obtain education, often facilitated by online platforms that break geographical barriers.
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