The World Economic Forum has just released a white paper on the future of jobs (looking forward to 2020 – note this is a lengthy pdf). Those in education will likely focus on the skill set predicted to be of greatest value in 2020. I would summarize these a combination of what most already describe as 21st-century cognitive skills (complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity) and social skills (management skills, social coordination). You will likely view posts from educational bloggers focusing on the development of these skills.
There is more to consider in this report. What areas will provide future employment and perhaps even how many workers are really needed in different fields? When politicians become involved I am somewhat frustrated with their focus and what they feel appropriate to expect of educators. The development of learners with a particular skill set is quite different from creating employment opportunities for this skill set. I think this is a reality that is conveniently ignored.