Freelancing as A New Norm: Transformation of Employment and Challenges for The Education System

Abstract

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon of freelancing as a new form of employment in the context of the transformation of the labor market in the early 2020s. The evolution of the content of freelance activity from narrow specialists (I-people) to multidisciplinary professionals (M-people) is considered in the context of the concepts of “liquid modernity” by Z. Bauman and “risk society” by U. Beck. Special attention is paid to the dual nature of the interaction between freelancing and the education system: on the one hand, education acts as an institution for training personnel for independent employment, and on the other hand, it itself becomes a field for freelance activity. New formats of integration are analyzed, including university ecosystems (using the Jobify platform as an example) and commercial EdTech projects. The issue of “secondary educational services” (tutoring, commissioned works, academic fraud) as a shadow segment of the market is considered separately. In conclusion, conclusions are drawn about the need for institutional adaptation of educational programs to the formation of competencies required in the conditions of independent employment and overcoming the ethical contradictions generated by the commercialization of education.