In contemporary societies undergoing rapid changes, educational practices cannot focus solely on reproducing what is already known; they must also develop future oriented capabilities, to prepare people for a future that is largely for work and citizenship. What are these future oriented capabilities and do employees in Singapore found to be ‘book smart’ but lacking in soft skills) have them? If not, how can we as Adult Educators help them develop such capabilities? This article will offer some approaches and specific examples of applied pedagogies (i.e. problem based learning, teaching for understanding and project based learning) to help develop learners’ future oriented capabilities.