The future of work and “how safe is my job” are occupying the minds of many people.
A recent article by Greg Sartell titled “These Are The Skills Your Kid Will Need For The Future” paints an alarming picture for the future of people currently working in the jobs most likely to be automated in the next 20 years.
How do we prepare ourselves for a future where jobs that have been providing employment for millions of people for generations – in some cases centuries or millenia – are disappearing. Victims of automation and artificial intelligence.
Other jobs are being outsourced to regions with low wages, that is only prolonging the agony. As surely as the last species of dinosaur eventually became extinct offshore workers doing those jobs will eventually suffer the same fate as their counterparts in the developed world.
A direct quote from the article:
Greg Sartell
One thing economists have consistently found is that it is routine jobs that are most likely to be automated. The best way to prepare for the future is to develop the ability to learn and adapt
The article quotes an Oxford University study which expects 47% of today’s jobs to be gone in the next 20 years.
The purpose of this blog is not to be negative, it is to find opportunities and help you overcome and thrive on adversity.
Throughout history, periods of rapid change have always created huge opportunities for a few, difficulties and disasters for many.
Skills kids will need to be employed in the future
Many analytical and design activities are already being carried out effectively, quickly and economically by automation.
Repetitive assembly and processing functions in fields as diverse as manufacturing, agriculture and distribution are done by robots or computer controlled machinery that do not get tired or bored. They do not get back aches, become allergic to chemicals, argue with bosses, fight or have emotional entanglements with other workers.
They also perform at the same level 24 hours a day 7 days a week with no supervision and most self diagnose any malfunctions.
That means many engineering, manufacturing and machine operating skills won’t be needed.
Self-driving trucks, tractors, combine harvesters, excavators and other
Some branches of science, engineering, accounting, medicine are already experiencing redundant job categories.
What’s left for the future of work
There are still many
- Communication especially the ability to communicate complex ideas.
- Systems design
Team work and collaboration- Understanding how people feel – empathy
Creative side of Marketing and Entertainment- Business and Consumer Sales of complicated items & services
- Legal issues other than
routine creation of documents - Teaching and Training especially
of new technologies - Some Animal Training and Handling
- Recreation and Vacation
- Religion & Spiritual counselling
That’s just a start there are many more.
Conclusion
It’s pointless being the most highly trained and productive fax machine salesperson today when the fax machine is virtually obsolete.
This is as relevant whether you are still at school or in the last 10 years of your working life. Jobs have a tendency to disappear when it is most inconvenient.
What’s happening to the future of work in your industry?
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