It’s as inevitable as death and taxes: the robot uprising is coming. While the day that they appear Terminator-style and enslave mankind is still some time away (we hope, oh god, do we hope), automation has made a lot of jobs less viable than in the past.
Jobs board Indeed have noted that an absolute heap of plum gigs will become automated in the very near future. While low-level skilled labour involving repetitive tasks are the obvious contenders, white collar work – including the likes of accounting and economics – will also soon be controlled by the iron grip of our robot overlords.
Thankfully, it’s not all doom and gloom. Indeed has also identified the industries whose jobs have guaranteed staying power for the foreseeable future in Australia. Speaking with PEDESTRIAN.TV, Indeed’s APAC economist Callam Pickering said that the careers of the future will focus heavily on the human qualities that can’t be replicated.
“The most promising careers for the future are those that compliment the worker’s new technology. Alternatively, those that rely heavily on human qualities – human skills, such as social interaction, or creative or critical thinking. Basically skills that are very difficult for automation or robotics to replace.”
If you’re keen on not losing your job to some bucket of nerd shit, it might be time to get involved with one of the following industries that are fairly bullet-proof for the time being:
CYBER SECURITY EXPERTS
With all the talk of hackers, ransomware, and international cyber-security attacks, jobs that focus on detecting, and protecting cyber networks are becoming more common. If anything, this one is a direct by-product of automation; cyber-security experts have become the front line against potential threats to our automated future.
DATA SCIENTIST
Data science is another industry on the rise thanks to the ongoing automation of our lives. Being able to “read” data – to find the patterns and stories within the mountains of data that drive our lives – has become a necessary skill to understand everything from stock markets to sporting performance.
HEALTHCARE
Here’s a hot take: the vast majority of people will, at one point, grow old. Controversial, I know. But the upside of our ongoing mortality is that healthcare (including not only doctors and nurses, but allied health professionals as well) will always be necessary. This is especially true in here in Australia, where we’re facing a rapidly ageing population. The other upside is that because they need empathy and manual labour skills, it’s not an industry suited towards automation.
MARKETING AND DESIGN
Robots may be great at a lot of things, but they’re yet to conquer the world of creative art (members of Daft Punk notwithstanding). So jobs that involve creative skills, like art directors, copywriters, and graphic designers? Those are all relatively safe bets. Brain geniouses.
DELIVERY AND LOGISTICS
As our buying habits move online and our globe becomes ever-more connected, more delivery and logistics personnel will be needed to keep it all moving. Sure, there’s large companies experimenting with the concept of drone delivery, but at best that’s a fair ways off. Plenty of time to earn a crust fangin’ people’s ASOS orders around town yet.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Being able to find and secure good talent is a bonafide skill. As someone who’s worked in HR in the past, I can testify that being able to tell which potential employee is not only a great fit for your team but also isn’t an axe murderer should be considered a fine art. And as human teams become more unique, across a range of fields we may not even know exist yet, the need to pick only the best becomes more and more necessary.
GIG-WORKERS
Small time “gigs” – like driving with Uber or renting out your spare room out on Airbnb – are also on the rise as technology makes it all the easier to stick your toes in. That said, much like delivery, this is one area where technology will take a chunk of the opportunities over time. However, if you’re cool with picking up odd jobs on Airtasker in exchange for a fistful of quick dosh, the best is yet to come.
TEACHERS
As Whitney Houston once sang, “I believe the children are our future“. And with that in mind, teaching future generations will still be around for some time. With the rise of online learning, there’s a higher demand than ever to get people that’ll pass on all the knowledge necessary for life.
CHEFS
The intricacies of cooking are a fine art, as the ‘MasterChef‘ judges will remind you every ten minutes. So yes, while you could technically get a robot to cook a meal or mix you a drink, it just isn’t the same without that personal touch. And that means that if you cook for a living, your job is likely safe going into the future.
Photo: The Lego Movie.
