Will Robots Take My Job?
Boring and repetitive jobs might feel comfortable, but they aren’t anymore. Whether it’s manufacturing, food service, or retail, no matter how excellent you are at these roles, the days they exist at all are numbered. That’s because these are some of the early jobs that will be replaced by robots. And more will follow. Robots replacing humans in the workplace is something we’ve heard about for so long, you might have convinced yourself it won’t ever really happen to you. For instance, back in 2018, many fast food employees breathed a sigh of relief when Flippy, the burger-flipping robot, was deemed “too slow” after only one day and taken off the line. But did you know Flippy is back to work these days, better than ever? The robot costs just three dollars an hour, can work the grill or the fryer, never gets tired, never gets sick…you get the idea. Even when technology seems behind, it can catch up quickly, and once it does, it’s here to stay. So, what does robots taking over jobs mean for you, or for future generations? Here’s the data we have now, and the projections it holds for the future…which actually looks pretty bright for everyone, doing less boring, more fulfilling work.
What Jobs Will Disappear By 2030?
Whether it’s through actual robots like Flippy or the continued rise of the cloud, artificial intelligence is going to affect every industry. In 2019, NPR reported that 40% of US jobs are in industries that are going to shrink by 2030, if not disappear completely. NPR’s sources reported that individuals who didn’t go to college or finish high school are four times as likely to have their job replaced by automation. The industries most strongly affected will be:
- office support
- food service
- production work and machine operations
- community services
- machine installation and repair
Just because your job in these industries doesn’t disappear, that doesn’t mean it will stay the same. Consider another example from recent headlines, the emergence of portable traffic signals. This technology means that while a road crew might still have work doing repairs, the flagger or traffic control person won’t be necessary. In the same way, keeping a job might mean working alongside a robot where there once used to be a human colleague. For food service and retail professionals, kiosks and self-checkouts have already begun this transition in many places. One study by MIT found that for every one robot added to the workforce, anywhere from 6-7 jobs may be eliminated, depending on the industry. Here are some (but not all) of the job titles most at risk from technology and automation, according to career advice site CareerAddict:
- Travel Agent
- Cashier
- Bank Teller
- Fast Food Cook
- Mail Carrier
- Jeweler
- Dispatcher
- Receptionist
- Legal Secretary
- Assembler/Fabricator
Impact of Jobs Replaced by Robots
With all these jobs being replaced, you’re not alone in wondering—what are people going to do for work? After all, 2030 isn’t so far away. Back in 2017, Dell Technologies made the prediction that over 80% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t even been created yet. So if your job title is on the list above, it doesn’t mean you’re out of the running for a paycheck—but it does mean it’s time to think about what’s next.Blue-collar and rural communities are most likely to be hard-hit by the effects of automation, perhaps with few alternatives to become re-employed in their region. The impact of robots on jobs is also likely to be felt in greater proportion by some communities of color. 44% of Black workers and 47% of Hispanic workers are at risk of having their job replaced by automation, while only 40% of White and Asian workers face the same threat, according to data from Brookings Institution shared by CNBC. Regardless of location, race, or age, a significant number of Americans are at risk of becoming unemployed due to robots in the workplace. One silver lining of the Coronavirus pandemic is that remote work has become more common to many industries, with everyone from doctors to teachers to coders and quality assurance testers learning to work remotely in the new normal. This is especially true in tech as companies like Facebook, Microsoft, Google, and Twitter close down their offices and expand hiring practices nationwide for high-skill, high-salary tech jobs.
Robot-Proof Your Future with Eleven Fifty Academy
While technology replacing human jobs in your industry may not be on the market today, tomorrow’s press releases could mean a whole new dawn. It’s not enough to sit around and worry, “what jobs will robots take over in the future?” Because unlike a robot, you are in control of your destiny and future, and have the power to develop your own value on your terms. While many experts proclaim that creative industries and teaching are robot-proof careers, these options may not come with a high enough salary for some workers. And on the flip side, other careers like healthcare may be robot-proof, but also require lengthy and expensive education. With the world becoming more and more dependent on technology, those in the most secure position are the technology experts themselves. That’s why Scott Jones founded Eleven Fifty Academy as a non-profit. It’s our mission to help career changers and new workforce talent skill up quickly in web development, software development, and cybersecurity, among other areas of study. Explore the resources below to learn more about our affordable coding boot camp that can prepare you for a new career in just three to six months. Remember: the robots can’t replace you when you’re telling them what to do.
