Did you know that the process of automation will have a direct impact on our jobs? That’s right, according to many experts, the days of some job positions/professions are numbered. It’s just a matter of time when smart devices, computers, and robots will take some of our jobs.
So, what can one do in a situation like this? Well, first of all, you have to accept the fact that automation is inevitable. There’s nothing that we can do to stop it and trying something like that is not very smart simply because you can’t stop the progress. The most important thing that you can do is to follow the latest trends and find out whether your current job is at risk. This is the reason why we have created this list of jobs that will be lost in a not so distant future.
- Find out where the process of automation is making progress
- Learn more about the jobs that will be lost
- Explore the alternatives that people have
There are thousands of people that are currently doing things at work that can be automated. To avoid unemployment and prepare for better opportunities in the future, read our list of jobs that will be lost due to automation.
1. Farmers
People have been farmers for hundreds (if not thousands) of years. Now, thanks to modern technology, it seems that those days will be gone. This is actually good news for many people because the interest in farming has been decreasing in the last 50 years. Food shortage could become a problem if it wasn’t for automation.
Across the globe, in developed countries, AI robots are replacing farmers. They know how to pull veggies from the ground, milk cows and do other things that were conducted by humans before. This is a revolution that is already happening in the United States and in the European Union. So, if you are a farmer or you are planning on farming, it’s better to look for a different career.
2. Construction workers
All types of manual labor jobs are at risk as a result of the progress of automation in the last couple of decades. Why use a team of workers to lay bricks when a machine can do the same job without any problems? In case you didn’t know, many construction companies are already using robotic devices like this and everything goes smoothly. Of course, they still need humans for the “fine” details. Another interesting fact is that robots can lay 1200 bricks per day while experienced human workers can lay up to 500.
We should also point out that heavy machinery drivers and crane operators are at risk too. These types of jobs are quite specific and human errors here often lead to serious consequences. If a robot is programmed well, accidents won’t happen at all. Needless to say, everything will be done much faster.
3. Food preparation
Obviously, we are not talking about fine diners where food is prepared by Michelin star chefs. However, the process of preparing regular food in fast food joints or in cantinas can be accelerated with the help of automated machines. We are talking about simple recipes with just a few ingredients that robots can process.
Initial studies have confirmed that robots can do this job faster. What’s even more important is that there’s almost no room for mistakes and hygiene issues. So, unless you are planning on becoming a professional chef, you better start looking for a job in another industry because these robots are expanding fast.
4. Courier
We all know that you don’t need special skills or training to become a courier. This is a relatively simple job and that’s why it’s at risk of extinction due to automation. A few companies including Amazon have already tested delivery drones and even though the first results were not as good as expected, they believe that the errors will be fixed soon allowing them to use automated couriers and eliminating the human factor.
In addition to drones, there are automated vehicles now and they too can affect the jobs of human couriers. The only good thing here is that these robotic couriers have to be managed via computer. So, maybe there’s room for a new job position although their number will be very low.
5. Retail assistant
If you have ever shopped online, there’s a great chance that you have talked to an online bot. These bots were created to assist shoppers in online stores. But, a few tech companies are working on robots that will assist people in physical shops too.
In case you need to find a specific piece of clothing, these robots will assist you right away. They can also bring different sizes of clothes and suggest other products. Some people prefer talking to real humans, but for many, this would be an ideal shopping experience.
6. Truck driver
The transport industry is struggling to find drivers these days. First of all, fewer people are interested in a tough and difficult job like this that makes them stay away from their families for days and even weeks. Next, many drivers require higher wages for this tough job. So, what’s the solution? The answer is simple – robots.
As you are probably aware, Tesla has created an automated vehicle, and a few other tech companies are working on their models too. Of course, we are talking about commercial vehicles for ordinary passengers, but in a few years, we should be able to see automated trucks. In a situation like this, why would companies look for human drivers, when they can have a truck operated by a machine? Loading and unloading trucks will probably still be conducted by humans, but as we have already mentioned, manual labor jobs are at risk too. This means that the whole transportation process can become automated.
7. Surgeon
Robotics has become part of the healthcare industry a few years ago. So far, both patients and medical personnel are more than happy with the results. Automated machines make their work easier. But, with the rapid advance of technology, we can expect these robots and robotic arms to start replacing some doctors like surgeons for example.
A few tests have shown that robots can conduct surgeries with greater precision compared to human surgeons. This makes sense because in these machines there’s no room for tiredness or mistakes. Obviously, patients will feel safer when they know that there’s no risk like that involved in the procedure.
8. Telemarketer
For a few decades, being a telemarketer was a good job. To be honest, the wages were not very high, but it was a decent job. The career growth in this field is expected to go down in the next few years. At the same time, more and more people across the globe are getting automated calls trying to market different services and products.
This doesn’t mean that every job that requires a phone call will be replaced by robots. However, telemarketing is a specific type of job that doesn’t need much emotional or social intelligence. In other words, an automated machine can do this without any problem.
9. Proofreaders
Let’s be clear – writing an interesting book or even an article is one thing and proofreading that content is another thing. We all know that for the first two tasks, people need to be creative and witty. On the other hand, proofreading doesn’t require much creativity, it’s more about paying attention to the details. In many cases, software solutions have shown that they can pay great attention to details.
There is a wide range of software solutions on the market that are used by many writers. As a matter of fact, almost every computer user can use artificial assistance like this as long as they have MS Word (spelling and grammar check). Of course, there are specialized apps that can be used on computers and mobile devices too. All these things mean that proofreaders should start focusing on another career as soon as possible.
10. Soldier
That’s right – even soldiers are at risk of losing their jobs as a result of the growth of automation in the last decade. Some reports claim that 25 out of 100 soldiers in developed countries will be robots by the end of this decade. This is great news for everyone, except for people who have decided to build careers as soldiers.
There’s no loss of lives when robots fight a war. It might be more expensive to construct one, but it’s cheaper to maintain them than to pay humans to fight. In addition, numerous studies and tests have shown that robots can be far more lethal compared to people. Oh, and we should not forget that robots will always follow orders no matter what. It’s obvious that the army will still need humans, but the number of open job positions in this field will be greatly reduced in the next decades.
