The future of work - We need to switch occupations & upgrade skills!

These days, it is easy to get confused about the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)-and robots can have on the jobs of the future.

One of the key findings by McKinsey surveys is that while there may be enough work to maintain full employment to 2030 under most scenarios, the transitions will be very challenging.

Automation and AI will lift productivity and economic growth,but millions of people worldwide may need to switch occupations/upgrade skills!

For a country like India, here is some interesting data -there will be increase in jobs..but they would be spread out..differently!

1) Creative (Artists, designers, entertainers, media workers)-58% increase

2) Technology professionals(Computer engineers/specialists) -129%

3) Teachers ( & education support workers)- 208%

4) Managers and executives-75%

5) Builders (Architects,surveyors, construction workers, installation and repair workers (buildings and infrastructure),crane and tower operators) -117%

6) Care providers (Doctors, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, 

therapists,health aides and health support, childcare workers, health technicians,community social worker)-242%

7) Professionals (Account managers, engineers, business and financial  specialists, lawyers and judges, legal industry support staff, math specialists , scientists, and academics)-46%

8) Office support (IT workers, information and record clerks, office-support workers, procurement, payroll, etc), administrative assistants) -21%

9) Predictable physical work ( ie equipment installation and repair workers, 

protective services, gaming- industry workers, dishwashers, cleaning- equipment operators, food-preparation workers, general mechanics)15%

10) Customer interaction ( Food-service workers, sales workers (retail& online),

 therapeutic workers (personal trainers), entertainment attendants, personal-appearance workers, hotel and travel workers) - 46%

11) Unpredictable physical work ( Specialized mechanics and repair, emergency 

first responders, material movers and loaders, machinery installation and repair workers,

agricultural field workers, transportation maintenance,building and grounds cleaners) -9%

So what could be the take away for us?

-Instead of being replaced by machines, humans must learn to collaborate with machines to enhance their own productivity and ingenuity. We must learn to ‘run with the machine'.

-The more predictable and repetitive the activities that make up the task, the more likely it is to be replicated by machines … and automated! Hard-to-automate jobs include tasks like influencing people, teaching people, programming, real-time discussions, advising people, negotiating and cooperating with co-workers

“The illiterate of the future will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.” - Alvin Toffler (1928 – 2016), author of Future Shock

“Instead of teaching students to answer questions, we should teach them to ask them. Beyond creating better employees, we must aim to create better leaders and innovators.“ - Raya Bidshahri, Singularity University