You can shop for clothes on the British version of Amazon, the clothes are made in Bangladesh, and they’re shipped to your vacation hotel in Peru.
Sounds like a nice vacation!
It’s no secret that our economy is now global. International markets cross borders to supply the demands of humanity.
In the 1800s, the Industrial Revolution changed the workforce in the United States and around the world. Machines that could do the work of 10 people were invented, and then 100 people.
Hardware, slow and lumbering, ate the jobs of the 1800s.
In response to these labor-saving devices, US Americans increasingly became knowledge workers or geographic movers. We push pencils, we pull freight, we move people.
These jobs of the 1900s are quickly disappearing.
Within the coming decade, by 2025, a majority of the 3.5 million trucking jobs may well be automated. 180,000 taxi jobs are at risk. Even more Uber drivers. Retail jobs. Sales clerks. Fast-food restaurant employees. Warehouse pickers.
Many of the traditional jobs of the 1900s are being replaced by robots.
Robots don’t get tired, robots don’t negotiate as a union.
But back then, robots didn’t think.
Now, in the year 2017, we have software. Artificial Intelligence, AI. Software, cheap and infinity reproducible, is eating the jobs of the 2000s. Software that builds computer networks. Software that programs machines of all types. Software that writes software. Coders are eating their own.
The next economic shift is terrifying because we don’t know what the jobs of tomorrow will look like.
What we do know, however, is that there will always be people (until the world melts or freezes or something).
People want direction, people crave excitement, people follow charisma.
Motivating people will always be in demand.
The best way you can prepare for tomorrow is by learning how to work with people, how to influence their attitudes and direct their behaviour. These are known as ‘soft skills’ — and Persuasion Reading List is working to uncover these skills with you.
What do you see in the future?
Will your job be eaten by software automation?
Are you preparing yourself with soft skills?
Leave a comment below!
