Ages ago, in order to make our lives easier, we invented technology. That was the start of the never ending journey and now here we are, enjoying a techno-bound life all the way through. But did we see the bigger picture? Did we realise that it was only a matter of time when our invention would backfire and start taking over us?
Technology is mending everything in its own way; our job scheme is not an exception. A recent research predicts the chance of our jobs being automated within the next 20 years. It shows that machines are taking over both blue-collar and white-collar jobs. So it is time to take a quick look at our future job market before placing ourselves in any position.
Telemarketers: Telemarketing have a 99% chance of being automated. If tomorrow one of us makes a call to a telemarketing company and hears the call being answered by a robot, there is nothing to be surprised. Robots can perform their jobs with much efficiency and persistence than humans. And as far as it is about consideration, robots can deal with any extent of rudeness where humans may breakdown.
Mechanics: From watch makers to car mechanics, all of them have a high risk of losing their jobs to robots and machineries. With machines there is very thin chance of error and it assures far more productivity. This field of job has 98% chance of being automated.
Umpires and referees: Those who are planning to be umpires or referees in future may want to change their decisions after reading this. Umpires and referees have a 98.3% chance of being automated. Computerised umpires are much more reliable in case of making close line calls. Hence, technology prevails once again.
Credit analysts: Credit analysis have a 97.9% chance of being automated. Automating the process of analyzing credit data and financial statements, and preparing reports with credit information could result in a lower degree of risk. Also, software is being developed to help this aspect.
Bookkeepers: Bookkeeping has a 97.6% chance of being automated. The wall street journal reported that big companies such as Pilot Travel, Verizon, and Gamestop, among others, are using software to automate corporate bookkeeping tasks. These companies now only need about 10 clerks to pay suppliers, as opposed to the 80 or so they would need without the robot bookkeepers. Soon many companies will adapt to the new system and bookkeepers will be much less needed.
Cashier and sales person: Self-checkout machines are springing up in grocery stores all over the world. Once being introduced to such machines, a shop does not require any additional person to sit behind the desk all day round and take payments.
Postal service workers: Postal service workers have a 95.4% chance of being automated. Postal sorters, clerks, and mail carriers are being hit hard by automation. With the increased use of email, the whole postal system is on their way to extinction let alone the workers.
Librarians: Only once in a while we can find someone who has no use of e-books and pdfs and depends solely on paper books. People are more found in cyber cafes than libraries. And with this change, the utility of librarian are also lessening.
Bankers: Banking system has a 98.3% chance of being automated. Chances are we have not used a human bank teller in a while. ATMs can provide most of the services that tellers offer.
Financial analysts: The whole financial analysing system is thoroughly being automated. Financial analysts have a 98% chance of being automated. With advanced software, the job will be more accurately done, leaving very little job for us to do.
On the other hand, some professionals are good to do with this revolutionary change such as healthcare practitioners i.e. doctors, dentists, podiatrists, psychiatrists, nutritionists, therapists, social and community workers, educators i.e. preschool teachers, curators. All of these professionals have less than 1% chance of being automated in the future. Mechanical engineers, computer system analysts, forensic science technicians also fall in the safe list.
It is quite clear that the jobs that depend only on physical labour, routine work and have very little or no scope for intellectual capability are likely to disappear in the future. So it can be easily derived that people with medium or low income are at risk. Unfortunately, in our country more than 50% earning people fall under this range. Therefore, if technology advances in Bangladesh as fast as the rest of the world, most of these people will either have to leave their jobs or cope with the new system. If we welcome this overwhelming use of technology, some of us are going to enjoy a life with immense comfort whereas others may have to suffer losses we cannot think of. Even though technology will create scopes for new jobs, they will hardly be suitable for our mass people and also they are never going to be enough to feed the mouths. So are we going to choose progress over protection? That is for us to decide.
The writer is a second year BBA student in Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), esha.momtaz@gmail.com
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