Where are jobs going?
We can better re-train workers for jobs
Technology is fundamentally changing the nature of work. Instead of ‘doing work’ people are ‘supervising work’ done by machines. For example, the forklift driver is not lifting anymore, they are directing the movement of machinery. Likewise, the farmer is not planting, they are directing advanced equipment to lay down fertilizer and water crops. These job titles may seem the same, but the job functions are fundamentally different, says Sandra Lawson in a recent Goldman Sachs Investment Research report Narrowing the Job Gaps. While workers are being displaced by advancements in technology, the same individuals are not well positioned to fill new jobs.
The report describes how today’s valuable STEM jobs are the most at risk of being disrupted, and the report insists that people learn to be adaptable during these changing times. Steve Strongin, Head of Global Investment Research at Goldman Sachs, shares that employees thrive the most and are most valuable in roles that are “new, different, and adaptive.”
But while workers aim to be adaptive and continue learning, educational institutions, the government, and employers offer limited flexibility and financial support for re-training adult learners. Many of those who have lost their jobs and decide to obtain mid-career training resort to dipping into their retirement savings in order to make a career transition. There is a huge financial stress placed on the individual in this scenario.
The report concludes that the burden of job re-training must shift from the individual onto companies and governments to bear part of the cost. Stronger tuition reimbursement programs will incentivize employees to stay at their jobs for longer, which helps companies retain the institutional knowledge of senior level staff.
The report also stressed the importance of social networking in making career transitions. These findings are in synch with the mission of our team at Caila, which enables our members to build communities and access networks in higher education, one course at a time.
“We have to change the system to adapt the people who don’t have jobs to the jobs that don’t have people”-Steve Strongin
There is no one silver bullet that is going to fill the gaps in the education system and automatically improve the qualifications of our work force. At Caila, we believe that one great place to start seeking solutions to these modern problems is through the cooperation between forward-thinking companies willing to invest resources in their human capital, higher education institutions providing flexibility to those seeking to further their education, and professionals who are willing to obtain further skills to adapt to the evolving economy.
By Sergio Marrero
Co-Founder of Caila
