According to the World Economic Forum, over 5 million jobs will be lost by 2020 as a result of automation, robotics and other technological advances. Is it time to panic just yet?Are the robots really coming to take your job?
Orlaith recently spoke to a group of graduates at the UCC Commerce Conference about this and the challenges facing society in our fast paced technology driven world.
Orlaith’s advice? Continuous learning and evolving with change is the key. It’s true, we are on the verge of a revolution in the modern workforce but we shouldn’t panic. It’s almost certain that there will be job losses in customer service, admin and other areas but there will also be huge gains in the areas of system monitoring, data science and content curation.
The people who will not only survive but thrive in this fast paced world are the ones that actively embrace change and equip themselves with the knowledge and resources to remain useful and in demand. Technical knowledge is vital in today’s society but so too are soft skills – an area which is sometimes overlooked. Communication skills, team work, conflict resolution and problem solving are necessary skills and worth investing in. Leadership is another area which appears to be robot proof. Every business, no matter what the industry, require leaders. Someone who is self-aware and can inspire and motivate the team, understand real human emotion and create strong relationships. The great thing is you don’t necessarily have to be born a leader – you can learn leadership skills along the way and become an invaluable member of the team, even in an automated world. The trick is to continue learning, embrace change and use your leadership muscles as often as you can.
Interested in Leadership Development? Contact our office today on 041-9829673 or email jayann@mediatraining.ie or grainne@mediatraining.ie