Work of the Future and Reskilling

By 2025 machines will perform half of “all work tasks”—right now it is 29%. These are 2 of the figures from a report from the World Economic Forum, the elite group that meets in Davos every January. The report informs us that between now and 2022 75 million jobs will therefore be displaced. But, and just as important, the report also says that 133 new roles (note, not jobs, roles) will be created, thus a gain of 58 million new jobs—or roles, or positions.  The reality is that while on a societal level there will be a gain, these facts spell much difficulties for the 75 million workers who hold these jobs at present and who will soon lose them.  While data analysts and software developers will be in demand, data entry, accounting and payroll jobs will become redundant. The report highlights a new keyword, reskilling saying that 54% of jobs now existing will require retraining.  And that’s where whether the future will be a huge problem or an opportunity will be determined. Employers, employees, governments, individuals and companies must take the needed steps. We haven’t heard much about reskilling and all it implies maybe because not enough attention is given to it. The hope is that since the World Economic Forum report tends to go to heads of corporations, decision makers and others who affect policy, the idea and what it means will be heeded. Still it is something we need to know, remember and use.

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