Today, people around the world are quick to complain about the fact that technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are a threat to jobs. But can we really deny the truth that innovative software, machines, and robots powered by AI and ML technologies are enhancing businesses and creating scope for endless possibilities?
Although we may refuse to acknowledge it, the harsh truth of the modern age is that emerging technologies are fast replacing routine jobs, eliminating the dependency on manual labour. So, how does one maintain his/her relevancy in this digitally progressive world? The answer – continuous upskilling. Organizations today are constantly looking for talent, whether it is from humans or technology – the ultimate aim is to get the job done.
However, the sad thing is that even today, many organizations do not believe in upskilling. In a Deloitte survey of 1200 organizations, nearly 74% of organizations stated that they choose traditional learning methods than encouraging employees to acquire new skills at their workplace. Richard Rayne, Chief Executive of iLearn, said:
“These figures are of concern. In a country like ours where there are critical skills gaps in several key sectors, workplace learning is necessary. Organisations need to start realizing that great value lies in empowering and upskilling employees through learnerships. It’s the perfect way to develop employees and to ensure they are equipped to do the work employers need them to do.”
Vocational training and educational programs should be a part of every organization as these programs offer excellent opportunities for upskilling. Employees not only get a chance to learn new things, but they also get acquainted with innovative ways to carry out organizational processes more efficiently.
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According to an Oxford study (2013), in the next 10-20 years, around 47% of jobs in the US will be replaced by automation. Also, a PwC report maintains that 44% of job positions in Australia will be computerised within the next 20 years. Although these statistics apparently show that jobs are disappearing, they are merely ‘transforming’ rather than disappearing altogether. Since the digital revolution and digital disruption of industries have already begun, the wise thing would be to train individuals in the nitty-gritty of technologies such as AI, ML, Deep Learning and so on.
By upskilling your knowledge and talent base, you can ‘create’ demand for yourself in the industry. As you adapt to the wave of change that technology is bringing today, you become an indispensable part of an organization. For instance, data is the goldmine now. Every organization around the world is leveraging Big Data to uncover meaningful insights that can add value to the business. Thus, the demand for trained professionals who can juggle with massive data sets, analyze it, and visualize valuable trends and patterns within the enormous data pool is exponentially increasing. Data scientists, data analysts, statisticians, ML engineers, are a few job avenues opened by data.
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If you wish to stay relevant in this fast-changing world, you know that upskilling is the only way to go. Be curious. Be willing to learn new things and skills. Change is inevitable and to survive in the tech jungle you need to adapt and upskill continuously!