With over a decade of professional experience working in the digital industry, I've seen first-hand how Artificial Intelligence is disrupting the workforce. As it continues to advance and change the way we live and work, it's essential to understand the impact it will have on your job and take steps to prepare for it.
AI seems to be everywhere in our lives, from our phones to our homes. It's being used in countless products and services, and its application to problem-solving is growing rapidly.
As some of us may acknowledge, Artificial Intelligence is also already deeply ingrained in a wide range of industries. In healthcare, it is assisting with diagnostics and analysing medical images. In retail, it is being used for personalising marketing and managing inventory as well as managing supply chains. In finance, it is being used for fraud detection and financial forecasting. Public Services uses it in areas such as city management, emergency response, and public safety. AI-powered systems are being largely utilised in the Energy Sector, optimising energy consumption, improving power grid management and predicting equipment failure. The transportation and logistics sector can no longer prosper without autonomous vehicles and AI optimising delivery routes.
The impact will be dramatic. Between 400 million and 800 million jobs could be displaced by automation by 2030. About 75 million jobs could be displaced by 2022, and 133 million new jobs may emerge. Furthermore, 38% of jobs in the US will be at high risk of automation in the next 15 years. These numbers demonstrate that AI is not only automating certain tasks and jobs, but also creating new career opportunities in industries such as data science, cybersecurity and software development to name a few.
At Paddl, we believe that it is absolutely crucial for individuals and organisations to be proactive in developing the necessary skills to adapt to this rapidly changing environment and that it is necessary to have a set of skills that can cater and harness AI as the workforce evolves. The skills include adaptability (especially to new technologies), creativity, problem-solving, and the ability to continuously learn (especially in digital literacy).
Employers are looking for employees who can adapt to new situations and learn quickly on the job to keep up with the fast-paced nature of today's job market. This is even more true in industries that are being the most disrupted by technology, such as manufacturing and logistics.
Creativity is a very essential skill in the age of AI. With automation taking over many routine tasks, the ability to come up with innovative ideas will become increasingly valuable. Companies are looking for employees who can think outside the box and come up with new perspectives to adapt to new technologies. To enhance your creativity at work, it helps to slow down occasionally and engage in activities that inspire you to stimulate your imagination and expose you to new ideas. Whether you are into listening to music, podcasts, reading or taking a walk, this precious me time may help you look at problems with new perspectives.
Problem-solving is one of the most crucial critical skills right now. With technology advancing so quickly, it is important to be able to troubleshoot and fix problems as they arise. Employers are looking for workers who can analyse problems and come up with new solutions quickly. Established techniques such as design thinking, lateral thinking, SCAMPER, mind-mapping and SWOT analysis are some methodologies that can help you, your team and business determine solutions.
In addition to soft skills, it is important to stay informed with new technologies and related tools as they become available. Then, understanding and harnessing their impact on your business. These could include programming languages, data analysis tools and usage of new software applications.
One way is to continuously educate ourselves, whether through formal education, attending conferences and events, networking with peers, reading industry publications and reports. Follow some industry thought leaders on social media, have conversations surrounding AI and forward technologies, and find online courses and certifications that you are interested in. You may as well start now.
At Paddl, our ultimate goal is to ensure individuals are future ready, and that they can transition to their next role with confidence and capability. It is a learning experience platform that provides in-demand skills such as design thinking, leadership, sustainability governance, and supply chain management. Our platform is also able to demonstrate what skills individuals need to strengthen in order to stay current.
We are currently offering 100 free seats in our Essentials program through the Paddl Open to Work community, which includes live, weekly virtual courses, and a peer-to-peer group on Slack to share resources, tips and network with other professionals.
I also warmly invite you to discover one of our free programs called "Using Emerging Technology for Disruption" which you can access through our homepage today.
Paddl empowers people with rapid upskilling and experience analytics to take on the ever-changing world of work.
