Report Foresees One-Third Of US Workforce Losing Jobs To Automation By 2030
- 6 years ago
A new study by the McKinsey Global Institute foresees as much as 1/3 of the U.S. workforce losing jobs to automation by 2030.
A new report by the McKinsey Global Institute foresees as much as one-third of the U.S. workforce losing jobs to automation by 2030.
It notes that while as many as 73 million workers could find themselves displaced, about 20 million of them could easily shift into other employment opportunities.
Others would reportedly require retraining so they can transition into different types of work.
Among the jobs at greatest risk of diminishing are machine operators, fast food preparers, those involving data collection and processing.
"The dire predictions that robots are taking our jobs are overblown," Susan Lund, the report's co-author, noted. "Yes, work will be automated, [but] there will be enough jobs for everyone in most areas."
Nonetheless, she does admit, "I think it's going to be a difficult transition."
Government intervention is considered essential, and the authors suggest the effort required will be on par with the Marshall Plan, the multi-billion-dollar effort to rebuild parts of Western Europe ravaged during World War II.
Significant private sector contributions to retraining and transitioning efforts are also deemed necessary.
At this time, jobs said to be stable are largely those involving person-to-person interaction and advanced skills and knowledge. They include plumbing, elder and child care, management, and education.
On a global scale, defunct work options are expected to number close to 800 million, with China anticipated to be the hardest hit nation.
A new report by the McKinsey Global Institute foresees as much as one-third of the U.S. workforce losing jobs to automation by 2030.
It notes that while as many as 73 million workers could find themselves displaced, about 20 million of them could easily shift into other employment opportunities.
Others would reportedly require retraining so they can transition into different types of work.
Among the jobs at greatest risk of diminishing are machine operators, fast food preparers, those involving data collection and processing.
"The dire predictions that robots are taking our jobs are overblown," Susan Lund, the report's co-author, noted. "Yes, work will be automated, [but] there will be enough jobs for everyone in most areas."
Nonetheless, she does admit, "I think it's going to be a difficult transition."
Government intervention is considered essential, and the authors suggest the effort required will be on par with the Marshall Plan, the multi-billion-dollar effort to rebuild parts of Western Europe ravaged during World War II.
Significant private sector contributions to retraining and transitioning efforts are also deemed necessary.
At this time, jobs said to be stable are largely those involving person-to-person interaction and advanced skills and knowledge. They include plumbing, elder and child care, management, and education.
On a global scale, defunct work options are expected to number close to 800 million, with China anticipated to be the hardest hit nation.