THE FUTURE OF WORK

The future of work is one of today’s hottest topics. The extent to which robotization and artificial intelligence (AI) will affect employment has been the subject of several studies and their conclusions are far from consensual. In fact, it is not yet clear whether we will see an increase or decrease in jobs in the future due to technological innovation, but it seems inevitable that future jobs will be very different from what we know today, as well as work relationships and contracts.

The negative impact that this transformation could have on lower skill levels in the context of routine work was already more or less expected. However, Kai-fu Lee, one of the world’s most respected AI experts, joins together with other authorities in his book “AI Superpowers – China, Silicon Valley and the New World Order” and predicts that technology will also negatively impact more complex roles and tasks and more qualified workers.

Such a rapid and profound change means that governments, companies and individuals face important choices. Adapting to a workforce composition in the light of rapid technological change is a huge challenge, as the productivity and efficiency of switching to new jobs will depend on the ability to develop new skills.

It is known that technological training will be essential, but so will areas related to differentiating emotional skills. More important than a worker qualifying for a profession, is constantly acquiring and practising a set of skills that ensure competitiveness in the labour market, which ensure professional achievement and which ultimately distinguish them from machines.

“More important than a worker qualifying for a profession, is constantly acquiring and practising a set of skills that ensure competitiveness in the labour market, which ensure professional achievement and which ultimately distinguish them from machines.”

The issues associated with the future of work are starting to manifest themselves in many ways. In the case of the automotive industry, we have seen apparently subtle changes, but with profound significance. The radical transformation from hardware (automobile) manufacturers to connected mobility service providers is underway and will tremendously impact not only the manufacturers’ organisational structure but the entire value chain. Now assuming different configurations and speeds, the paradigm shift points to the steps taken by major technology and consumer electronics companies who are trying to ensure that the rapidly changing needs and demands of consumers are met.

Some of these initiatives have even involved Portugal as a destination for digital competence centres. Cases such as the Mercedes-Benz Digital Delivery Hub, Critical TechWorks, the result of a joint venture between the BMW group and the Portuguese company Critical Software, and more recently the Volkswagen group’s software development centre, have been making headlines in national newspapers.

The Global Skills Index 2019 study conducted by the well-known online learning platform Coursera concludes that automotive industry professionals are currently below average compared to other industries in fields such as Management, Technology and Data Science. This in itself may illustrate the scale of the adaptation challenge, in this case, regarding the key technical skills in the future of the digital age. The tendency will be an increase in intensity and speed.

The world is changing fast. The needs for vocational retraining and lifelong learning, even for employed individuals, must therefore be taken seriously in all industries and functions, and must be considered a priority for states, organisations and workers.

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All opinions expressed are my own and not to be associated with my employer or any other organization I am associated with.