Forbes Magazine recently published a series of articles on the future of work. They examined which jobs are most likely to be affected by automation, which jobs will be least affected and new jobs that will be created.
Many careers require human characteristics that machines cannot replace. Recent research shows that the job categories needing the following skills would not be replaced by machines:
| Creativity | research, design and academic jobs |
| Complexity (the state of having many parts and being difficult to understand or find an answer to) | strategy and management positions |
| Dexterity (the ability to perform a difficult action quickly and skilfully with the hand, and/or the ability to think quickly and effectively or do something difficult extremely well) | aero engineers, but also plumbers and other artisans |
| Empathy and compassion | care providers, teachers, health workers, social workers |
Then there are those careers where human abilities are enhanced by automation, such as in sectors of the economy where skilled artisans are in growing demand due to urbanization and infrastructure development.
It is highly unlikely that machines will replace skilled boilermakers, plumbers, electricians or carpenters. Their tools might change, their environments might change, but their skills will always be in demand.
