JobsAndCareersSpringIssue2017 - 257

FOCUS :

PROSPECTS

ON THE UP

NOT SO SAFE

Healthcare

Insurance

Recent research put healthcare at
the top of a list of occupations with
a risk factor of 1% or less of being
overtaken by automation.
The professions under the
healthcare umbrella deemed safe
from being carried out by robots
include Occupational Therapists,
Physicians and Surgeons, Dieticians
and Nutritionists, Psychologists,
Dentists, Podiatrists and School
Psychologists. The roles of Sports
Trainers and Social Workers appear
safe for the foreseeable, too.

In a recent report, consulting giant
McKinsey warned administrative
staff working for insurance
companies are likely to be replaced.
Top of the 'at risk' list are
Insurance Underwriters, with the
highest rating of 98.9%, followed
by Loan Officers at 98.4%, Motor
Insurance Assessors (98.3%) and
Credit Analysts (97.9%).
However, it predicted insurers
would need more humans to sell,
analyse and market digital products
and detect fraud.

Construction
A report by DKM consultants
indicated the construction industry
would grow by 9% per year up to
2020 and could sustain more than
100,000 additional jobs.
The report predicted that 9,600
managerial roles would also be
need to be filled in the industry
over the next few years.
It also indicated there would be
a need to recruit 30,800 extra
Carpenters and Joiners, 27,600
general Labourers, 18,100
Operatives, 15,200 Electricians,
13,900 Plasterers and Tilers, 11,800
Plumbers, 9,400 Painters and
Decorators and 7,800 Bricklayers.

STAYING
STABLE
Education
Economists forecast that the UK
will need plenty of well-educated
people to fill higher-level roles,
with more Teachers and Lecturers
needed to train up the workforce.
While automated online courses
can supplement personalised
tuition, extra teachers, trainers and
other educators will be required to
ensure workers have the skills
required for the roles of the future.

Law

Publishing
The dawning of the digital age has
seen a decline in printed newspapers
and magazines, with many titles
moving exclusively online or closing.
Robotic journalists may be in the
pipeline, too. The Los Angeles Times
has published the first automatic
breaking news story, using an
algorithm that writes up a short
article when an earthquake occurs.
While print is predicted to keep
contracting, there are opportunities
in digital media, particularly for
Designers, Content Providers and in
technical support and development.

Almost 40% of legal jobs are at risk
from automation, according to
Deloitte. Intelligent searches can
already outperform junior Lawyers
in reviewing documents. Low-level
tasks are also being done abroad.
Since 2001, technology has
contributed to the loss of 31,000
jobs in the profession, but there
has been an overall increase of
about 80,000 personnel, mostly
higher-skilled, better-paid roles
such as Barristers and Solicitors.
The biggest losers have been
Secretaries and Paralegals - jobs
in these areas look set to be cut
further in the coming years.
J O B S & C A R E E R S /// 2 5 7
JobsAndCareersSpringIssue2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JobsAndCareersSpringIssue2017
