As the spate of technological innovations continues to transform human society, our systems of work will imminently get a facelift. The implication of this is that new careers will spring forth while some of the regular professions we are conversant with may begin to go into extinction. The coronavirus pandemic has proven that society can still function in a way even without some of the popular careers. In New York alone, there are about 1,070 employed locksmiths. It is one of the states with high locksmith employment. Only Texas, California, and Florida have a higher locksmith employment ratio than New York.
Automation is gradually rendering the need for humans unnecessary at the workplace. The educational requirements for jobs are gradually changing. Though a lot of careers are under threat, the future of medical and tech-related jobs looks to be secure.
3 Careers That May Diminish in Relevance
A popular proverb says “to be forewarned is to be forearmed”. Access to viable information can save a lot of hassle and stress both in the short term and long term. The following careers will likely face depreciation and significant job loss in the coming years.
1. Truck Drivers
The prevalence of autonomous vehicles is on the rise and this will pose a serious threat to the jobs of truck drivers whose skills may no longer be needed. Employers will now just have to pay those that are manning the control center where these trucks are being controlled as they go to their various destinations to deliver the goods as programmed. While the use of self-driving vehicles is still in the formative stage, a gradual shift towards it is almost inevitable in the near future and this may cause massive job loss that could adversely impact the economy in the long term.
2. Locksmith
The need for a car key locksmith may be gradually phased out over time. This is because what a car key locksmith could do could also be done by automation. Home security electronic locks are replacing keys in smart homes. Essentially, this profession is not primed to record any growth and rather than remaining stagnant, it is primed to shrink even further as the need for traditional locksmith services is declining. People will continue to lock themselves out but the locksmith will have to handle electronic locks with code, retina or fingerprint scan and voice-controlled security systems. Those currently training to become a locksmith should therefore broaden their skills to be able to meet these challenges.
The locksmith job market will face a reduction by about -3.1% between 2016 and 2026. In layman’s terms, the US will only require about 3,300 locksmiths. Put into proper perspective, according to CareerExplorer, there are currently 28,700 locksmiths in America. This, therefore, implies about 25,400 of the current workforce will be rendered redundant. The declining job market will especially be felt in cities with a high number of Locksmiths, like New York. With this said, there will always be a need for highly skilled and competent locksmiths that can install modern security and tech-friendly locks, but the profession is becoming high-tech.
3. Umpires and Referees
In soccer, a technology known as Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has been introduced. It seeks to help referees and sports umpires make accurate decisions in the field of play. When in doubt of any call, a referee could simply pause the game while his colleagues in the video room can replay the footage of the specific action and advise the referee on the appropriate action to take. Alternatively, a video machine may be cited close to the field which the referee can consult to replay the footage again. The impact of the use of this machine is that gradually, the machines may not require a human handler or at most reduce the number of referees and linesmen needed for a game. They may be replaced by sophisticated cameras which would film the game action in high-definition footage. Gradually, other sports will likely follow the trend of video assistants in sports and then not as many employees will be needed in sporting professions.
Considering the direction of the economy towards high-paying jobs, the need for post-secondary education is of much importance more than ever before. Education beyond high school may be necessary for securing a job that will pay average to high income as the low-income jobs may face extinction due to automation.
