Is Automation Impacting My Job Security?
Posted February 29th, 2020
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been making headlines for years. It’s driven numerous innovations, including the ability to automate a variety of tasks. While the automation technology has led to notable efficiency increases in a wide array of industries, it’s also left some professionals worried.
Automation enhancements are already creating shifts and are predicted to eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs over the coming decade. Many tech professionals fear that automation could displace them, reducing their sense of job security.
If you are wondering how automation will impact your IT career, here’s what you need to know.
The Impact of Automation
Not long ago, when people pictured automation in their mind, they likely imagined the robotic solutions you’d see in production facilities. However, the landscape has changed. While those robots certain do exist, automation now has a different face.
Automation isn’t just robotics; it’s software applications, too. The technology solutions that have the ability to analyze large datasets and derive beneficial insights also fall into that category. It can also automate various tasks, handling those that are highly defined and heavily repeated without human intervention once programmed.
For some IT professionals, this means significantly fewer manual tasks. Instead of analyzing data or handling repetitive tasks themselves, they instruct an application to do the heavy lifting and often receive results in mere moments.
As a result, tech pros have to reposition themselves. They can’t rely on their abilities in those areas to drive their careers. Pivoting is required for long-term job security.
How to Maintain Your Job Security
Remaining relevant means having something to offer that automation can’t do. What that involves varies based on the IT professional’s specialty. In some cases, being adept at using the automation solution can create job security. AI systems aren’t entirely autonomous; they require programming and instruction from people.
In other instances, tech pros will need to enhance their skills in areas that automation isn’t equipped to manage. Since AI isn’t currently capable of creative thinking or problem solving, empathy, and can’t draw on experiences outside its programming to identify a solution or derive insights, having strong skills in those areas helps.
Additionally, striving to stay at the forefront of technology can make a difference. By acquiring skills in emerging areas, you can update your career path in a way that maintains your relevancy. You’ll increase your odds of achieving long-term professional success, ensuring you remain in-demand as employers begin to embrace the next wave of developments.
Ultimately, tech professionals have to be proactive. They can’t assume that the skills they use today will be needed tomorrow. Instead, they need to look to the future and determine what skillset will be tomorrow’s must-have and enhance their capabilities appropriately. That way, they can secure their own job security.
Find a Great Job with Bayside Solutions!
If you would like to learn more about the impact of technology on your career, or how you can futureproof yourself as a professional, the team at Bayside Solutions can help. Contact us to speak with one of our experienced staff members today and see how our technology trends expertise can benefit you.
