EVOLVE Business and Professional Magazine August 2019 | Page 29

not a single person has lost their job. He noted that there are new job
skills required such as electro-mechanical automation engineers.
“Automation is not the end of work,” wrote Mark Muro, policy
director, Brookings Institution, in a study he co-authored in January
of this year. Most occupations will see specific tasks assumed by
machines, but much of their labor will likely be enhanced, rather than
fully replaced, through automation, the study found. That’s because
P O W
E
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BUSINESS
automation rarely replaces entire jobs. The problem of automation
then is not about the net loss of jobs, but about matching workers with
the work.
Work as we know it is changing. News flash, it has always been
changing. Think about the horse and buggy days or just the changes
we’ve seen in the last couple of years. Many jobs of the future haven’t
been invented yet. So the real question is, “What can employees do
now to prepare for the next changes?” The answer, get good at what
companies or industries need next. Ask employers what skills are
currently hard to find and stay current on technology.
Take some advice from Deloitte Development, LLC, and The
Manufacturing Institute. They have been tracking the skills gap and
the future of work in the U.S. manufacturing industry for the past 17
years. Their fourth report, released in 2018, titled The Manufacturing
Institute Skills Gap and Future of Work, found the gap increasing
and impeding industry growth. Surveyed manufacturing executives
highlighted the role of technology in the skills needed for the industry.
There are a number of skill sets that could increase significantly over
the next few years due to the influx of automation and advanced
technologies. Those skill sets are technology/computer skills, digital
skills, programming skills for robots/automation, working with tools
and technology, and as always, critical thinking skills.
Our manufacturing industry is like a phoenix rising. Companies
are growing; the aerospace industry is taking off; and more leaders
in all industries see this community as a great place to move their
companies.
W H Y FLORIDA
FOR YOU R
BUSIN E SS?
IT COULD BE
So, should people be worried about losing their jobs to
automation? Change is coming but there is time to prepare. One thing
that can be counted on not to change is the fact that professional
development is the individual’s responsibility. And, with that, I close
with what I believe, “Manufacturing Rocks!”
Low electric rates
Special incentive rates
Extensive transportation
infrastructure network
Access to global markets
Favorable corporate
tax environment
Jayne Fifer is the President and CEO of Volusia
Manufacturers Association (VMA), the area’s
manufacturing alliance serving Flagler, Volusia and
surrounding counties. She is considered the voice
of Florida manufacturers in Volusia and Flagler
Counties. For more information contact jayne.fifer@
VMAonline.com.
No personal income tax
CONTACT US TODAY
888.488.7703
PoweringFlorida.com
AUGUST 2019 | 29 |