Employment

How to stop robots from taking over your job

Reskilling now is the key says Annabelle Brittle from CAPSLOCK, a training provider giving people the skills to work on cyber security

Drones delivering packages are just one mooted way that new technology may replace work performed by people. Image: Alexandr Podvalny/Pexels

The World Economic Forum predicts that half of jobs will be replaced by AI, robots and technology by 2025. Couple this with the fact that more than 300,000 people were made redundant in 2020 due to Covid-19, and it’s clear we’re approaching an employment crisis. The pandemic has changed the world of work with far-reaching and potentially permanent effects, crippling industries which may never fully recover.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Ironically, one sector that relies heavily on highly skilled human input is the technology sector itself. And seeing as we are becoming increasingly reliant on technology in all aspects of life, this means that a huge number of new technology-focused jobs are constantly emerging, and in high demand.

So, which careers won’t be usurped by our robotic overlords in the next decade? And more importantly, how can people reskill to access those careers?

At CAPSLOCK we deliver career-changing cyber training online to do just that. From our research, we’ve identified five technology career sectors which will be in huge demand over the coming years: software engineering, data science, machine learning and AI, cloud engineering and cyber security.

Helping the UK workforce to reskill in sectors like these is at the top of the government’s agenda, especially in the wake of Covid-19. This is why it has decided to fund new approaches to adult education, which specifically help people reskill in technology roles.

CAPSLOCK helps people reskill, via a curriculum built in collaboration with some of the UK’s largest cyber employers. This is because the cyber security industry currently has a huge shortage of talent. There are many more cyber roles available than qualified cyber professionals to fill them. In fact, it is estimated that cyber will need an additional 3.5 million qualified professionals by 2023, so it’s a great time to be considering a career in cyber.

Contrary to popular belief, cyber security isn’t just about intensely technical knowledge. Solid impact skills such as communication and business understanding are a huge bonus in the world of cyber, making it a great career choice for a wide variety of people. This common misinterpretation of cyber means that many people believe they couldn’t pursue a cyber career, when in reality they definitely could. The cyber skills gap is vast, and with so many people out of work due to the pandemic, reskilling people in future-proof careers is a vital part of the rebuild.

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Anyone can apply to CAPSLOCK. You don’t need a degree, qualifications or experience in tech or cyber. Applicants simply have to be passionate about technology, willing to learn and motivated to change their careers.

Rather than charging learners a tuition fee, which would be prohibitively expensive for many, CAPSLOCK learners have the option to attend the full time (16 weeks) or part time (26 weeks) course and pay nothing up-front. Instead, learners are required to pay back a percentage of their income after completing the course, but only if they land a job with a good salary.

Removing the financial barriers to retraining courses is a practice which can help prevent poverty and potential homelessness in the UK. The simple fact is that Covid-19 has devastated people and businesses in many unforeseen ways. CAPSLOCK is providing a pathway for people to quickly gain the skills needed for a brand new, future-proof tech career, and only pay for it once they are earning.

To find out more about CAPSLOCK visit capslock.ac

This article originally appeared in The Big Issue’s Future of Work special edition magazine. Catch up with our look at how jobs will change in the years to come here

Career tips and advice from our Jobs and Training series:

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