RALEIGH – For those who know me, or have engaged with RIoT, the nonprofit that I run, you know that I am bullish on the Data Economy. We are at a transition point in our economy where every industry is going through what has been coined a “digital transformation.” In short – businesses of all kinds are deriving new value through the collection and real-time analysis of data to enable automation. Those who are best at automating, also become the best at predicting future customer needs and create a virtuous cycle of customer satisfaction, engagement and loyalty.
Tom Snyder, RIoT executive director
As this transition unfolds, I am frequently asked about the future of jobs. It is a fair question, as many of us associate automation with the replacement of factory jobs with robots. Will self-driving cars obliterate truck and uber drivers? Will autonomous combines eliminate field workers? The truthful answer is “yes”. Many job types today will be replaced by new technology solutions as has occurred throughout all of history (see many blacksmiths or buggy drivers today?)
Every technological revolution has created new jobs that require new skills. We could not have envisioned, at the start of the Internet Age, that software developers would be some of the highest paying and in-demand roles needed in every market. Completely new areas of law have emerged, creating new jobs that didn’t exist before. Entertainment has completely transformed, enabling people to create their own personal brands and make money through social media platforms.
In the Data Age, many new job types and categories will be created. We don’t know what all of them will be, but there are a number of early trends.
Everything will be internet connected
Even today, there is a growing need for Operational Technology (OT) specialists. In the same way that Information Technology (IT) jobs keep our companies operating behind the scenes, OT keeps our infrastructure running smoothly. Every pump and air conditioner and fire hydrant and transformer will be internet connected, collecting data that enables automation. The people who install and service that equipment will need baseline skills in Internet of Things technologies.
How to engage: The Community College system is leading the way in providing the right training – for example Wilson CC just launched a new fiber optic splicing technician curriculum.
Software positions are easier to reach
No code and low code software tools are proliferating, lowering the educational barrier to entry to high paying jobs. A tremendous number of technology positions exist that do not require a four-year college degree, making them accessible to those for which college was out of reach, or who are in mid-career transition. Technical certification programs have existed for years, but increasingly are opening the door to better jobs at higher salaries.
State of our region: In wake of chaos and death in 2020-21, opportunities beckon
How to engage: Many certification programs can be accessed self-serve on technology company websites, but look to community centers and community colleges for in-person programs. Wake Forest is launching new digital skills training at the W.E.B. Dubois school.
Computing interfaces are changing
One of the areas that is the most unknown, but likely to create the largest number of new jobs is in the emerging sector of digital simulation. Facebook, now Meta, is placing a huge bet on developing simulations in what’s been coined the Metaverse. In brief, the Metaverse enables simulation of our real world in a digital environment, better informing how we conduct business in the real world.
While the industry is nascent, and today is mostly associated with games like Fortnite, the building block technologies and applications of the Metaverse – blockchain, NFT’s, cryptocurrency, Artificial Intelligence, Augmented and Virtual Reality, 5G, LPWAN, to name a few – all have extremely practical applications across every industry. The “basic computer” skills of the future will be the skills to build and optimize with these tools, creating commerce in both the digital and physical realms.
How to engage: RIoT is offering a free Developer Day 1-day educational conference on March 11th with experts teaching workshops across many of these technology areas.
It may sound like science fiction. HAL seemed pretty far out in the 1968 classic, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Now Alexa, Siri and other talking computers are commonplace.
The good news is that people who have developed basic internet and technology skills have far greater control of their own careers today than a generation or two ago. No longer are we so dependent on working for a major employer for our whole careers. With the proper computer skills, we can easily hop from employer to employer, or become self-employed.
The key to this freedom and opportunity is digital literacy. Take advantage now to build the skills of tomorrow.
