shlomo Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 https://www.careeraddict.com/disappearing-jobs 1. Travel agent There was once a time when booking your summer getaway to Malaga was a case of popping into a travel agency on a Saturday afternoon, skimming through a few brochures and having a cheery sales rep put the whole thing together on an oversized computer. Now, with the abundance of easy-to-use comparison websites, anybody can arrange their own holiday. All you need is your bank card and a few spare hours to research your destination, with the likes of Skyscanner, Trivago and Opodo tailoring flight and hotel searches to your exact price and date range. Many travel operators have realised this and are closing down branches to focus on their online offers. 2. Cashier There has been increased talk in the last few years about the reality of a cashless society, with advances in contactless payments, Apple Pay and even cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin becoming prominent within mainstream society. While not everyone is on board, with some preferring to still use cash to better track their spending, one thing is for sure: the requirement for people to handle the payments is no more. With self-service tills and stations already a common site in supermarket chains and even fast food restaurants like McDonald’s, the demise of the cashier seems inevitable. 3. Fast food cook With fast food chains wanting to operate at a lower cost, automation could be imminent in the future. Indeed, according to a 2013 study (PDF), fast food workers face an 81% chance of automation. Fast food cooks, in particular, could be made redundant in the next few years as their employers begin to use current technologies to speed up processes and minimise operational costs. And it’s happening now: CaliBurger is already testing an automated workforce with AI-driven, burger-flipping kitchen assistants. 4. Mail carrier While there will still be the need for couriers to deliver parcels, things don’t look good for the traditional mail carriers delivering letters. This is mainly because the things that they deliver won’t exist in the next 20 years, with bills and statements being viewed and paid online, junk mail moving from your letterbox to your email inbox, and the writing of letters long since a dying art. Despite this, companies still frustratingly ask you for a utility bill as proof of address, even though most utility companies abandoned paper statements long ago! 5. Bank teller While banks won’t disappear altogether, many local branches will. This is due to the convenience and user-friendly nature of online and telephone banking, where you can make transactions and manage your account with ease – and all from the comfort of your own home. People will still need to consult with financial advisors and experts, so banks will remain open; there will just be a lot less of them. 6. Textile worker The dwindling number of employees in the textile industry isn’t due to the lack of demand for products, but rather how they’re made. With machines now able to perform a lot of the manufacturing and production work, there are fewer opportunities for textile workers. On the upside, the move towards semi-automation means that highly skilled specialist operators will be required, albeit in smaller numbers. 7. Printing press operator There has been speculation about the future of the print media industry for some time now, with various publications investing more time and content into their online versions. Additionally, Millennials prefer to get their news from less biased, less mainstream sources, meaning that the printing industry needs to adapt and evolve – or become extinct. This means that print press operators could be facing a significant decline in business. One thing is for sure; though: the age of the print newspaper is coming to an end. Why wait until tomorrow to read about the news when there is an absolute wealth of sources online that offer minute-by-minute coverage? 8. Sports referee/Umpire If you’ve ever fancied a career in sports, perhaps you should think twice about becoming a referee or umpire – chances are your services won’t be required in the future. Football’s governing body, FIFA, is relenting to pressure to introduce more technology into the game, with goal-line technology now a standard and the video assistant referee (VAR) system being utilised in top European leagues. This follows the example of other sports such as tennis, cricket and rugby, which have long since been using technology to make real-time decisions during a match. While some feel that a move to artificial refereeing is a positive thing and reduces the scope for error, others argue that many sports rules are open to interpretation and that the possibility of human error increases the drama and spectacle of the match. 9. Retail jeweller Although jewellers are not at risk of being replaced by machines (yet), their jobs could still be in jeopardy due to changing trends and social behaviours. According to a report by the Jewelers Board of Trade, the jewellery industry shrunk by 4% in 2018, with hundreds of jewellery stores going out of business in the US. It seems that younger generations are less inclined to invest in expensive jewellery, which is bad news for the industry. Considering that current generations have less disposable income, diamonds may not be on top of their priority list. Plus, younger generations are also more likely to support smaller businesses with ethical and sustainable practices rather than established luxury brands. Therefore, this could signal the downfall of high-end jewellery brands as millennial consumers shift their focus elsewhere. 10. Dispatcher At the age of Uber and Lyft, dispatcher roles are becoming increasingly scarce. Indeed, as popular rideshare apps become more mainstream, people no longer need assistance booking their journey through a dispatcher. Instead, companies are beginning to adopt automated taxi-dispatch systems and booking software that eliminate the need for a human workforce. Plus, all thanks to Google Maps, people can plan travel routes and discover local transportation services with a few screen taps. 11. Lumberjack As more and more paper products become digital, and corporations and governments shift towards a greener and more sustainable environment, lumberjacks are becoming an endangered species. There are already massive amounts of research into the development of alternative eco-friendly building materials, as well as talk about the long-term future of human labour being replaced by more sophisticated and advanced technologies. 12. Telemarketer Most people (apart from telemarketers, of course) will actually be pleased about this one, or at least they would be if the annoying, unwanted sales calls weren’t being replaced with even more annoying automated sales calls. Many telemarketing companies have adopted this new approach that negates hiring costs and can engage potential customers at any time of the day or night. 13. Fisher While imports of seafood and farmed fish are cheaper and increasingly more common, both the UK and US have been guilty of overfishing. This causes major disruptions within ecosystems, affecting food chains and survival rates of marine life; at the same time, the effects of climate change are also having an impact on the available stocks of fish. None of this looks good for professional fishers, who are subject to ever stricter quotas as a result of these developments. Even the few who choose to remain in the profession will be unlikely to escape technology, with research underway into fishing ‘bots’ that can do the job instead of humans. 14. Legal secretary In the legal sector, technology has already led to the automation of over 30,000 jobs. These include roles such as legal secretaries. Further than that, a recent Deloitte report suggests that over 114,000 legal jobs could be automated in the next two decades as the industry begins to adopt new technologies such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence. For legal secretaries, this technological disruption could reduce the number of roles available within the sector significantly, as robotisation and digitalisation take over their main tasks. 15. Assembler/Fabricator When it comes to occupations that include manual labour, automation seems inevitable. Assemblers are mainly responsible for making commodities such as toys, vehicles and aircrafts, among other products. However, with machines and robotics taking over assembly processes and repetitive tasks, assemblers are becoming an endangered species in most industries. According to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, the profession will face an 11% decline by 2028, resulting in the loss of some 203,300 jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARTINX9 Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 So what jobs will all these people who become unemployed do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCountOfNowhere Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 16. Royal family member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shlomo Posted November 14, 2020 Author Share Posted November 14, 2020 So what jobs will all these people who become unemployed do? If you would believe the media, ubereats delivery driver, working in supermarkets, i think that is about it, a lot of non jobs will soon disappear, i cannot see the economy picking up again for about 5 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orb Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 So what jobs will all these people who become unemployed do? Thought police officers, panic managers, hardcore porn VR developers, disaster capitalists, child counsellors, teachers... The future's never looked so bright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 If you would believe the media, ubereats delivery driver, working in supermarkets, i think that is about it, a lot of non jobs will soon disappear, i cannot see the economy picking up again for about 5 years. No job is a non job to the person doing it..... Why should anyone worry when all will be in the same boat/ position......or the majority anyway...... All jobs will be looked at differently.......there will be new opportunities abundant when traditional work no longer pays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shlomo Posted November 14, 2020 Author Share Posted November 14, 2020 No job is a non job to the person doing it..... Why should anyone worry when all will be in the same boat/ position......or the majority anyway...... All jobs will be looked at differently.......there will be new opportunities abundant when traditional work no longer pays. Some people who had a high income will be on the scrap heap, we are in for a difficult period Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 Some people who had a high income will be on the scrap heap, we are in for a difficult period Sure, that is why we should adapt and do things differently accordingly....... jobs are not all for life, more upskilling and retraining......life long intermittent students......people need people. Who are we without others? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A17 Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 A lot of the jobs on that list could have been on the list anytime since 1800 - nothing new. Textile workers - it reads as though we are just switching from knitting all our clothes at home, and the spinning jenny has just been invented. Not much left to cut. Printing press operator - all computerized now, went out in the 1980s. Not much left to cut. Assembler/Fabricator - Again, seems to think that we are in some pre 1950s industrial age Travel Agent - Ignoring COVID, I don't think there is much left to cut there. People already do most of it online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Roady Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megadebt Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 Estate agents, watch a few Kirsty and Phils, white fluffy towels and coffee percolator ready then list online. Semi-skilled service techicians, phone, tv, pc repairs that kinf of thing -cheaper to buy the new upgrade. Journalists in newsprint, shelves of monthly minority interest magazines that used to fill wh smiths, more amateur blogers and unpaid hobbyist content. Drivers truckers, taxis, food delivery slowly replaced etc by self driving. and delivery drones. Middle management loads of box ticking,arsekicking jobs replaced by AI performance trackers. Pro musicians smaller physical sales and traditional royalty streams right down, touring and merch revenues down whilst the big names and promoters squeeze even more of the take...plenty more want to play at XYZ festival/support for free. Touring europe post no-deal brexit will be a logistical nightmare: work permits and customs for all the band, crew and gear multiplied for every country,even when passing through for a day. Thatch Roofers progress in ceramics and metallurgy will make this obsolete within a century. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeanutButter Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 Thought police officers, panic managers, hardcore porn VR developers, disaster capitalists, child counsellors, teachers... The future's never looked so bright. Gender Theorists, Bondage Designers, Loan Sharks, Suicide Booth Manufacturers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
satsuma Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 Hookers will be replaced by robots that don’t carry VD or steal from punters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
satsuma Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 Gender Theorists, Bondage Designers, Loan Sharks, Suicide Booth Manufacturers There is a growth industry is finding ways to be offended or discriminated against, it just needs a job title. Equality Monitor (EM) or some such title would do. There will be government EMs in all government departments and companies with more than 10 staff will be required to have one. This will ensure that all offence given is quickly detected. With the advent of easy access to suicide booths repeat offenders can be quickly dispatched and associated costs deducted from their last pay cheque. The number of white males will gradually dwindle over the generations leading to new legends when these remaining individuals are spotted in the mountains where they hang on while refusing to speak to anyone for fear of giving offence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinnylattej Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 Please add members of the house of lords and lawyers to the deletion list. It won't just be the paralegals and secs that are going extinct. Still they can retrain as: robot trainer, robot ethicist, social media privacy manager, and internet profile value miner. Me? I'm retraining in light fabrication, although some-one above has said it will be extinct soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shlomo Posted November 14, 2020 Author Share Posted November 14, 2020 or steal from punters I am sure they can be programmed for that, have you heard of Wanncry sent by Kimbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24gray24 Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 I was in the third world once, and had the feeling that a lot of the jobs were simply there to give people some kind of job to feed their families. I kind of get the impression that when people look into the future, they miss out those social things. Also they miss: 2. Over estimating advances in technology. (Eg people flying to work, a guess from the 1960's. 3. Under estimating the inertia from current systems. Eg steam engines went on till 1970's. I can't see combustion engines being redundant by 2030. Too many current uses. 4. . Ignoring changes in costs of inputs 50 years later. Look at all those mansions that later cost too much to heat. 5. Failing to account for changes in labour costs. 6. For beautiful secretaries, travel agents etc there will still be a job at the front desk or over the bosses desk of whatever industry happens to be relevant at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
satsuma Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 Not sure about sexy secretaries, most don’t want to take the chance of being accused of hiring totty for their looks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shlomo Posted November 14, 2020 Author Share Posted November 14, 2020 Not sure about sexy secretaries, most don’t want to take the chance of being accused of hiring totty for their looks or being accused of.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megadebt Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 I was in the third world once, and had the feeling that a lot of the jobs were simply there to give people some kind of job to feed their families. I kind of get the impression that when people look into the future, they miss out those social things. Also they miss: 2. Over estimating advances in technology. (Eg people flying to work, a guess from the 1960's. 3. Under estimating the inertia from current systems. Eg steam engines went on till 1970's. I can't see combustion engines being redundant by 2030. Too many current uses. 4. . Ignoring changes in costs of inputs 50 years later. Look at all those mansions that later cost too much to heat. 5. Failing to account for changes in labour costs. 6. For beautiful secretaries, travel agents etc there will still be a job at the front desk or over the bosses desk of whatever industry happens to be relevant at the time. Brilliant analysis, but for one thing for the future: underestimating the rate of change, like second derivative acceleration in calculus perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregBowman Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 Some people who had a high income will be on the scrap heap, we are in for a difficult period ‘ They’are not we If you can wheel and deal , fix , repair or just generally be of use you will be fine Wheelrights became mechanics , building trades barely changed , typewriter mechanics became cyber security techs The problem is as you say many people’s income isn’t based on a skill that can be deployed differently Thats the swathe that AI and machine learning is going to carve through - even now I don’t think they see it coming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ah-so Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 Estate agents, watch a few Kirsty and Phils, white fluffy towels and coffee percolator ready then list online. Semi-skilled service techicians, phone, tv, pc repairs that kinf of thing -cheaper to buy the new upgrade. Journalists in newsprint, shelves of monthly minority interest magazines that used to fill wh smiths, more amateur blogers and unpaid hobbyist content. Drivers truckers, taxis, food delivery slowly replaced etc by self driving. and delivery drones. Middle management loads of box ticking,arsekicking jobs replaced by AI performance trackers. Pro musicians smaller physical sales and traditional royalty streams right down, touring and merch revenues down whilst the big names and promoters squeeze even more of the take...plenty more want to play at XYZ festival/support for free. Touring europe post no-deal brexit will be a logistical nightmare: work permits and customs for all the band, crew and gear multiplied for every country,even when passing through for a day. Thatch Roofers progress in ceramics and metallurgy will make this obsolete within a century. I agree with one - semi-skilled technicians. The others will still be around for years to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ah-so Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 The travel agent still has a role. Having spent many hours online trying to find the right hotel / villa, with about 50 tabs open is painful, particularly when they all look basically the same. And if you are organising something and get an online offer, it is worth giving Trailfinders a ring before you book - they can find some excellent deals and no options that you didn't know existed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregBowman Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 (edited) I agree with one - semi-skilled technicians. The others will still be around for years to come. We are cockroach like just morph - that ‘semi’ skill just gets applied to the next set of tech Virus removal tech Home connectivity tech Small scale web developer Smart home integrator Car tech ( can see that being lucrative as cars get smart) The thing is it’s more skilled than semi - you rarely see techs out of a job We are way beyond it being easy to swop out a bit of hardware They will remain employed for the very same reason you believe travel agents will be Edited November 14, 2020 by GregBowman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikhail Liebenstein Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 (edited) But this isn’t the first time historical jobs have vanished. According to Rory McGrath and Jimmy Mulville’s historical comedy drama, Chelmsford 123 (1988), there once existed the post of ’b0ll0ck catcher in a eunuch factory” and ”chief wall scraper in the vomitorium.” Don’t think you’d find many of those jobs today. https://subslikescript.com/series/Chelmsford_123-94432/season-1/episode-4-One_for_the_Road Edited November 14, 2020 by Mikhail Liebenstein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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