KGI Blog | Will Robots take our jobs?

Published by Christina Chua, 27 June 2020

"Robots could take over 20 million jobs by 2030, study claims." I was browsing articles on CNBC the other day, and this got my attention.

Due to the economic impact of COVID-19, many companies around the world have resorted to cost-cutting to keep their businesses afloat, and this includes laying off employees. In the long-run, automation would save companies millions per year, and it is a no-brainer that more and more companies will start to adopt automation and robotic technology to reduce their overheads and increase efficiency.

When this happens, more jobs will be misplaced – especially when it comes to professions that require lower skills, such as process-driven jobs that can be completely automated.

Some examples of automation that we see here in Singapore recently are the self-ordering kiosks in food outlets, self-checkout counters in supermarkets, tray return and floor returning robots, and even robot chefs that can whip up simple dishes! You can read about it here: https://sg.style.yahoo.com/meet-ausca-singapore-made-robot-can-serve-eggs-060626348.html

Of course, the next big thing that everyone is talking about is driverless cars, or also known as autonomous vehicles, which have already made significant progress lately and have been tested on the roads of Singapore. If all goes well, thousands of driverless cars may be on Singapore's roads in a few years. Although driverless vehicles boast the potential ability to reduce deaths from motor vehicle crashes as a result of human errors as well as a reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, this would also translate to a decrease in jobs for people who are driving for a living.

Many people argue that robots cannot fully replace a human due to their lack of judgment and emotions, which are critical towards decision-making and offering clients a personal touch.

But, if an employee is only skilled in performing certain mundane tasks, there is a high chance that employee might be at risk of being replaced in the next 3 to 5 years unless he/she develops new skills that can add more value to the organization. I believe it is more important now than ever to plan and invest in continuous self-improvement to stay relevant. For me, I make it a point to spend at least an hour a day to read and sign up for a minimum of 1 training or course every quarter to expand my knowledge and skillsets. I recognize that it is not easy, especially for office executives who are working from 9 am to 6 pm every day and have family commitments after work and on weekends.

I used to feel that way as well until I sat down one day and started to plan my weekly schedule consciously, and decided to commit to it regardless of the distractions (unless it is an emergency of course). Nowadays, with the advances in technology, it is incredibly convenient to attend an online course at your preferred schedule. For example, during the circuit breaker, where I was stuck at home most of the time for nearly two months, I have completed an Intermediate Social Media Marketing course, as well as an advanced Excel course. The Excel course saved my life not long ago, as I was tasked to complete a complicated business report within two days. The formulas that I learned from the course helped me to extract and compile the data like never before! 

For online classes, you can visit Udemy at https://www.udemy.com/. They have a wide variety of video courses focusing on different areas, from business, design, IT and software as well as personal development.

For Singaporeans, you may also look at the courses offered by SkillsFuture. SkillsFuture is a national movement to encourage Singaporeans to pursue lifelong learning. Their programs are customized to providing training for the most relevant skills to survive in the current competitive climate in Singapore. These courses are also affordable as they come with training grants and subsidies from the government, and are available in both online and offline format, depending on the subject. Visit their website here: https://www.myskillsfuture.sg/.

Tell me, what is your favourite way to learn? Are there any other resources that you use to gain continuous knowledge? I would love to know your thoughts!