The Future Of Work: A Key Issue No Federal Party Leaders Are Talking About
Adam Peabody is the director of Planet Hatch, an acceleration centre in Fredericton that helps entrepreneurs and startups grow into internationally competitive companies.
Since the national election kicked off on September 11, Canadians have heard the federal party leaders’ positions on a range of important and worthy policies, initiatives and legislative proposals. However, there is one issue that no party leader has offered a comprehensive strategy for, but will affect every working Canadian, business owner and our entire national economy. That issue is the future of work.
A recent report by the Royal Bank of Canada estimates that “50% of Canadian jobs will be disrupted by automation in the next 10 years.” Indeed, with the advent of technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics, many occupations that have formed the basis of our labour force over the past century will be disrupted or entirely eliminated in the coming years.
The jobs that will be replaced are not confined to low-skilled, menial work either. In evaluating the cost-benefit of such technologies, which in the immediate term require significant investment, employers are more likely to replace top-salary positions first to achieve the greatest return-on-investment.
A good example is the legal profession. The time (and billing hours) of many lawyers and paralegals isspent researching, pattern-matching, and rewriting documents. Artificial intelligence (AI) can already do many such skills, often performing better and at a greater volume than a human. So which position will the legal firm replace with technology first, the six-figure salaried lawyers, or the $40,000 per year receptionist? Which will have the greatest return-on-investment?
While every working Canadian should be concerned about the risk of their job being replaced by technology, the answer is not to resist such technologies. In fact, from the consumer perspective there are many benefits. You may have a quicker, cheaper and more thoroughly researched legal opinion with AI compared to a human.
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Still, if we don’t have an income to support such purchases because of job disruption, any consumer benefits brought on by technology will be all for naught, right? With such ominous statistics it’s a wonder why the opportunity a federal election presents has not spurred a serious national discussion on this very important challenge.
The good news is there are options available that should be given proper evaluation and then implemented by whomever forms government on October 21.
While we don’t exactly know which jobs will be replaced and when, we do know which skills technology is not able to replicate right now. These skills include verbal communication, sales, creative problem-solving, leadership, judgement, and empathy.
In short, they are the same skills that make a successful entrepreneur. And while not everyone is suited to start their own business, entrepreneurial skills can be taught to, honed by, and implemented in every Canadian’s profession. Yes, you can be an entrepreneurial nurse, teacher or even lawyer!
The next government would be smart in evaluating the best methods of helping more Canadians develop such skills through our primary, secondary and post-secondary educational institutions, as well as job-retraining programs.
New Brunswick has several models on offer that could be scaled to the national level. One example is the recent FutureReadyNB program, which not only provides subsidies for short-term, experiential job placements for university students, but also offers training workshops designed to help students develop entrepreneurial skill sets applicable to all professions that will serve them during their term placement and throughout their entire careers.
Another model is the Future of Work training program designed and offered by Planet Hatch, an entrepreneurship centre located in Fredericton, which has been deployed at high schools, colleges and universities in the Greater Fredericton Region that also addresses these topics and offers students the opportunity to put these skills into practice in a classroom environment.
In short, the Canadian labour market is expected to change rapidly over the coming decades and in-depth analysis followed by comprehensive national policies will be required to ensure every worker is prepared to succeed in it. As voters, we deserve a fact-based discussion amongst our leaders on this very important topic, followed by a government that is up to facing this challenge head-on with a plan that will set us up for success, no matter which occupation we choose to pursue.
Huddle publishes commentaries from groups and individuals on important business issues facing the Maritimes. These commentaries do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Huddle. To submit a commentary for consideration, contact editor Mark Leger: [email protected].