Artificial intelligence has taken over many businesses in the shortest time span.
According to a recent study of global business leaders, young people entering the workforce are fearing a job apocalypse, as businesses are investing in AI rather than new hires.
In a broader perspective, AI is quickly transforming the labor market and sometimes replacing jobs.
Therefore, a growing number of Britishers are fearing to lose their jobs amid the AI boom and are trying to learn traditional skills.
An 18-year-old Britisher, Maryna Yaroshenko, had opted for a skilled trade and training to become a plumber.
While briefing her career choices to Reuters, Maryna explained, “The reason why I chose engineering and construction in general is because it made me realize that a skilled trade is the only career path that won’t be taken over by AI.”
According to experts, white-collar jobs are viewed as more vulnerable to disruption by AI and automation than manual labor, and the time is near when robotics can replace traditional jobs like plumbing.
As per the latest survey conducted in the UK, one in six employers in Britain expects that the use of AI tools will replace their future jobs.
The City of Westminster College CWC in London reports that it has seen a 10% enrollment increase in engineering, construction, and built environment courses over the past three years.
CEO Stephen Davis explained, "I think AI has played a significant role in getting people to think more strategically about where they can establish a career, which can actually last longer."
“Sometimes plumbers are there to unclog the toilets—as disgusting as that may sound, but that comes with the reality of the job and I've yet to meet a robot who does that for us.”
Another survey carried out by the Trades Union Congress TUC, also found that half of the UK adults aged between 25-35 were worried about AI’s impact on their jobs.
Moreover, Maryna shared another reason for staying in a skilled trade for the long term, as the current workforce is aging, and demand for a new generation of skilled workers will stay high.
According to the business leaders survey, AI is being rapidly adopted by three-quarters of the UK businesses, which equals 76%, and they expect new tools to deliver tangible benefits to their organizations within the next 12 months.
The companies informed that they were mainly investing in AI to improve productivity and efficiency, as well as cutting costs and filling skills gaps.
Additionally, undergraduate enrollments at the UK universities have slightly declined from the previous year, which is being considered as the first annual decrease in nearly a decade, reports Reuters.
