10 Jobs That May be Replaced by Technology in the Next Few Years

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Future Jobs Replaced by Technology

Jobs may be replaced by technology in coming years

The year is 2114 and a robot is serving breakfast to customers in a busy downtown restaurant. Nearby, a robotic taxi car is picking up passengers for their daily commute to the office, no driver needed. A software enabled security camera checks each employee into the attendance system via a quick eye scan as they walk to their cubicles. A meeting space helps the work team to share a virtual reality presentation with a client on the other side of the world.

When one thinks about the future of work, it’s not hard to imagine how new technology and innovation will transform things. Someday, the way people work, share information and ideas will be vastly different than the way they are now. Yet, one thing to consider is how much of this technology will replace the jobs that humans complete now.

Let’s take a step into the near future and uncover 10 jobs that could very well be replaced by technology in just a few years.

#1 – Receptionists and Operators

You know that friendly voice that politely answers the phone when you call your doctor’s office, the local bank, and your favorite bookstore? Well, you can say “goodbye” to Ernestine, the telephone operator with the nasally voice from Saturday Night Live comedy fame. These friendly folks are quickly being replaced by automated telephone systems that respond to human voice prompts.

#2 – Librarians

“What did books look like?, will be a conversation you will have with your grandkids someday. Print books, especially hard backs, are quickly being replaced with electronic versions. Soon libraries will be replaced by e-readers that will eliminate the need for librarians and their looks over their glasses as they say “shhh” to everyone.

#3 – Travel Agents

As websites like Orbitz and Expedia emerged on the scene, more consumers starting finding this more useful for making travel plans. According to a Forbes article, over the last 12 years, travel agent jobs have declined by 34 percent, losing around 38,000 jobs. Oh well, travel agents will have to start selling timeshares now.

#4 – Newspaper Delivery Person

Back in the 1950s, starting the day without coffee and the freshly printed newspaper in hand was unthinkable. Now, the printed newspaper is going the way of the dinosaur, along with newspaper delivery people.

#5 – Cashiers

As soon as the Internet was invented, retailers were looking at ways to market their products to the worldwide consumer market. According to figures from eMarketer, the total retail sales in the USA topped $4.53 trillion as of 2013, with ecommerce increasing by $40 million from the previous year. Consumers are increasingly shopping for their needs via mobile devices online, leaving the need for human cashiers in brick and mortar stores dwindling.

#6 – Manufacturing Worker

A Huffington Post article advised that the past three decades have signaled the replacement of manufacturing workers with various automated systems. Robots controlled by computers now handle tasks that people used to do, reducing both costs and risks. This means less jobs for manufacturing professionals across multiple industries. In the future, nearly everything you buy will be made by a robot somewhere in the world

#7 – Data Entry Professional

For years, people have had to manually enter large amounts of information into computer databases, with the hopes that something useful would spit out on the other side. However, data scanning and integration systems now automate this process, with very little human connection. Data entry pros may want to use their skills as analysts and developers if they want to stay employed.

#8 – Transcriptionist

The same goes for general, legal and medical transcriptionists who transform recording information into text formats. Computer aided dictation software is more accurate than ever before, leaving less work for these skilled folks.

#9 – Filing Clerks

Along with the digitization of records, such as those in the health care and government industries, the need for paper filling systems is becoming obsolete. File Clerks can find other jobs in administrative functions once the old metal filing cabinet makes its last appearance.

#10 – Classroom Teachers

Education and learning is changing in leaps and bounds. Traditional classroom educators are finding it tougher to secure contracts with schools and colleges, due to the movement towards distance eLearning methods. Teachers can parlay their experience into careers in Instructional Design and Online Tutoring.