A Few Thoughts on Skill-Set Obsolescence
One of
the in-vogue-things in the modern world today is the suspected onset of AI etc
enabled job losses. It came to me in a meeting yesterday, when for the first
time I was confronted with the impact of technology on Jobs. . It came to my mind - so what is new about this? Throughout history in-demand Jobs, Skill sets have been changing; this is actually par for the course ... ledger accounting of the 70s has now given way to computer based accounting, for just one example; manpower intensive production of the earlier times has given way to leaner systems, for another example.
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Image Credit : Canva, Photo by Matan Segev |
WHAT IS NEW HERE?
What is new about this shift from one skill to a newer one,
basis technological change? Nothing... this has happened before, and will for
sure happen again. That is the nature of life itself! Admitted, this time the
scale is larger due to the pace of technological advancement combined with the
higher population or sheer numbers of people involved. That apart, there is no
real difference between earlier and the now.
Also admitted that scale of the change is itself something that changes
the ground scenario as well as perspective.
LETS PAUSE, TAKE A STEP BACK
But lets us pause here for a moment – take a step back, and
think a little, look at the scenario dispassionately, and the involved
parameters. As an individual, you have to earn a living; and the world is changing
around you. Your skill sets are no longer or will no longer be relevant pretty
soon. So what do you do? You can hear the talk around you, read in the news,
get it in your industry updates. Choice is yours, what do you do?
HOW CAN WE DEAL WITH THIS?
Can you stop the change? Clearly, you cannot. The options
become clear – survive for the time being while identifying skill sets that you
can develop, and which form a marketable future, where there will be some
demand for them. And then up-skill in those areas. That is the only real way to
deal with this change that is coming upon us. Yes, there is some risk involved –
namely, will the new skills give opportunities and a comparable lifestyle? But
the alternative – survive till feasible.., and then, when the curtain falls… do
what?
MITIGATING RISK
But these – and other – risks can be mitigated by proper
planning and the right attitude. First, the attitude: remember, you are dealing
with the uncertainties of the future. This will take patience – so first of
all, learn to put your head down and be patient. Second, a searching questioning
attitude, being on the lookout for relevant emergent areas/skills where you
have a chance of making it. Third – acceptance, humility and dispassionate reasoning,
which will enable you to generate a variety of choices and directions to go
into.
The other aspect is planning – this in the current case
simple means understanding that the future is uncertain, and going accordingly.
Thus, in practical terms this means looking for a variety of areas, developing
a few options in the initial stages which can then be cut down to one or two
focus areas. Next, it also means regular reading around emergent trends in a
variety of areas, as well as networking. Both will help you to keep abreast of
the changes on the ground. But the key is
patience – this is a time consuming process. And the ability to let go of the past as the primary aspect… accept that the new path is just
that, new; that earnings will be different {higher, or lower could be either};
that the start will be slightly challenging…
IN CONCLUSION
Lastly, let me come back to underscore the attitude required in
this, the concluding paragraph. Doing all of this requires humility, the
ability to say or ask “I don’t know; help me learn; what is happening etc”. It
also requires jettisoning some impressions – like “I am past the age where I
can learn new skills etc”. If, for example, as a marketer, you do not know
digital technologies, or Digital Marketing, then best accept it, and learn the
tricks. Forget your age, be it 30something or 40something or 50something. Go
ahead and learn it! And the biggest point
- it requires a questioning inquisitive open mind to learn & analyse trends.
It can be done; it isn’t easy – but it can be done. And
frankly, there is no other option, we
have to do it at some point in time – yes, even you youngsters in your teens or
early twenties will have to, at some point in your life. This is one hard rule of life. And you have to do it yourself… you
may have or get support, that is another matter entirely – and that is the
matter of the concluding part of this mini-series, where I examine a European
Model of implementation in a similar circumstance… stay connected!
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