There’s always been something quite remarkable about the ease that technology brings. But the notion, suggested by some people, that this would be a terrible thing for job seekers is worth looking into.
Of course, it’s hard enough trying to figure out where to get a job. Imagine adding to that the difficulty of finding a career path in a rapidly changing global job market. Jobs that were once guaranteed money-makers in Nigeria may now be moving closer and closer towards extinction.
Maybe now, tech startups would focus on innovating for their cities rather than resisting a work model that has proved adaptable in other climes. We may only need to evolve with the times.
Here are 5 jobs that technology is about to make obsolete.
1. Travel Agent
Being a travel agent used to be so much fun! You’d spend your days scouring for flight deals and helping people plan amazing adventures. Now, thanks to sites like Jovago and Travelstart, people have become their own travel agents and if they still need advice, they head to well-known travel blogs and review sites like TripAdvisor for first hand information.
2. Cashier
Whether you’re buying groceries or picking up a dress for Saturday night’s birthday bash, long line ups at the cash desk are soon to be a thing of the past. Most grocery and big box stores have already installed Self check-out stations are beginning to gain grounds, and soon you’ll be able to go in a store, pick out what you want, pay for it on your mobile phone and head out the door without ever having to speak or interact with anyone. What’s more? Ecommerce is gradually phasing out offline retail.
3. Bank Teller
The last time you went to talk to a bank teller was most likely when you were opening an account, changing money or asking about insurance or investments. Mobile banking has come a long way in the last few years and it’s only getting better. Plus, if you din’t know, some banks now able you too make deposits via ATM machines.
4. Journalism
Journalism is dying fast. With technology, almost everyone is turning into a journalist, so a career in journalism may not really need formal education anymore. The Internet has rendered traditional broadcasting and paper reporting virtually to the background. Nobody wants to buy a newspaper when they can read the news on their phones by the time the 9 o’clock news comes up at night, chances are that its already all over the Internet.
5. Printers and Publishers
Publishing and printing, at least in the old-fashioned sense, is an endangered industry. Technology has brought it to the digital realm, and we’ve seen the aftermath in declining newspaper readership and the rise of e-books. We’ll always publish books and periodicals, but the folks who have been trained in the old ways of producing them are likely to find themselves out of a job in the near future.
Can you think of any way to flip this boat over without people losing their jobs? Share your thoughts!
