By kindlylives Data entry operators are likely to be laid off in the next five years, and technological advancements will put some occupations at risk, a recruitment expert has warned.
Shane Little, managing director of Hays APAC, believes that while no profession is immune to the impact of technology, data entry personnel are the most likely to disappear.
“The simplest data entry is likely to disappear within five years,” he said. If I was doing pure data entry, I would think, research, and completely change the trajectory of my career.”
Little said that software applications or robots often replaced the role of data entry. However, manual inspection was still required, which provided an opportunity for some of the replaced workers to change their jobs.
Strong ‘human skills’-including communication, collaboration, teamwork and adaptability-will be key to ensuring career progression in a technologically driven world, he said.
The Riskiest Job
According to Pearson, the education giant, bookkeeping, accounting, and audit clerk are the jobs most likely to be affected by technology in the next decade.
Data entry clerks-there are about 45,000 full-time workers in Australia-were at the top of the list, along with cashiers, medical secretaries, administrative assistants, and cashiers.
Little said that technology would also have a major impact on customer service personnel, especially those employed in call centers.
Little said that other employees couldn’t let their guard down because every job would be disrupted by technology.
“Whether you’re in a leadership position, a junior position, or a technician, technology is affecting everyone,” he said.
Protect your career
Miriklis said that being willing to adopt new technology and anticipating the change in roles would help workers “stay ahead of the times” and protect their careers.
She agreed with Little that employees should strive to improve their soft skills to make the most of tasks that technology couldn’t do.
“Often, new and future jobs require more skills that technology cannot replace,” she said. Enhancing your core human skills-such as data literacy, critical thinking, and leadership-are irreplaceable advantages for technicians. ”
The occupations most likely to be impacted by technology in the next decade:
1. Bookkeeping, accounting and audit clerks-employed 220,000 full-time Aussies
2. Cashiers-employed 120,000 full-time Aussies
3. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants-90,000 full-time Australian employees
4. Data entry staff-employed 45000 full-time Aussies
5. Cashiers-employed 45000 full-time Aussies