Expert reveals the careers that will be SAFE from AI amid fears of workplace takeover & job losses

Scottish Sun

8 hours ago

Read on to discover the careers best places to protect yourself from an AI replacement
BEAT THE BOTS Expert reveals the careers that will be SAFE from AI amid fears of workplace takeover & job losses
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COUNTDOWN star Susie Dent says she may be doing herself out of a job by helping to educate AI.
The show's Dictionary Corner expert tells the bots what they get wrong, helping them to improve.
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Susie Dent is helping AI bots improve - but might be doing herself out of a job
Credit: Channel 4
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Jobs expert Claire Sheerin explains the careers best used to avoid being replaced by AI
Credit: Reuters
Meanwhile, firms across the UK are slashing starter jobs as AI takes a firmer foothold, a recruitment report has warned.
It said the number of entry-level positions is down almost a third since ChatGPT was launched three years ago.
Chief Features Writer MATT BENDORIS speaks to a job expert to discover the careers Scots should choose to protect themselves against being replaced by artificial intelligence.
SCOTS need to train for highly skilled trades if they want to guarantee a long-running career that will be untouched by ­artificial intelligence
That's according to Claire Sheerin, the operational director for Scots-based recruitment specialists Lusona, who has nearly a quarter of a century experience in the jobs market.
But she believes that there is already a major skillset shortage in Scotland, with demand for new recruits at an all-time high.
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Scots need to train for highly skilled trades
Credit: Getty
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There's a major skillset shortage in Scotland - with demand at all-time high
Credit: Getty
She said: 'There's definitely huge skill shortages in Scotland for a lot of industries.
'We also have an ageing population that is actually ageing at a higher rate than the rest of the UK.
'Covid also meant that many people left their careers or retired.
'So highly skilled trades jobs are always important but even more so as the UK tries to hit its carbon emission targets.
'So as we try to retrofit our buildings, skills like heating and ventilation, air conditioning, electricity are going to continue to drive forward and can be quite lucrative.
'From a Scottish perceptive the Scottish Government knows there is a skills shortage and needs the education system to get a bigger volume of candidates that are required for the industry as we continue to decarbonise.
'It's definitely a buoyant place and will be so for the foreseeable future.'
Hospitality is another area that should be shielded for the most part by advancing technology.
Total automation
Claire adds: 'It's possible a robot is going to bring your drink and food, and many restaurants are already using automated ordering systems.
'But again you are still going to need people to cook the food and pour the drinks even if they aren't taking your orders any more.'
Warehouse work is one area that has been hit by AI and robotics, however Claire reckons that increased costs to employers are preventing a mass rush to total automation.
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Hospitality jobs should also be shielded by advanced tech
Credit: Alamy
She explains: 'Fully automated warehouses is a big upfront investment. Major organisations can afford it, but smaller businesses are still scoping that out.
'They will be asking themselves if they have got the money right now? Because money is tight with the National Insurance increases so cash flows are down.
'It's not that organisations won't eventually go down that route, but for now they will only have partial automated production lines.'
Many jobs in copywriting and proofreading have already been replaced by AI, but despite workers' fears that they are heading for the scrapheap, Claire maintains it won't be 'Armageddon.'
She says: 'Many industries will be affected by AI, but I don't think it's quite to the extent that people fear.
'Proofreaders and copywriters will be feeling the pain now, but that should leave sales teams more time to spend with customers and on more complex tasks.
'All our clients feel they should be using AI more as they believe it will probably make life a bit easier.
'That's certainly true where we've already seen big changes in the use of chatbots and virtual assistants for banking and call centres, but that's been the trend for a while now.
'But you still need a person as those chatbots will only take a customer so far.
'Previously you would have had an office manager taking minutes and notes for meetings, but now they use AI tools for those types of things.
'That office manager is still required to be there, but now they can get involved in other tasks and deployed elsewhere.'
Ultimately Claire believes that if the workforce and employers embrace AI technology it will lead to better, higher paid jobs.
She says: 'We need a balanced outlook as a lot of people are scared of AI and they're not sure how their company plans to use it.
'So employers need to use training and support to get their current staff comfortable with using it, so they can see the benefits.
'Ultimately all employers do not want to lose their best talents because they know the challenges of replacing good people.
'So it's actually quite exciting from that angle as AI will free up staff to take on more challenging tasks, leading to better paid, more skilled jobs.'