University graduates are more affected than assistants

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«Will ChatGPT replace our artificial intelligence (AI) jobs?» The answer from the world’s most talked-about chatbot right now is diplomatic: “Overall, AI will change some jobs, but it will also create new ones.”

This is happening not only in remote Silicon Valley, but also in eastern Switzerland, Glarnerland and the canton of Aargau. Amosa (labor market monitoring in eastern Switzerland, Aargau, Zug and Zurich) conducted a study on the topic. Zurich Economy Director Carmen Walker-Späh (65) emphasized that “Each of us is affected by this change” on the occasion of the presentation of the study.

The low-tech industry is losing

The result: During the upheavals caused by automation, digitalization and artificial intelligence, the balance of power in the labor market has changed dramatically over the past decade in the ten cantons surveyed – representing at least half of German-speaking Switzerland. year. The service sector, measured by the number of jobs, has grown by 4 percent since 2010. The industrial sector, on the other hand, now provides 3 percent fewer jobs in the overall labor market.

The low-tech industry is particularly affected, including the apparel and paper industries, where jobs are declining. One in five professions in this field has disappeared in the last 10 years. The high-tech industry, including the pharmaceutical industry, is on the rise.

Increasingly higher educational qualifications

The demands for employees are increasing year by year. More than every second person currently has tertiary education (higher technical school, university or technical college) – 12 percent more than in 2010.

Structural change in the labor market is not new, according to the study. But the pace of change has accelerated. It has also been driven by the corona pandemic: at least since then, virtual meetings have been as part of the agenda as physical meetings. “This transformation is far from complete,” says Walker-Späh.

Young professionals especially affected

Not only are the jobs of unskilled workers on the brink of the abyss. Due to the current structural change, highly qualified workers with average education are more likely to be affected. There are many possible uses for AI in office and secretarial work or in marketing and sales. On the other hand, it is more difficult to replace the jobs of cleaning staff, unskilled construction workers or catering workers with artificial intelligence and automation.

According to the research, it is “unlikely” for office workers or marketing professionals to lose their jobs due to artificial intelligence right now. But they need to be prepared for big changes. And according to the study’s authors, “High levels of education do not protect against skill gaps.” For example, many jobs require more and more skills in data analysis and programming skills that even college graduates don’t naturally possess.

Women and young professionals aged 15-24 were more than average affected by labor market turmoil as they were employed in more focused professional fields.

Searching for lateral entrances

The good news: The permeable Swiss education system ensures that people do not become unemployed, can continue their education and change jobs as a result of the structural change in the labor market. You end up with a job that is more about cognitive activities than routine. The other side of the coin: According to the study authors, things will prosper with change, but this can also lead to stress and excessive demands on employees.

The work requires that lateral entry be encouraged. A shortage of skilled workers is fueling this trend because companies depend on existing workers to fill their vacancies. For this to be successful, it is important in the future to pay less attention to formal qualifications and less think about traditional professional fields, but focus on the skills that are truly essential for a job.

Source :Blick