Post-pandemic automation trends are set to shake up the job market, the skills workforces will demand and the future of education, much quicker than estimated. As we come out of the pandemic, we are faced with a humbling truth: the UK workforce is not prepared and is already falling behind.
People are now working differently, friends are socialising virtually, and consumers are changing the ways they shop; this is all a result of the disruption of the last two years. While industries were in fight or flight mode, they now have to consider the longevity of survival. Being reactive, is no longer enough.
While we are all aware of the changes which have taken place, the speed it has occurred is threatening industries up and down the country. This shift and rapid reliance on technology has changed consumer behaviour and business strategies at a pace we were waiting to experience in a decade’s time. Businesses, small and large, have quickly responded to the perils the pandemic presented and invested in new technology and software to not only replicate or recreate the processes that used to take place in one office building, but also to such react to consumer demands.
Different sectors have experienced unprecedented disruption. Retail workers are likely to have seen more technology in their working lives, whether through automated checkouts or contactless payments. Even teachers and healthcare workers – professions that have depended on face-to-face contact for hundreds of years – have been changed by digital technology, with teachers delivering lessons and lectures online, and healthcare workers conducting initial or follow up appointments virtually.
With nearly a third of jobs at risk of becoming extinct, the skills gap across the nation is widening, meaning new roles will be left vacant and those whose job was taken over by technology, will be out of work. Industries, higher education institutions and businesses need to outline the skills needed for the jobs of the future.
This report explores the changing landscape of jobs and skills in the UK. Looking forward to 2030, we ask three key questions:
- What does the landscape of jobs and skills look like in 2030?
- What are the trends that will drive this change?
- How prepared are we now for this change?
Throughout this report, we outline the five major shifts, we expect to occur by 2030. We’ll outline what’s driving these shifts, and how we can bridge the gap between today and tomorrow.
To download the 2030 Workforce report, click here.
