New tech has a positive impact on job creation in 2020, survey reveals
New technologies are expected to create more jobs in 2020, according to independent research by recruiter Robert Half.
While an earlier report by McKinsey - Company indicates that new technologies are expected to automate 25% to 46% of existing Australian workforce activities by 2030, the survey findings indicate that the rise of machines isn't simply taking away jobs, but rather changing the definition of existing roles and creating new ones.
The survey also sheds light on the optimism of Australian business leaders about the impact of technology on job creation compared to their global counterparts.
According to the Robert Half survey, almost 7 in 10 (69%) Australian business leaders think technology will create permanent jobs in their teams throughout 2020.
Across the thirteen markets recently surveyed by Robert Half, 64% of business leaders expect new technology to create permanent roles across their teams in 2020.
However, Australian business leaders are marginally less optimistic about temporary and contract roles, with almost half (48%) foreseeing that technology will create new temporary and contract roles, above the global average (42%).
Additionally, fewer Australian business leaders (15%) believe that new technologies will reduce the number of temporary and contract roles than their global peers (23%).
Business leaders in Australia and globally were asked 'How will new technologies affect the net number of jobs across your team in 2020?'
While automation will continue to disrupt workplaces and contribute to job loss in some sectors, jobs for technically skilled professionals are set to increase by 10.2% by 2023.
New technological developments across high-speed mobile internet, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and cloud technology require additional skilled professionals to develop and implement them. This, in turn, creates more job opportunities for professionals with an agile mindset and appetite to develop emerging technical skills.
Business leaders in Australia and globally were asked to indicate tech specialisms experiencing high to urgent demand in their IT departments. Here are the top 5 skills.
Many of the jobs forecast to experience growth in the wake of new technologies will be tech-centric while calling on a range of soft and strategic skills to complement the tech functionality.
According to LinkedIn's 2020 emerging jobs report, the top emerging roles in Australia rely on AI or automation skills and include artificial intelligence specialists, cybersecurity specialists, marketing automation specialists, robotics engineers, and site reliability engineers.
"The introduction of new technology is not only viewed as very positive by the majority of our C-suite respondents but continues to be an important catalyst for job creation, skills development and staff retention," says Robert Half Australia director Nicole Gorton.
"While some existing job functions are likely to be reallocated to automated processes, particularly manual or back-end processing, candidates who adopt a mindset of constant learning and embrace the potential of new technologies will bolster their employment prospects and are primed to succeed in a period of rapid technological change," says Gorton.
"Some of the fastest-growing job opportunities across all industries hold technology at their core, include those based on new technology, such as software development, specialist roles that leverage emerging technology, such as cyber-security, and those that rely on distinctly human skills which sit alongside technology, such as change management and strategic-thinking skills."
