The big question is no longer whether robots and artificial intelligence will eventually replace us at work, but how and when it will happen. Debate rages. In 2013, a pair of Oxford academics predicted that 47 per cent of American jobs could be lost to automation by 2030[1]<\/a>. This year, McKinsey Global Institute predicts that 20-25 per cent of the US workforce could be looking for alternative employment by 2030[2]<\/a>.<\/p>\n The editorials buzz with familiar plotlines: rapid technological advancement will have a profound, unpredictable effect on the labour market, and those who fail to adapt will fall victim to so-called technological unemployment.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a tale as old as the industrial revolution, but the 21st<\/sup> century version is a James Cameron-esque sci-fi thriller, because the machines now have the brains to match their brawn. Nineteenth century automation may have changed factory work, but artificial intelligence has the potential to change everything<\/em>.<\/p>\n Breathe deeply. In the interest of rational thought, a team from PwC and Oxford has just published the findings of an 11-year research project to gauge the prevailing sentiment of the workforce, sketch some possible futures and provide guidance on how to prepare for uncertainty.<\/p>\n Titled Workforce of the future: The competing forces shaping 2030<\/em>, the report reiterates PwC\u2019s 2017 findings that a significant percentage of jobs are indeed at risk of automation: 38 per cent of jobs in the US, 35 per cent of jobs in Germany, 30 per cent of jobs in the UK and 21 per cent of jobs in Japan.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s not a doomsday report. The team has provided a useful roadmap to help workers understand where they stand in 2030 and how to future-proof their careers. At the heart of the report are \u201cthe four worlds of work\u201d.<\/p>\n The four worlds of work: where we might be in 2030<\/strong><\/p>\n The report vividly describes four equally-likely, but markedly different, worlds of work that could play out come 2030:<\/p>\n The Red World<\/strong>, where innovation outpaces regulation and consumers get what they want. It\u2019s an AI-fuelled wild west. Agility is essential, permanency is rare and those with outdated skills will lose out.<\/p>\n The Blue World<\/strong>, where big business gets bigger and social responsibility is an afterthought. Corporate careers are in extremely high demand, to the point where people seek medical enhancements to improve their performance.<\/p>\n The Green World<\/strong>, where big business reigns but social and environmental responsibility are the major drivers. Increased automation will support the green agenda, but at what cost to jobs?<\/p>\n The Yellow World<\/strong>, where smaller, ethical businesses thrive. \u2018Human made\u2019 products will be valued and automation will be supportive, not all-conquering. Workers will band together and won\u2019t lose their jobs to automation without a fight.<\/p>\n The report doesn\u2019t predict the likelihood of one world over another, and most readers will take them for what they are \u2013 endpoints on a broad spectrum. Exactly what we\u2019ll end up with is unclear.<\/p>\n So how do we prepare?<\/p>\n Adapt or perish. And stop calling them soft skills!<\/strong><\/p>\n Regardless of which world eventuates, workers and organisations must be adaptable.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just about embracing technology \u2013 it\u2019s about focusing on the skills that the automatons haven\u2019t quite nailed yet, like leadership, creativity, innovation, imagination and problem-solving. These skills will be in high demand.<\/p>\n Subsequently, we may no longer identify ourselves by means of our job title, but by our skillset. For example, in the future, an accountant may not just do accounting. In the fast-paced Red World, they may be hired to work on a lucrative short-term tech project on the basis of their problem-solving expertise. We\u2019ve called them \u2018soft skills\u2019 for too long. It\u2019s time to start calling them skills.<\/p>\n Your strategy is up to you (but an MBA<\/a> is a great start)<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve made it this far, you\u2019re probably starting to think about how you can take action. Generally speaking, you have two options: double down on a discipline that\u2019s highly specialised and therefore likely to be in high demand, or remain in your current career but broaden your horizons by developing your adaptability and creativity.<\/p>\n Some MBAs allow you the freedom to do either. Â鶹ֱ²¥\u00a0offers future-focused professionals from around the globe the opportunity to study the 1.5-year Master of Business Administration (MBA)<\/a> or the two-year MBA (Advanced).<\/a><\/p>\n In each, you can choose to focus on one of five available specialisations, some highly focused, some more broad: business administration, digital marketing, innovation and enterprise, leadership, or oil and gas.<\/p>\n Each will give you the skills that a future-focused leader needs to carve a successful career. You\u2019ll learn to navigate volatile, global business environments with innovative and strategic thinking.<\/p>\n The choice you make depends on the future \u2018world\u2019 you think is most likely and your own personal motivations.<\/p>\n Discover Curtin\u2019s MBA programs<\/a> and see what your future might hold. In the words of the indefatigable Sarah Connor, \u201cthere is no fate but what we make for ourselves\u201d.<\/p>\n![\"Jobs](\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Jobs-at-risk-PwC-1.jpg\")
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