During my commute last week I heard a talk radio discussion about the impacts of technology on jobs. The interview was really focused on the need of a college education; however, it brought up technology as one of those reasons. The interview was focused the impact of technology on low paying jobs.
Lower paying jobs that don’t require a college education or specialized training are necessary for a smooth running economy. Over the years I’ve worked many low paying jobs and understand that without such positions the purchase prices of the goods or services would be astronomical.
Technology, however, displaces many of these types of positions leaving many people unemployed. As technology evolves more and more of these jobs are continuing to be replaced. Basic assembly jobs are being taken by robots and back office jobs by computers.
Before technology it took many people and man hours to perform what computers do in milliseconds. Larger companies employed many people in the back office to handle their day-to-day business. Employees working for multi branch companies with centralized warehousing were severely impacted by technological advances.
An example I thought of during the radio show was a supermarket chain. During the 1950’s and before modern technological advances, almost every operation was done by a person. Inputting prices at the register, counting and ordering inventory, and even tallying the day’s sales were all done by people who most likely made minimal incomes.
Today things are a bit different. From the 70’s on, UPC codes are scanned by laser, inventory is kept by computer, orders are automatically generated, and warehouse picking is done automatically. Who knows how many people have been displaced by technology in a large chain? I would imagine quite a few.
As technology improves more and more jobs are replaced by computers that don’t complain. Provided they’re set up correctly, computers do better work with less errors than humans. The bottom line for a business is computers simply cost less to operate.
College educations are necessary to raise people out of the incredibly competitive world of lower paying jobs. Anyone who’s worked in a lower paying job understands how monotonous that work can be: ketchup, mustard, onions, pickle, bun. Current lower paying jobs don’t require much thought.
I don’t know if I completely buy into the notion of all lower paying jobs being eaten up by technology. I also believe people should educate or train themselves to advance; especially knowing there’s a limited supply of entry level positions. College is not always an option for kids out of high school, especially if their parents survived without higher education.
Ironically, technology is created by humans. Someone has a notion to improve a specific task and ultimately creates the demise of someone else. I think an economist might correct me, but if society has to support the displaced workers everything ends up costing us more as a whole.
Technology may be going too far when people’s jobs are taken. Some may not be fun, but are necessary for people to integrate into society and contribute to the economy. As long as people are working illicit activities will decrease, there will be less homeless, and our economy will get better.
This afternoon, as I was putting this article together in my head, I checked out at the local supermarket. I walked up to the automated checkout and scanned my items one at a time before bagging them. After counting the self service lanes I realized this technology displaced eight jobs. Really, college is necessary to stop competing against technology.
(Jeromy Patriquin is the President of Laptop & Computer Repair, Inc. located at 509 Main St. in Gardner. You can text him directly at (978) 413-2840 or visit www.LocalComputerWiz.com.)