The unpredictability of the future jobs market and the danger posed by robotics to the job security of human workers has long been a source of discussion – and at times even a point of humour.
An episode of the 1998 American sitcom The King of Queens, which stars Kevin James and Leah Remini as a young couple making their way through life in the suburbs of New York with eccentric father-in-law Jerry Stiller living in their basement, captures the point well.
Stiller is quizzing his daughter on the line of work of his son-in-law-to-be, whom he has yet to meet. Informed he is a delivery driver, Stiller is aghast. “It’s a swell job, until they invent a machine to do it,” he derides.
“Come on, who are you to talk? You polish bowling balls for a living,” Remini says. Stiller points a finger at her, and with a hint of triumph replies: “I polish and engrave them – show me the machine that can do that.”
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Everyone gets the joke, but the irony of that scene now is that neither the engraver nor the delivery driver is safe today. Automation, robotics and artificial intelligence are upon us in a way few people outside those working in those industries saw coming.
This revolution in the jobs market is leading many professionals to reconsider their positions and examine new emerging industries for work. But where to begin?
Sorcha Carthy, senior manager of human capital initiative, skills and engagement with the Higher Education Authority, says a good starting point is to think about what your interests are.
“Identify your strengths and challenges,” she says. “Consider what is motivating your return to learning.”
A crucial step is to research the many course options out there. In terms of Springboard+ and HCI Pillar 1 courses, you can search the course listings on its website for areas you have an interest in.
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“Look at the course modules and the content to make sure you understand what’s involved,” Carthy says. “Think about whether the course content matches your areas of interest, abilities and career aspirations.”
She says some questions to think about include whether the course delivery method is compatible with your way of learning. Will learning from home suit your lifestyle if the course runs online? How is the course assessed? Is there a work placement?
Talk to people who have undertaken the course before – what did they get out of it? What was the workload like – how did they find balancing the course on top of working or family commitments?
Contact the course provider. What advice would they have for a prospective student? Attend open days.
“Don’t rule out applying for a course lower on the NFQ [National Framework of Qualifications] than your previous experience to help you reskill in a new area,” says Carthy. “There are many resources to help you explore what’s available and find the right course of learning for you.”
All valuable advice when you are starting off, but what sort of offerings are out there when it comes to emerging industries? Most of the experts these days point to AI and the green economy as relatively future-proof, for now at least.
Prof Patrick Mannion is the programme director of the postgraduate certificate in artificial intelligence for professionals at University of Galway.
“We are one of only a handful of universities in the world which has accredited AI courses which do not require students to have a technical, programming, computer science background,” he says.
“You don’t need to be a programmer, or train to become one. Professionals can learn, at a high level, about the strategic and practical aspects of AI research and development.
“They also gain an understanding of the data and skills requirements for successful AI applications, as well as the ethical and legal implications of AI deployments.”
The course is part-time over nine months from September to May, and runs completely online. It is also continuous assessment, and the university recommends a commitment of 10-20 hours a week.
Mannion adds: “Every employee needs AI aptitude. That was the message from the Microsoft 2023 Work Trend Index report. It also said 82 per cent of workplace leaders say their employees will need new skills to be prepared for the growth of AI.
“We see that, and we see that professionals need to be equipped with a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of AI approaches, as well as the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Knowledge of AI is not just for programmers or computer scientists any more.”
Ciara Ní Fhloinn, flexible learning manager with Solas, points to the Advanced Manufacturing Centre for Excellence, which is based in Louth.
It offers a range of programmes online from pharmaceuticals to technical writing while a digital skills for business programme runs across multiple ETB locations and has intakes throughout the year.
Also in Galway are the MSc AgInnovation and MSc TechInnovation courses. Both one-year programmes are blended with online classes once a week for two hours and an on-campus Saturday workshop once a month.
Prof Bernard Carlson, the programme director, says the online sessions are a “stimulating mix” of short lectures, videos and group exercises. “But we also know the students enjoy the opportunity of getting together each month to work and learn from each other,” he says.
A key difference between the two programmes is funding. TechInnovation students pay the fees for the programme while students in AgInnovation can apply through Springboard+ to cover 90-100 per cent of the programme’s fees.
“Unlike other engineering or entrepreneurship courses which are often top-down and start with the technology, these two are bottom-up and begin with identifying and understanding problems out there in the world,” Carlson says.
“With AgInnovation in particular, students come from a variety of backgrounds and work on a surprising range of ideas related to farming, forestry, food and rural life.
“Previous projects – all chosen by students – have included sustainability, developing new snack foods and connecting farmers raising native sheep with companies that can use the wool to develop genuine Irish products.
“We teach students how to shape an idea into a product or service by understanding the needs and problems that actual people have. We have seen our students go on to launch new businesses as well as create new products for the companies which employ them.”
The midlands region provides another example of where research has been undertaken to identify growth sectors and emerging industries.
A recent report highlighted opportunities for a wide variety of jobs in leisure, heritage and recreation areas such as the Lough Boora Discovery Park and other outdoor visitor spots.
In response, Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) partnered with the Bicycle Engineering Academy to offer a series of programmes.
These range from part-time programmes on awareness of bicycle mechanics to full-time, 26-week traineeships in bicycle engineering, up to and including electronic bicycles.
In the biodiversity sphere, LOETB has developed a successful partnership with Teagasc that resulted in part-time flexible traineeships being offered at the agricultural colleges in Mount Bellew and Gurteen.
Originally focused on Bord na Móna seasonal employees reliant on peat generation income to sustain small farms, the partnership has evolved into a National FET Pilot on Sustainable Agriculture involving Solas, and the ETBs in Galway-Roscommon and Tipperary.
LOETB is now piloting several short courses with Teagasc that will enhance off-farm income opportunities for farmers in the Just Transition region while simultaneously integrating more sustainable and climate-friendly practices on its own farms.
On retrofitting and energy efficiency, there are now six centres of excellence for retrofitting in the FET sector. LOETB has developed programmes that provide the qualifications and skills to undertake the work required in new jobs.
These include retrofit advisers and residential retrofit co-ordinators, with the latter providing a pathway to Technological University of the Shannon retrofit management programmes in higher education.
LOETB also provides a five-day programmes for plumbers on domestic heat pump systems that enable them to install heat pumps to required standards.
Tony Dalton, director of further education and training services at LOETB, says all of these programmes ensure industry relevance in this ever-changing labour market landscape.
