As we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the pace of innovation is accelerating, and disruptive technologies and trends are changing the way we live and work. Automation, AI, and robotics are taking away jobs of the past and creating jobs for the future. Companies across industries are recognizing that upskilling/reskilling their workforce is necessary to survive in a more automated world, but who owns this task? The employee or the enterprise, the government or educational institutions?
When American middle-skilled workers were asked about who is responsible for preparing them for the future, the majority (65%) of employees answered, “I am,” 16% answered “companies,” 10% chose “the government, ” and the rest didn’t know (Fuller, Wallenstein, Raman, de Chalendar, 2019). Future proofing the workforce should not rely on individuals alone; collaboration among business leaders, policymakers, and educators is needed to prepare more workers for the jobs of the future.
A new report from the Brookings Institution found that Iowa has one of the nation’s highest rates of workplace roles susceptible to being overtaken by automation or artificial intelligence technology. Nearly 28% of Iowa’s worker tasks are at high risk of being replaced by automation (Muro, Maxim, Whiton, 2019). The reason for Iowa’s risk has to do with the types of industry the state supports — such as production, food service, transportation, and agriculture.
Recognizing that preparing for the challenges around the changing nature of work requires collaboration among business, education, workforce, government, and community organizations, Iowa launched the Future Ready Iowa Initiative in 2015. The goal of Future Ready Iowa is to ensure 70% of Iowa’s workforce has education or training beyond high school by 2025. The following document provides an overview of the initiative’s key strategies and actions: Future Ready Iowa Overview.
Here’s a look at what other states are doing to future proof their workforce in the digital era.
Collective concern regarding the future of work is growing. Task forces have formed to understand how to better navigate the disruptions headed our way. How we harness opportunities and confront challenges will depend on the actions of public and private leadership.
Education and Workforce Trends through 2025, a report from Georgetown University that provides a forecast of Iowa's talent pipeline.
Automation and Artificial Intelligence, a report from the Brookings Institutions that looks at how automation and AI will affect the American economy and its people, places, and jobs over the next few decades.
Creating a Future of Work Commission: One Step States Can Take to Prepare for the Future of Work, a report from the Aspen Institute that reviews best practices for creating a Future of Work task force/commission and examines some existing models.
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