One of President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign promises was to keep jobs in America. While this resonated with many voters, the reality about future jobs is actually much bleaker, according to research conducted by Oxford University. The results of a lengthy study indicate that up to 47 percent of both blue-collar and white-collar positions will be eliminated by year 2040.
Art Bilger, a business expert at the University of Pennsylvania, created Working Nation, a non-profit organization that will protect people from the coming trend. Bilger said the job-loss prediction is not only scary but also irreversible. He is currently asking other non-profits, government agencies, companies and universities to help modernize the workforce.
The rate of unemployment in developed countries has climbed steadily in recent years. It is currently thought that many mid-level jobs will no longer exist by 2034. The continuing technology revolution will provide benefits mainly for the wealthy and will eventually put many teachers, doctors, accountants and lawyers out of work. This is because computers are more efficient at analysis and data comparison, making medical misdiagnosis and fraud less likely. Those who do keep their jobs would be frozen at their current level of earnings.
Bilger said America needs to embrace the idea of a universal basic income, which would help people to survive as they re-educate themselves. This could lead to more people starting businesses or pursuing creative dreams as opposed to just simply working for money. He added that having a purpose in life is the foundation for a stable society, and this will be an important consideration with high unemployment looming in the near future.