Employers Can’t Retrain the U.S. by Themselves
Preparing workers for the age of automation will require greater government investment.
The robots are coming.
Photographer: Helen H. Richardson/Denver Post
Regardless of industry, today’s workers are bound by a common anxiety: their jobs will one day be performed by robots. While the threat is more imminent for some than for others, nearly everyone will need new skills in order to succeed. Businesses should help workers prepare for the challenges posed by automation — but they can’t shoulder the task on their own.
In the U.S., more than 7 million job openings remain unfilled. A shortage of workers is to be expected in a tight labor market, but that’s only part of the explanation. More than one in five employers say applicants lack skills necessary for the jobs on offer — not just competency in digital technologies, but also soft skills like communication and problem-solving.