Technological innovation has fulfilled its promise of a less stressful life for humankind. Machines are capable of mass production that no human labor can compete with. Convenience is at our fingertips; apps and gadgets cater to our needs and lifestyles. What was once mocked as “science fiction only” has become reality.
Technological innovation is modernizing medicine, engineering, education, and the way we do business. It will continue to do so until the next decades. Yet no one can confidently wave away worries, for technological innovation will always deliver what we fear most: unemployment.
If we take a step back and ponder on the past, we will see that unemployment is nothing new. In 19th-century England, machines stole the jobs of textile workers. This angered them, and their protest became an upheaval. The “Luddites” destroyed labor-saving machinery which they deemed dangerous to their jobs and wages.
Fast-forward to the future. Media headlines report massive layoffs around the world and record high unemployment numbers among young people. The problem is a complex one. No politician, economist or educator can propose a surefire solution to the prolonged pain of unemployment. Some argue that overhauling school curriculums and embedding STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects will serve to equip graduates with the necessary skills to endure in the harsh technological world. Unfortunately, not many students take STEM subjects seriously; many choose an easier path, or are simply limited by their abilities. Others spend much of their time at social gatherings and indulging in materialism.
Only the brilliant will take the leap forward, but then uncertainty is the enemy. STEM graduates must learn to cope with programs and software that may displace them in the future. For instance, accountants may soon fall into the unemployment line as tax software improves. Companies will soon leverage the competencies of these software that will add value to their operations. Stiff competition among workers will bring down wages to a minimum. And doomsayers are anxious that the wage system may soon be abolished.
But despite fears, most everyone is enjoying the fruits of productivity gains. At the same time, our fairy-tale future of feeling secure has been shattered.
Joey Kiele M. Lumain, 22, says she finds “both opportunity and frustration in this crazy world.”