How engineers are preparing for their industry to change dramatically

How engineers are preparing for their industry to change dramaticallyHow engineers are preparing for their industry to change dramaticallyAutonomous cars. Intelligent robots. Ubiquitous supercomputing. The evidence of technological change is happening at an aggressive pace.The future of work is being shaped by a range of new technologies that are blending the digital and physical world, impacting every industry, changing how tasks are done and shifting the skills equation. The resulting disruptions mean we are entering an era of great promise, with the ability to dramatically improve the efficiency of individuals and organizations, and unearth a bevy of new fields of study and employment parteicularly for software developers and engineers.Follow-upLadders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreAs we celebrate National Engineers Week, we look ahead with great promise on where the future of work is he ading. Remarkable technical breakthroughs will position engineers at the epicenter of change and innovation.Remarkable technologies altering the employment landscapeA prestigevoll feature in science fiction over the past few decades has been artificial intelligence. Movies from the 1990s to today depict a future society of intelligent machines present among humans, like Sonny in I, Robot and Optimus Prime in Transformers. One thing these fictional characters all have in common is the use of artificial intelligence (AI).Today, organizations are embracing digital transformation powered by AI, harnessing big data, natural language processing and the Internet of Things (IoT) to transform their businesses and better serve customers and employees. Not only will these extraordinary technologies streamline our everyday routines, but they will also significantly disrupt the employment landscape.The emergence of new jobs in the world of AI and roboticsThe emergence of new technology often has a positive impact on the economy and creates new jobs. Careers such as social media manager, drone operator and app developer didnt exist until recently and today, millions of workers across the globe hold such positions. Accenture estimates that AI could boost labor productivity by up to 40% and double the economic growth rate by 2033. Additionally, PwC, predicts that professional, scientific and technical services will see a 16% net increase.As we approach the golden age of machine learning and AI, its clear that many jobs in 2020 and beyond will be in fields that didnt exist just a decade ago. For instance, an augmented reality developer and autonomous transportation specialist are just a few specially skilled careers that are starting to emerge and will soon be in high demand to fill. New roles may also include data detective, master of edge computing, AI business development manager, cyber city analyst, and the list goes on.Developing tomorrows engineersDespite many of todays alarming headlines inflating concerns over humans losing their jobs to machines, computers simply cannot perform many fundamental, human-oriented tasks involving judgement for problem- solving. It will be a very long time, if ever, that computers are capable of flexible thinking and reasoning, an area coined Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).Its likely that the fourth industrial revolution will favor individuals that can marry strong digital skills with softer skills like empathy and teamwork, which machines are challenged to replicate. Further, as AI and other innovative digital technologies mature, engineers will be part of its development and work alongside the technology.As working with robots becomes commonplace in every industry and workplace, tomorrows engineers will need to hone their hard and soft skills. A recent report from McKinsey shows that companies are responding by teaching these skills. Educational institutions must also prepare students for the new types of po sitions as technological advances continue. Preparing tomorrows workforce to have a healthy blend of technical and social skills will be key to creating a well-rounded, agile workplace in the age of AI.The world of work faces an epochal transition. As we mark National Engineers Week, theres never been a moreimportant time to uncover the new disruptive technologies that are reshaping the way we live and work as engineers will be at the center of this transition in the impending fourth industrial revolution.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people