7 U.S. Jobs Most Likely To Be Killed Off By Automation

by Sophia Miller

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

www.pulzo.com

Automated factories have been erasing jobs at manufacturing companies for years and now automation is slowing climbing up the ladder to take over more of what most would call “skilled” positions.

Take airplane pilots for example. According to Mary “Missy” Cummings, director of the Humans and Autonomy Lab (HAL) at Duke University (and a former Naval fighter pilot.), it is now a "dead end job.". She believes that is unadvisable that anyone become a commercial airline pilot going forward, given the current state of the art.

“Commercial pilots today touch the stick for three to seven minutes per flight—and that’s on a tough day,” she told an audience at the MIT CIO Symposium in May 2015.

Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing, multi-engine aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. Requires Federal Air Transport certificate and rating for specific aircraft type used. Includes regional, National, and international airline pilots and flight instructors of airline pilots. The current median annual salary is above $100, 000 and despite the threat of automation eording the profession, it is still projected to grow by the U.S. Department of Labor at a rate of over 8% over the next ten years.

Other jobs likely to face the threat of automation include:

Etchers and engravers
Etchers and engravers engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Includes such workers as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and silk screen etchers.
Median Annual Salary: $28,180 Projected 10-Year Employment Growth: .04%

Travel agents
Travel agents plan and sell transportation and accommodations for travel agency customers. Determine destination, modes of transportation, travel dates, costs, and accommodations required. They may also also describe, plan, and arrange itineraries and sell tour packages. They may also assist in resolving clients' travel problems.
Median Annual Salary: $31,870

Telephone operators
Telephone operators provide information by accessing alphabetical, geographical, or other directories. Assist customers with special billing requests, such as charges to a third party and credits or refunds for incorrectly dialed numbers or bad connections. They may also handle emergency calls and assist children or people with physical disabilities to make telephone calls.
Median Annual Salary: $31,970

Correspondence clerks
Correspondence clerks compose letters or electronic correspondence in reply to requests for merchandise, damage claims, credit and other information, delinquent accounts, incorrect billings, or unsatisfactory services. Duties may include gathering data to formulate reply and preparing correspondence.
Median Annual Salary: $33,410

Library technicians
Library technicians assist librarians by helping readers in the use of library catalogs, databases, and indexes to locate books and other materials; and by answering questions that require only brief consultation of standard reference. Compile records; sort and shelve books or other media; remove or repair damaged books or other media; register patrons; and check materials in and out of the circulation process. Replace materials in shelving area (stacks) or files. Includes bookmobile drivers who assist with providing services in mobile libraries.
Median Annual Salary: $29,860 Projected 10-Year Employment Growth: 8.82%

Air traffic controllers
Air traffic controllers control air traffic on and within vicinity of airport and movement of air traffic between altitude sectors and control centers according to established procedures and policies. Authorize, regulate, and control commercial airline flights according to government or company regulations to expedite and ensure flight safety.
Median Annual Salary: $108,040 Projected 10-Year Employment Growth: 13.05%