Scottl
Diamond
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2013
- Location
- Eastern Massachusetts, USA
Back in the day, most jobs at places like McDonalds were starter jobs filled by part-time teens and young adults just starting out. Most later moved on to better jobs or got promoted to manager.
Today unfortunately many people are stuck in such jobs as many of the better jobs were outsourced and cheap imported labor competes for what is left.
My work will probably be among the last to be lost to automation. While much of the grunt work is done by automated devices (giving me more time to post to PM ) the design and setup of tests still requires the flexibility of a human due to each product or investigation having unique requirements and because much involves prototypes.
In spite of that I have long held sympathy for those in jobs threatened by automation. For years I avoided self-service gas pumps even though they cost less and I still avoid automated checkouts. Occasionally at Home Depot or elsewhere an employee will come along and "teach" me how to use them which I tolerate because it involves a human employee. Apparently I am a poor student because I "forget" how to use them the next time and get in line for a cashier.
I haven't visited a McDonalds type business in years and if a coffee shop went with automation only I would drive out of my way to find one with humans.
Be very careful what you wish for. There is a price to be paid for all this convenience and I for one do not wish to be the last man working in a world of unemployed. It would not be fun and anyone in that position would likely be hated and envied.
This is one instance where I feel that countries like Denmark are smarter than us by paying lower end workers a living wage.
Today unfortunately many people are stuck in such jobs as many of the better jobs were outsourced and cheap imported labor competes for what is left.
My work will probably be among the last to be lost to automation. While much of the grunt work is done by automated devices (giving me more time to post to PM ) the design and setup of tests still requires the flexibility of a human due to each product or investigation having unique requirements and because much involves prototypes.
In spite of that I have long held sympathy for those in jobs threatened by automation. For years I avoided self-service gas pumps even though they cost less and I still avoid automated checkouts. Occasionally at Home Depot or elsewhere an employee will come along and "teach" me how to use them which I tolerate because it involves a human employee. Apparently I am a poor student because I "forget" how to use them the next time and get in line for a cashier.
I haven't visited a McDonalds type business in years and if a coffee shop went with automation only I would drive out of my way to find one with humans.
Be very careful what you wish for. There is a price to be paid for all this convenience and I for one do not wish to be the last man working in a world of unemployed. It would not be fun and anyone in that position would likely be hated and envied.
This is one instance where I feel that countries like Denmark are smarter than us by paying lower end workers a living wage.