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How to AI proof my kids? What skills will they absolutely need for the future & what careers will be safest?

20 replies

Somersby12 · 06/12/2023 07:16

Quite scared for my kids future with the threat of AI. What skills will future generations need to ensure they are wanted & needed in the workforce? Also what type of careers will still need humans predominantly?

Coding was a buzz word a few years ago to give kids a leg up but I was reading lately that it's pointless due to A. I being able to do it much quicker than a human ever could..

Also read social skills & languages will become even more important for employment in the coming years..

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gotomomo · 06/12/2023 07:19

A good all round education, good personal skills and manners, resilience and flexibility. Coding, computer competence is still important as who do you think works the ai!!!

Somersby12 · 06/12/2023 07:29

@gotomomo I totally agree with you re the education, manners & resilience but by the time this generation is in the workforce will AI have completely outsmarted humans?

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Somersby12 · 06/12/2023 07:31

Ps I totally agree with computer competence & basic coding skills but I feel the other skills mentioned will be much more important when securing & retaining a job

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lollo8 · 06/12/2023 07:50

I think that actual, hands-on jobs and owning small businesses are going to become a lot more appealing to young people. In my town, there are several young women who have set up their own businesses – bakeries, fitness studios etc. They are really talented and impressive, and are surrounded by other young men and women who want to actually create tangible things that are useful to others and work in sociable environments. I can think of boys who set up tree surgery businesses, electrician businesses etc.

More interesting, enjoyable and simply much cooler than sitting in front of a screen all day. They have created and own their own brands, they are known in the local community, they spend their days actually doing things, with visible results. If I was a teen today, that's what I'd want. To own something for myself. Yes it's hard work, but seems incredibly rewarding to lead it or be a part of it.

However, this is the sort of place where kids can have summer/Saturday jobs to build their confidence and competence, can see older relatives and family friends doing similar things, and houses aren't insanely expensive.

I would encourage your kids to get part-time jobs around school terms, if you really want them to get ahead. Whatever they do, they'll be miles ahead if they can confidently speak to all sorts of people, be able to complete tasks on time and without excuses and be proper team players. So many can't.

Somersby12 · 06/12/2023 07:58

lollo8 · 06/12/2023 07:50

I think that actual, hands-on jobs and owning small businesses are going to become a lot more appealing to young people. In my town, there are several young women who have set up their own businesses – bakeries, fitness studios etc. They are really talented and impressive, and are surrounded by other young men and women who want to actually create tangible things that are useful to others and work in sociable environments. I can think of boys who set up tree surgery businesses, electrician businesses etc.

More interesting, enjoyable and simply much cooler than sitting in front of a screen all day. They have created and own their own brands, they are known in the local community, they spend their days actually doing things, with visible results. If I was a teen today, that's what I'd want. To own something for myself. Yes it's hard work, but seems incredibly rewarding to lead it or be a part of it.

However, this is the sort of place where kids can have summer/Saturday jobs to build their confidence and competence, can see older relatives and family friends doing similar things, and houses aren't insanely expensive.

I would encourage your kids to get part-time jobs around school terms, if you really want them to get ahead. Whatever they do, they'll be miles ahead if they can confidently speak to all sorts of people, be able to complete tasks on time and without excuses and be proper team players. So many can't.

Fantastic advice, thank you. Yes agree re the small businesses & the owners are making a very decent living doing what they love.

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TheaBrandt · 06/12/2023 08:01

Hairdressing? Anything that requires human emotion?

Spendonsend · 06/12/2023 08:05

I suppose one skill they need is how to use AI to make whatever they do more productive.

I think a lot of jobs in healthcare, sports and education are at less risk of AI taking over completey. Ones where building relationships with humans and responding to their reactions are needed.

lollo8 · 06/12/2023 08:09

I just think there will be a big cultural reaction to 'online' in general. It will come from the next generation, who will simply reject the artificiality, the general dullness of a life lived online/at a screen.

I could be wrong, obviously. But that's how the cycles of culture tend to go.

More on kids with jobs: round here, I am really struck by the confidence of kids at Saturday jobs. They're confident and chatty at just the right level. My dad and I were looking lost trying to find a new cafe recently, and a teenage girl in an apron (clearly on an errand) came up to us and said 'are you alright, are you looking for somewhere?'

TheaBrandt · 06/12/2023 08:13

My Dd is like that. Aged 15 selling wealthy over 60s extremely expensive dresses. No way I or my friends would have pulled that off at 15.

coodawoodashooda · 06/12/2023 08:16

Somersby12 · 06/12/2023 07:16

Quite scared for my kids future with the threat of AI. What skills will future generations need to ensure they are wanted & needed in the workforce? Also what type of careers will still need humans predominantly?

Coding was a buzz word a few years ago to give kids a leg up but I was reading lately that it's pointless due to A. I being able to do it much quicker than a human ever could..

Also read social skills & languages will become even more important for employment in the coming years..

Thanks for this post

lollo8 · 06/12/2023 08:17

TheaBrandt · 06/12/2023 08:13

My Dd is like that. Aged 15 selling wealthy over 60s extremely expensive dresses. No way I or my friends would have pulled that off at 15.

That's impressive, she must have fantastic people skills. My cousin was selling similar expensive items to older people at that age, he learned how to talk to anyone, how to gauge what people want, how to relate to them. He got maybe two A levels, never went to uni. He now works abroad at a multinational company, earning well.

BoohooWoohoo · 06/12/2023 08:27

I am an enthusiastic user of technology like self service machines but would want some jobs to be done by humans eg nursing…
I think that in the future a sign of being rich will be whether or not you have humans do jobs for you like cook and care. “Poorer” people will have robots doing tasks like check their vitals in hospitals or pick their baby up in nursery when they cry. “Poorer” is UK poor not developing country poor btw.

Ficklebricks · 06/12/2023 08:51

DD wants to be a dentist. You've got me wondering if we'll all lie down and willingly let robot arms poke our teeth in the future. Scary stuff! 🤔😱

Somersby12 · 06/12/2023 10:34

@Ficklebricks it really is scary. AI is advancing even quicker than scientists ever predicted. So many professions & jobs will be obselete in years to come. Lots of tech jobs are going.
All we can do as parents I guess is prepare our kids & give them skills for a new era.. It's frightening & thought provoking in equal measures.

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lljkk · 06/12/2023 21:34

DS is a CompSci coder.
He sneers at AI.
it's just a language emulator a lot of the time.
He says that The value in coding isn't in any particular script doing things in a clever way: it's in the documentation that explains how the code does things (being clear so written so humans can follow) and with opportunities to edit it (written in suitable modules or parts, and clearly so that humans can edit it). Any algorithm applied needs to be understandable (clearly described, referenced, in ways humans can understand, start and ends of loops labeled, etc). Then the code needs to be tested (humans need to figure out how and how often) and stress tested using the most realistic scenarios (humans need to judge what those are).

More human effort goes into developing code and testing it works and enhancing it and upgrading it, than in writing the 1st version.

AI has little talent at most of that.

ElfontheShelfIsWATCHINGYOUTOO · 06/12/2023 22:15

@TheaBrandt what kind of dresses!

KenAdams · 07/12/2023 14:58

Prompt engineering will become a lucrative career choice for those currently at secondary level.

TheaBrandt · 07/12/2023 21:51

Extreme sparkly ones!

Confused38246 · 07/12/2023 22:53

Social skills and compassion. It's the only thing AI will never be able to replicate.

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