To ask for your help coming up with an AI-proof back up career?

[Haemagoblin]

I work in a research support role in Higher Education. I am a qualified professional, but I have a bad feeling that AI and the current financial crisis in HE, the lack of return on degrees and the general cost of living crisis does not bode well for my career in this area long term. Am currently earning c.£40k pa. Would like to maintain this if at all possible. There's a lot of talk in my sector about upskilling in areas like data analysis, coding etc - but tbh I don't know if there's 20-30 years' mileage in that either given the rate of progress in AI - may be jobs now but give it 5 years and the core tasks will be automated imo.

I'm 40, so if I make a career change I would like it to be long term and therefore AI-proof. I have a humanities degree (well 2 actually!) so outside of my (probably dying) sector, I am not an easy sell. So I'm thinking (a) what can computers never do for us? (b) what still makes decent money? and (c) what am I actually good at?

My first thought is various things around child-rearing (I love being a parent and looking after my little ones' friends). Teaching looks like a crapshoot at the moment though, plus extensive and expensive retraining required. So I wondered about child-minding/nannying. Concerns there are does it pay enough, how difficult is it running your own business/doing tax returns/dealing with government subsidy (I have always been salaried before). Also my DP works from home sometimes and does not enjoy kids as much as me (though would probably prefer it to me being unsalaried!)

Any other ideas? I mean people will always need to eat and I love to cook, but I couldn't make beautiful celebration cakes etc - I'm not at all artistic. I used to work in a pub and loved it, but not enough money in that (esp not these days as drinking and esp drinking out declines).

What else can't the machines take away from us???

Teaching isn't a crap shoot actually (secondary teacher here). I switched careers in my 50s (to teaching). I laugh every day. It brings me joy. Yes, it's hard work, but I think that someone who's already used to actual work does ok - a lot of people move straight from A Levels > uni > PGCE and I think they struggle with 'work life balance' in their late 20s and then have a panic in their 30s while they're trying to raise kids. Not saying they're unjustified, but as someone who worked for the man while raising a family (before work from home) it was never a tea party.

I mean, I'd also look at the civil service. Good pension.

Absolutely- probably one of the few professions where AI will make a huge positive difference without reducing the amount of staff required.

Imagine a world where social workers can shift the balance of their work to therapeutic face to face work with the most vulnerable in society rather than writing up assessments and filling in forms.

It's not happening in my local authority yet but I've heard that some local authorities are trialling AI for writing up assessments and transcribing minutes. I also think there's huge possibilities for it in terms of e.g. monitoring health conditions and supporting people with dementia or physical health conditions to stay independent for longer. Simple things like ordering shopping and medications, organising appointments etc I can see being supported by AI in future. It's already slightly possible it just needs properly pulling together.

the security services will always need the human element and boots on the ground

Massage therapist beauty therapist hairdresser all can earn really well if self employed easily £40,000 a year.

Yes but if AI leaves the majority of the workforce jobless people won’t be paying for luxuries.

This is true

Such as? Be keen to hear your views

Agree, social work but you’ll need a degree or to gain entrance onto one of the sponsored courses like Step Up. You can quite quickly rise to a salary of £50K in London with a bit less in other cities if you’re competent.

I'd consider retraining as a physio, massage therapist, hairdresser. Anything that requires a human touch, empathy and dexterity.

If this ends up being the case, the government will have to step in pretty quickly with some kind of universal income. OP will then be in the same position as everyone else. A new world order indeed!

Teaching is however a pretty toxic profession- schools also have less and less money which means they are less and less likely to get in people who are experienced (and expensive), and the academisation made the system very corporate and shit. If you like corporate world, numbers, targets, lingo that means nothing, reinventing the wheel every few years, excessive workload, people expecting you do forego your own personal life for the sake of other people's children- then it's a perfect profession.

I know what AI agents are. I handle them. Someone still has to oversee them and work out where they would be of benefit. In my firm there are only 3 people who even comprehend their capabilities.

It's not exactly what AI can do now though?

They are likely to be renting though and landlords will have a legal obligation to do these things.

This is a very interesting suggestion.
OP, could you maybe come up with something in your personal development plan that allows to you work with another relevant department, to see how things are developing in AI - get ahead of the curve. I'd have the same ethical concerns as you do, so having someone like you involved with AI would be hugely reassuring.

Gotcha! And that's what I was advising the OP to do - become a specialist in AI, in their area.