With the arrival of automated teller machines in the 1970s, the number of bank tellers in America has more than doubled. There are many other examples that automation can do the opposite of “stealing” human jobs. The new phenomenon actually can grow hand in hand with more openings for people in the labour market. As automation is taking off, and many engineering pros are worried about the future of their profession, check out 5 ways automation can actually create more jobs in the field. For more helpful engineering advice, news and career opportunities, make sure you subscribe to NewEngineer.com here.

Development

Automation requires a great deal of coding. And every time a business needs to alter the shape and scale of the automation it is using, programming is likely to be involved. With more and more SMBs beginning to rely on automation, information engineers find the sector has a growing need for their services.

Mobility

Automation doesn’t necessarily involve a massive scale operation at a warehouse filled with robots droning away at building automobiles. It falls all the way down to the small brick-and-mortar shops. From automated email response to nearly anything within the world of the Internet of Things – mobility itself will help drive a level of automation that only information engineers can handle. And the more traction mobility gains, the more automation will become a part of everyday life.

Security

As networked devices become ubiquitous, the need for significant security protection becomes pressing. It’s important to not only prevent hacking attacks into the system and stealing data, but to keep nefarious users from bringing systems to a halt. An automated system brought to a halt can have significant long-term implications as evidenced by the recent system failure experienced by British Airways. Security will continue to rise as one of the most important elements of IT and in the foreseeable future they will depend directly on trained professionals for it.

Reliability

Automated systems require more than an added measure of security. Reliability is of paramount importance for success. Regardless of the infrastructure and design of the automated systems, if it doesn't work, it's worthless. Information engineers will be depended upon to ensure those systems are reliable. This means keeping tabs on the code that drives the automated system, the code that binds the systems together, and the devices that are operated by the code.

Design, creation, maintenance and repair

Automated systems have to be designed and the responsibility will fall on engineers and IT pros. Automation isn't something that every business will be able to transition to with ease, and they'll lean heavily on professionals who can design systems ready to help bring them into a more modern and more dynamic world. Some automated systems will comprise individual apps and services that must be pieced together... which is right in the engineering wheelhouse.

While we’re a long way from artificial consciousness, engineers are still largely responsible for the creation and the repair of automated systems. We are nowhere near a time and place where businesses can function without its IT manpower. It's simply not an option. So no matter how good the automated systems become, businesses will still rely on engineers.

At this point, it makes more sense to look at automation as just another productivity-enhancing technology. While it is certainly logical that some human jobs will become obsolete as more self-service systems are rolled out, it’s a matter of time before companies redeploy workers to provide better services and operate their businesses more efficiently. Ultimately, economies strive to create jobs over the medium- to long-run, and embracing self-service technology is a key way to do so, for two key reasons. First, there are jobs created in those companies that provide automation technologies. Second, and more importantly, as consumers pay relatively less for goods and services, they have more purchasing power, which will stimulate a growth in other sectors, leading to a self-reinforcing economic expansion.

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