- [Announcer] iQ: smartparent is made possible by The Grable Foundation.

- From the first wheel to steam engines, to self-driving cars, industry has always revolutionized our world.

Today we are at the doorstep of the fourth industrial revolution.

New technologies are changing the way we live, the way society functions and it's changing the way today's students need to train for the workforce of the future.

We're talking about those changes and challenges and will tell you how you can help kids prepare for 21st century careers.

That's coming up on today's episode of iQ: smartparent and it starts right now.

(bright upbeat music) Welcome to iQ: smartparent.

I'm your host, Darieth Chisolm.

Today we're talking about the fourth industrial revolution, and what that means for today's kids as they consider possible career paths.

So let's get right to it.

Our first guest is Dr. Tom Mitchell, a professor at the School of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Welcome to the show, Tom.

- Thank you.

- So let's talk about the fourth industrial revolution.

This was a term that was coined by the World Economic Forum.

What does it mean?

- Well, if you go back in history, there have been several revolutions that really changed the economy and the way we live.

The first one, back in the 1800s, was the invention of mechanical steam power.

Before that, we use the muscle power to do things.

And when we could instead build, say steam-based trains, suddenly we could outrun the horses and it changed the economy.

Later in the early 1900s was the second revolution, around the idea of mass production and the assembly lines, and the invention of electricity and everything that came with that.

The third revolution was the invention of computers, beginning around 1950.

And then if you think back to the tremendous impact that's had on the way we live, and the way we work the economy.

But now we're in the fourth revolution, which is really around the invention of artificial intelligence, and linking that to a global network.

And if you think about it, it's analogous to the first revolution where we replaced muscle power by machines.

Now we're starting to replace brain power with machine augmentation.

- And so what does that mean for kids in terms of what they study and their career paths?

- For kids, one thing that means is that they'll be growing up in a future where computers will be their teammates.

And if you think about it, already, computers are making us smarter.

We can look up on the web, things that we don't remember anymore, we can we can look up those facts.

If we want to know how to repair our washing machine, we can watch a YouTube video.

So kids are gonna be growing up in a world where more and more, they can rely on computer teammates to make them smarter.

We need to help them understand what that means.

- And what are we likely to see in terms of societal changes as a result of that?

- We're going to see tremendous change.

If you just think about the past 10 years for example, computers have gone from being deaf and blind when the iPhone came out, for example, you couldn't speak to it because it couldn't really hear.

Today, we routinely talk to our phones and devices.

Similarly, computers were blind, they couldn't recognize objects on this sofa or in this room, now they can.

So that 10 year period has given us a tremendous advance in the ability of computers to perceive the world.

And then going forward, that's only going to accelerate.

- Does this mean there's going to be a greater turnover of jobs?

- It means that as technology accelerates, the very definition of jobs is going to change.

Computers, most jobs, in fact, involve a collection of tasks.

Computers will help with some of the tasks that our jobs are involved with.

They'll take over other tasks.

And they'll free us to spend more time on the human-related tasks.

- And it sounds like we're going to also have to move fast in terms of how we educate our children, because all of this is moving so quickly.

- That's right.

In fact, we need to change the way we do kindergarten through 12th education, but equally important, we need to start thinking about how to build a real lifelong educational system.

Because if one goes to college in their 20s in their 40s, they're going to be doing a different job than they were when they graduated.

- This is important for all children, and not just those that are pursuing STEM careers.

- Oh, absolutely.

It will, in some recent analysis that we've done and others, it looks like the majority of jobs will change over time.

Most jobs, I think will actually not be eliminated, but they will change in terms of the distribution of tasks you do.

For example, the doctor will spend maybe more time having heart to heart conversation with the patient.

But maybe get more computer support for diagnosis and for billing, other tests they're doing.

Some jobs will be eliminated, tollbooth operators, some will be changed, like doctors but not eliminated.

But it's not just jobs, education will be changed both in terms of the need for education as we were discussing, but also the way that we supply education.

The only thing we know with certainty is that, there will be more rapid change, a turnover in the types of jobs that are available.

So if you ask based on that, what should we be teaching kids today?

We should be teaching them how, a couple of things.

One, we should be teaching them how to use computers as a teammate to make them smarter.

They should work on those internet research.

When they do their project reports for school, they should learn to use spreadsheets.

That's the way to use computers to make us smarter.

So that's one kind of thing.

We should teach our kids how to use computers to be smarter.

Second thing, we should teach our kids to enjoy learning new things, because that's what they're going to be doing in the future more than people have done in the past.

- Well, Tom, we certainly covered a lot.

So thank you so much for being here.

- My pleasure.

- We've got more on the fourth industrial revolution, including what automation means for job loss and job creation.

But up first, here's what experts have to say about high growth, well paying jobs of the future.

- [Narrator] Experts say a good job is one that pays at least $35,000 a year for workers ages 25 to 44.

Families may be surprised to find out that 30 million good jobs exist for workers who do not have a four year college degree.

The majority of in demand well paying jobs of the future will require a two year associate's degree an industry recognized credential, apprenticeship or other high quality specialty training.

And they can lead to jobs paying 40 to $80,000 a year.

Learn more by searching these keywords and phrases, career and technical education, middle skills jobs, skills gap, post secondary education options.

- Visit our website for more information and links to resources about the future of our workforce.

Right now I'd like to introduce you to our next guest, Dr. Byron Clayton, CEO at the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute.

Thank you so much for being here.

- Thank you, it's wonderful being here.

- Great, wonderful.

So let's dive into this discussion around advanced manufacturing using automation.

How is automation shaping the workforce?

- You know, automation is everywhere right now.

You know, if you think about the supercomputer that we carry in our pockets, right?

That's automation that's automating things about information technology.

So the workforce right now has to understand how to deal with automation.

So if you think about things that are automated, you have to create the automation, you have to design the automation, you have to take care of it, implement it, install it, buy it, maintain it.

These are all creating wonderful opportunities for the workforce, but it requires that the workforce continue to learn about this new technology as it's developed.

- But we're hearing so much about losing jobs due to automation, though.

- Yeah, so you know, there's something called creative destruction.

That means anytime there's something new that comes along, it creates great things, but it also replaces other things.

There's the destruction part of it.

And so automation does destroy some jobs.

It displaces some people, but it creates a lot more.

There was a study that was done a couple of years ago that they always cite, done by the World Economic Forum.

And it said that across the world, they were going to be 75 million jobs displaced due to new technology.

However, 133 million jobs were gonna be created.

So that's a net gain of 58 million jobs.

That's the story of automation.

- So what does all of that mean for the U.S. economy?

- So the U.S. economy, the thing You have to understand about manufacturing is that it's highly profitable.

Companies that make things, if you look at what they pay their workforce, they pay their workforce very well, manufacturing jobs are very well paid.

And that's why countries around the world are investing so much into fighting for manufacturing, because it drives the middle class it, it creates this middle class that they have money to spend, they can buy houses, they can buy cars, they can buy products.

This is what differentiated the U.S. for so many years.

Other countries have caught on to that.

So manufacturing jobs drive the economy, drive the middle class, help people realize the American dream.

That's why it's so important.

- What kind of conversation should we be having with our children about thinking about manufacturing jobs?

- It's really exposing them to what's out there.

There are so many opportunities in manufacturing, there's a manufacturing workforce shortage, but what you have to understand and what we have to talk to our kids about are the types of jobs that are available, number one, in that, when you think about manufacturing, it's not that the dirty, dull, and dangerous jobs the past.

Those are the types of jobs that were first to be automated.

It's about the cool things, right?

It's about robotics and artificial intelligence.

- Yeah, it's about making it interesting to them.

Because I would think that they think oh, no, that's not the kind of job that I want to be in.

And yet there's so many opportunities for them.

- Absolutely, and again, these are well paying, in demand jobs that you can you can get into and enjoy and grow.

And if you don't, if over the years, you figure out that manufacturing is not for you, these are transferable skills that you can take to many other industries.

- So the flip of this, however, is looking at how this might impact automation in terms of manufacturing.

So what jobs may be lost as a result of that?

- So the main thing to look at are jobs that are repetitive, so things that, okay, all I do is I take this widget and I put it over in this machine.

Those are the types of jobs that are in danger.

But keep in mind that automation is all around us repetitive jobs in as, if you're a lawyer, there's certain repetitive things that you do that there's computers and computer software that can do those jobs now.

If you're a doctor, there's certain types of surgeries, certain types of diagnostic skills that are now able to be automated.

And so it's not just manufacturing, any kind of repetitive repetitive job is something that that can be automated.

So the key for people and especially kids to understand and also adults, is that you need to keep learning if you find yourself in some job that you think is in danger or is at risk, then learn something new.

Understand it, learn something new move on.

- You often point out about this need to learn and continue to learn, why is that's so important?

- If you look at the speed of business today, and the fact that business is changing daily, competition, you're not just, as a business owner, you're not just competing against the guy across the state.

You're competing against companies around the world.

And you combine that with the the speed of technology development and what you find is that you have to keep figuring out, as a business owner, how do I adapt these new technologies in order to help me stay ahead of all the new competition?

I need a workforce that's gonna continue to learn and grow and help me implement these new technologies.

So as the people that are most valuable to me, as a business owner, are the people who can learn, who willing and able to learn these new technologies and help me apply them.

- Do you find that there are some myths that you're still battling?

- Oh, absolutely.

- Yeah, what are they?

- Probably the biggest thing is that manufacturing, it's just, it's like, you know, the Dark Ages, dull, dirty, dangerous, you go into these plants and you lose sight of daylight.

Plants are, they have grown, the plants that are like that can't attract people anymore.

You know, I have my youngest son, for instance.

He ended up with a communications degree wanted to make more money, I said go into manufacturing.

could not talk him into it because of the type of idea he had of what manufacturing was.

Now he works for a manufacturing company, by the way.

- I often think about this.

I grew up in Detroit and so I'm certainly when I think of it, I think of you know, the big three and automation and so manufacturing jobs and I can see how trying to get people past those myths that there's so much more opportunity and as you point out, not these dark, cold places.

- Yeah, And the main thing is, is that there's just tons of opportunities.

And these jobs are not only high paying, but they're in demand.

And again, if you continue to learn, there are always opportunities for you.

And not just opportunities in one place.

These are opportunities around the country and around the world.

- And these jobs and opportunities you can get with a two year degree, Right?

- Absolutely.

- Yeah.

- So we're we're starting to see this transition of companies hiring for competency, right.

So it's not just about what degree you have, it's what you can do.

What have you learned, if you will learned it on your own or in a two year program, that's fine, as long as I know you can do the work.

- And there's room for women in manufacturing jobs too, right?

- Yes, absolutely.

The workforce shortage has, it's really forced employers to look at, I just need somebody who's gonna do the work, you know, and so opening up and looking at other talent populations, women, minorities, the disabled, underemployed, veterans, that is all about, I need somebody to do the work.

I don't care where they've come from, as long as they're reliable.

They work well with others, and they're willing and able to learn.

- What would be some of your final advice for parents as they talk with their kids about careers in automation and manufacturing?

- The biggest thing is, is to make sure that they're exposed to the opportunities number one, and number two, that they learn how to learn.

Any kind of career, manufacturing or otherwise, is gonna be heavily impacted by automation and technology.

And you're going to have to learn for your entire life in order to be valuable to a company or to your own business.

So that's the biggest advice I would give.

- All right, Byron, well thank you so much for being here with us today.

We do appreciate it.

- It's been a pleasure.

- Coming up, find out who's at risk for missing out on opportunities created by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and learn how you can Help equal the playing field.

But first check this out.

(bright upbeat music) - [Announcer] Learn more about the Fourth Industrial Revolution by searching these keywords and phrases World Economic Forum, Fourth Industrial Revolution, the future of jobs, emerging technology and the workforce, and technology and employment.

- The Fourth Industrial Revolution has the potential to create opportunities and inequities.

Our final guest today is Rachel Korberg of the Ford Foundation's Future of Workers Initiative.

Welcome, so glad to have you here.

- Thanks so much for having me.

You know, I work on these issues, but I'm also a mom.

So I'm really glad to be talking with you.

- Great, and we've got lots to cover.

So let's start with you summarizing what the future of workers initiative is.

- The way that we work is changing rapidly.

So many new technologies are being introduced into the workplace, your other guests have talked about Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Robotics.

At the Ford Foundation, we're really committed to challenging inequality.

So we want to make sure that as all of these changes take place, and they're very exciting, that workers ultimately have a voice and power in the workplace, that they are able to earn enough for themselves and their family and ultimately, that the next generation that their children go on to have more opportunity.

- And this is really important work.

But can you identify who stands to miss out?

- Absolutely.

So let's take a look at the contexts that all of these changes are happening in.

The average American worker hasn't gotten a raise in 40 years.

For workers with a high school degree or less, their wages have actually declined in real terms in that time.

- 40 years.

- Yes, so we're talking about an economy where a lot of the growth and innovation, it's not broadly shared, it's mostly going to those at the top.

So as these new tech technologies play out, we need to be sure that we don't just continue these trends, but that we actually disrupt them.

There's a real risk that we just take all of the current challenges and inequities and we move them online.

And in our view, that would not be innovation, that would be a real failure.

- Can you identify what some of the contributing factors are in all of this?

- Let me tell you a story that I think really gets at the challenges here.

Because ultimately, the issue is that workers are not at the table often enough when these new technologies are being developed and rolled out and when policies are being made for them.

So I recently had the opportunity to talk with a young man here in Pittsburgh, a young father.

He has a lot of experience in the restaurant industry, and he was thrilled to get a job to be paid $15 an hour at a big restaurant chain.

Now this restaurant chain, it uses a new innovative technology, a scheduling algorithm that gathers a lot of different data to predict when there are going to be busy times and when there are going to be slow times at the restaurant.

This prediction is really very accurate.

And what the what this scheduling technology does is it actually changes staffing based on its predictions.

So sometimes, this young man would be already coming into work just to learn his shift was canceled.

His schedule became so erratic and so unpredictable.

He really felt he wasn't able to show up for his daughter and to take good care of her.

So ultimately, after you know, all of this instability, he's decided he's going to shift to another job that actually pays less, $11 an hour, just because they'll give him steady hours.

- It's almost like going in reverse based on all of this.

- That's such a great way to put it, exactly.

This is supposed to be an innovation that improves our lives.

It's powerful technology.

But instead the business is basically making profit at the expense not just of the worker, but of his family as well.

So we will like to see at the Ford Foundation instead is when a company decides to introduce a technology like that, bring workers in, make sure that they really have a voice and power to talk about how can we use these technologies so that they do help the business but that they also create more opportunity for workers.

- Why are we seeing this being such a disadvantage, particularly for students who are graduating?

- Yeah, well, I think there are a couple of reasons.

And your show has done a lot of work on the digital divide.

And that's a crucial issue here.

We know that for low income families, they're much less likely to have access to broadband at home.

to computers and smartphones.

But at Ford, I think it goes beyond that.

It's not just the digital divide.

For example, if you look at workers in the gig economy, these are some of the most digitally fluent workers in our economy, they're using smartphones every day, they're connecting to their jobs through technology.

But the issue is that you know, the business models around them still result in them often not earning enough to get by, not always having the benefits they need, and not always having as much control over their day.

So I think ultimately, we need to be using these technologies in ways that put people at the center.

- which brings up this issue of this being really a social issue and a social justice issue, as well as workforce.

- It really is a social justice issue.

So the types of solutions that we try to advocate for in the world, it's all about bringing workers in, no matter what the decision is.

So when when policies are being developed, workers should be at the table with a say, explaining how these technologies will impact them.

One example of doing this really well, we've been honored to support the state of California in a new commission on the future of work.

- But how is that possible?

How do you get them to the table to actually have a voice?

- Right, there are a lot of really exciting things happening and worker organizing.

There are not just unions, which people may be familiar with, but also a lot of non-union worker groups that understand these technologies, that are organizing around them, and that are ready to participate in this type of policymaking with government at the table with business at the table as well.

- And it appears, though, that there's a larger gap there.

So how do we really close the gap and make this fair across the board?

- Yeah.

For us, you know, we would point to a lot of exciting initiatives.

For example, there are, we talked about scheduling and the instability that a lot of new technologies are introducing due to scheduling.

There's a new set of policies and places from Chicago to Oregon around a Fair Work Week.

Can we all come together and define what does a fair work week look like?

How can we embrace these technologies, but make sure that they're really fair?

- And are there any other policies that come to mind that you'd like to share?

- You know, the common thread with all of these policies is that it's not about being against these technologies, these technologies are really exciting, but it's about actually using them to create more opportunity.

So for example, portable benefits, this is this idea that often using technology, we can make sure that workers who may have multiple different jobs work part time over here, work in the gig economy over here, that they can have benefits like health insurance or paid time off no matter where they're working.

- And any final advice that you can share with us, particularly as it relates to the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

- Yes, well, I have to say, you know, as a parent, we all worry about our kids, we worry about how to prepare them for this new future of work.

And the truth is, we don't know where these technologies are going.

Sometimes everyone wants their kid to be a coder.

But the reality is those jobs might actually be automated in a few years time.

So I think the best that we can do with all this uncertainty as parents is to try to raise our kids to be curious, be critical, thoughtful, engage in very critical ways with technology, but also to be lifelong learners to be ready to embrace whatever those new technologies are, and be ready to learn them and to use them.

- Rachel, thank you so much for being here.

Really great information.

And thank you for being here today too.

There's no doubt about it.

Technology is leading us into uncharted territory.

We hope today's guests have given you information that will help your kids navigate the maze and learn how to make amazing contributions of their own, in this Fourth Industrial Revolution.

I'm Darieth Chisolm.

and I'll see you again next time on iQ: smartparent - [Announcer] Want to learn more about iQ: smartparent?

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