Computers to reshape Australian jobs

TECHNOLOGY TO HIT AUSTRALIAN JOBS

* Highly probable five million workers could be replaced by computers

* 39.6 per cent of workforce

* Further 18.4 per cent face medium probability jobs eliminated

Computers/automation will:

* Replicate aspects of human thought

* Disrupt way work conducted, expand competition, reduce costs to consumers

* Reduce workers' income

Jobs to disappear/be affected:

* Those with low levels of social interaction, creativity or mobility and dexterity

* Administration, sales, many service areas

* Telemarketers, accountants, estate agents, economists

* Most mines to operate with less than a third of current workforce, with significant number engaging remotely

* Same automation levels likely where routine operation the norm: agriculture, materials or cargo handling

* Increasing automation of routine office jobs: legal clerks, market research and sales, predictive analytics

* Health - automation in clinical data and predictive diagnostics, robotics assisting in surgery, nursing, hospital logistics, pharmaceutical dispensary

* Banking and legal advice - data and analysis play large role

* Redesign roles to be more automatable - growing fruit trees in particular shapes to allow robot picking, allocating special lines on road system for automated freight or car movements

Jobs least susceptible to automation:

* Technical professions, personal services

* Jobs in professional, technical and creative areas

Regions with high dependence on mining (particularly WA, Qld) to suffer bigger impact

Manufacturing should not be written off - drives innovation and technological change, contributes to external trade balance

Digital competency to join reading, writing, arithmetic as basic competencies for all workers

Concerted effort required to re-skill workers and transition them out of declining industries

Source: Committee For Economic Development of Australia research report Australia's future workforce