The accelerating trend of automation continues to be seen in many businesses, including here in Chicago.
Andy Weber, former Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Obama Administration, is now working with HowToRobot and Gain & Co, which is headquartered in Denmark and has branched out to Chicago.
He spoke on a recent Zoom call which WBBM was a part of, saying manufacturers need to "re-adjust" for a changing workforce.
"They need these skilled people and so they have to include the right training and the incentives. I think it's very healthy for our country and for the economy that people are no longer interested in doing crappy work for a living. They want higher quality jobs and they'll invest in that," Weber said.
"Whether it's a going to a community college or vocational training, or getting a full bachelor's or master's degree, those opportunities are there and we need to work with employers to make sure we have the right labor pool that's being trained and continuously updated with training, throughout their careers," Weber continued.
Søren Peters, Group CEO of HowToRobot and Gain & Co, said automation "is not taking jobs. It's not chasing you and your friends. It's a good thing."
"It's making sure the workers there are upgraded," Peters said. "If we don't upscale the workers in these factories, we will lose."
A 2019 report by the Brookings Institution concluded that there's a "complicated" understanding of automation's impact on jobs, meaning, simply that automation will replace some jobs, while enhancing and creating others.