Rise of robots is ‘inevitable’
Robots on a production line, as a new report predicts that one in five jobs could be lost due to automation THE rise of robots in industry is inevitable, says a Huddersfield business chief.
The news comes after the think-tank Centre for Cities said one in five jobs in British cities could be replaced by robots in the next 12 years.
Jobs in retail, customer service and warehousing are among those most at threat of being lost, according to the study.
But a senior business figure in Huddersfield said the rise of the robots was inevitable if Britain was to compete in world markets in the decades to come.
Steven Leigh, head of policy at the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “It is going to happen. People are already familiar with automation and robots replacing people. It’s just the way of the world and it will continue to happen with more frequency going forward.”
Centre for Cities said the North and Midlands were more exposed to job losses from automation than wealthier locations in the South – further widening the North-South divide.
Cities including Mansfield, Sunderland and Wakefield could see two out of five jobs lost, while Oxford and Cambridge faced losing 13%, the study found.
The report said the changes would lead to jobs being created as well as lost as new industries would bring positions which do not even exist at present.
Mr Leigh said robots and automation were vital to making British industry more efficient and competitive. “Everyone has seen robots building cars,” he said. “You couldn’t make cars at the price they are now without robots. A hand-made car is a Bentley.”
He also cited Coca Cola’s Wakefield distribution centre as a great example of robotics, where stock was picked, processed and despatched largely without human involvement.
“Robots and automation are essential if we are going to increase productivity,” said Mr Leigh. “You have to have technical assistance to make your products efficiently.
“The short-term means some jobs are lost as robots replace people, but the theory is that the long-term gains in productivity create more wealth and you will need more people in better paid jobs running the business.”
He warned: “Countries around the world want to displace our products with theirs. If South Korea, China and India are getting automated and we don’t, we won’t have a chance of competing.”
Andrew Carter, chief executive of Centre for Cities, said: “Automation and the next 12 years bring huge opportunities to increase prosperity and jobs, but there is also a real risk that many people and places will lose out.
“National and local leaders need to ensure that people in cities across the North and Midlands can share in the benefits these changes could offer. That means reforming the education system to give young people the cognitive and interpersonal skills they need to thrive in the future and improving school standards, especially in places where jobs are most at risk.
“We also need greater investment in lifelong learning and technical education to help adults adapt to the changing labour market and better retraining for people who lose their jobs because of these changes.”