Prevent Dropping Out with Bad News for Dropouts: Jobs That Are No More by Ruth Herman Wells Youth Change

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Prevent Dropping Out with Bad News for Dropouts: Jobs That Are No More
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Submitted Monday, February 20, 2006
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If you work with youngsters who say that they do not plan

to finish school, they should know that even robots

finish school. That's important to know because these

educated robots are in training to take over many of the

jobs that are still open to dropouts. Name the job that

is still open to dropouts, and USA Today (5-1-03) can

name the robot that can do the job cheaper. Check out

what is happening to these jobs that your students say

they will always be able to do without a diploma.

G O I N G Nursing Home Aide

G O I N G Aide to the Disabled

G O N E Caregiver to the Elderly

Have you heard about Pearl? Pearl is a robotic

nurse. She "has cameras for eyes, a computer

screen for a chest and a tray or basket in which

she can carry items to an elderly or disabled

person," says USA Today. "That's so far away,"

your potential dropout may say hopefully. "Not

true," you can reply. Pearl has already passed the

testing stage for use in both nursing homes and

private residences.

G O I N G Maid

G O I N G Housekeeper

G O N E Custodian

It's called Roomba FloorVac, and it's not even

expensive. For about the price of a regular

vacuum, you can now own a robotic vacuum that

can do the job without supervision. The Roomba

will never call in sick, ask for a raise or

beg for the day off either. Other devices exist

or will soon exist for other cleaning chores.

G O I N G Lawn Mower

G O I N G Gardener

G O N E Grounds Worker

It costs just a bit more than a traditional

lawn mower but no people are needed to run it.

It's not a dream for the future but a product

that has been on the market for at least a year.

G O I N G Baby Sitter

G O I N G Nanny

G O N E Child Care Worker

The ER-2 can not only tell stories or play games

with kids while their parents are away, the

device can also patrol the property. If the ER-2

detects a problem, it can not only notify you, but

it can also show you a picture of the problem too.

Machines will soon be able to prepare simple food

items, set the table and clear it too. That's more

than many baby sitters do.

G O I N G Home Aide

G O I N G Attendant

G O N E Personal Assistant

MARION-1 can turn on and off house appliances as

you command via your cell phone, starting the

oven or turning off the dryer. Soon, you can also

purchase a robotic butler who will unlock the

door of your home when you arrive, alert you to

who else is home, and perform tasks for you on

the internet. Other robots can call people by name

and fetch or deliver items as directed. A machine

named Grace can even register you for a conference,

take notes, and chat with other attendees. Some of

these machines even manage themselves. USA Today

reports that MARION-1 even plugs itself in between

charges when it feels "woozy."

Other jobs that don't require diplomas, but may be

headed towards mechanization include fast food

worker, customer service worker, receptionist,

clerk, toll taker, cashier, dishwasher, bus boy,

hostess, newspaper delivery person, and ticket taker.

Is there any encouraging news on the job front for

potential dropouts? With the economy at its worse

since perhaps before World War II, it appears that

today, a high school diploma is far more critical

than anyone could have imagined. USA Today noted

that machines used to tackle only repetitive tasks

like factory work, or jobs that no human should have

to do like searching for bodies during a disaster.

Now, machines are starting to be able to take over

jobs that may have been fine ways to earn a living,

especially for people who had fewer employment

options due to their lack of a diploma.

The article had just the slightest morsel of hope

for dropouts, but that hope was dashed by the end

of the sentence. USA Today includes this blunt

and devastating comment by Brandeis University

robotics expert, Jordan Pollack: "I believe that

there is a low-paid human who folds clothes

cheaper than any robot we could make." You may wish

to relay this information to students considering

dropping out of school. Unless the student's dream

job is to fold clothes for almost no money, they may

want to do whatever it takes to get that diploma.

WANT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES to detour dropouts?

Our web site link has hundreds more. The link is below.

►Reprint Rights◄

» left by Anonymous (2 years 41 days ago.)

wow! cool.......
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