Robotics and conservation of human resources

Abstract

Due to rapid expansion in the field of robotics, policy issues have arisen in regard to developing human skills to deal with the new technology and to deal with the obsolescent human skills which are the inevitable result of this growth pattern. Industrialists, educators, union leaders, and government officials must work cooperatively to insure that the coming changes are made with minimum disruption. Improved training methods and courses have to be developed for the skills needed to control, manage and supervise the new machines. Some of the ways in which this can be accomplished are through offering financial incentives for investment in training and education; establishing more institutions to educate and train the workforce; cooperative public/private planning for future employment needs; and financial safety nets for workers who may be displaced by new technologies. The authors feel that these aims can only be accomplished through a massive national investment in education and skill-training across the whole spectrum of ages and social backgrounds — “an updated version of the GI Bill of Rights for the entire workforce.”