With automation and artificial intelligence changing the nature of work and employment, extra attention is being paid to developing the workforce of the future in order to ensure employees have the right skills.
These employment issues were front and center Tuesday during the Boulder Economic Summit, where the theme was “The Workforce of the Future.” The 11th annual summit, which drew a crowd of more than 350, is produced by the Boulder Economic Council, the Boulder Chamber’s economic development arm.
During his keynote presentation, “2030: The Workplace Revolution,” futurist and Center for Work Ethic Development CEO Josh Davies warned that companies who don’t evolve the way they identify and recruit talent are just “rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.”
“Technology is coming and there is nothing we can do about it,” he said. “The combination of increased automation along with the advent of artificial intelligence are working together to disrupt the workplace like we haven’t seen in 30 years.”
Andi Rugg, executive director of Skillful Colorado, agreed.
“There’s a lot of anxiety with automation coming,” she said. The goal must be to create an economy “where our businesses can thrive and grow and where our workers are able to thrive and grow.”
