The country will see more doctors, dentists, physical therapists, paramedics, clinical counselors, social workers and nurses, officials anticipated. (image: KobizMedia/ Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, April 25 (Korea Bizwire) – It seems like doctors’ jobs are safe amidst the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution, the latest data from the Korea Employment Information Service indicates.
According to the KEIS 2017 Korea Occupational Outlook published on Monday, most medical practitioners will benefit from Korea’s aging society and further government support in the medical and welfare sectors. The country will see more doctors, dentists, physical therapists, paramedics, clinical counselors, social workers and nurses, officials anticipated.
Unfortunately, however, not all medical fields will prosper. Obstetricians, for example, will suffer from South Korea’s dwindling birthrate, while radiologists face threats from the adoption and application of big data and artificial intelligence technologies.
Other occupations that are expected to decline in Korea are teachers – again with a low birthrate and fewer school-age children and adolescents – and farmers and fishermen, accompanied by an aging agricultural and fisheries population and the further migration of youth from rural to urban areas.
Employees in the financial sector, including bank tellers and currency traders, will also continue to decrease in number as fintech, robo-advisors and direct banks gain momentum. Last year, South Korean commercial banks cut down their staff numbers by about 3,000.
Other occupations that could struggle included professionals in the manufacturing sector, due to improved automation and 3D printing technology, and the further adoption of industrial robots.
In contrast, there were still human jobs that are expected to thrive in the new industrial era.
The report forecasted higher demand for manpower in emerging industries including the IoT, wearables, autonomous vehicles, virtual reality and mobile sectors, while economic consultants, customs agents and underwriters also have a promising outlook with the expansion of the global economy, international cooperation, and a more complex business environment.
“Some jobs will see better days with the fourth industrial revolution, while others won’t,” said Kim Dong-kyu, a senior researcher of future occupations at the KEIS. “But if industries can find ways to effectively adapt and react to the coming changes, they can still guarantee their survival.”
By Joseph Shin (jss539@koreabizwire.com)
