5 of 6 biggest occupations in Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area at risk of automation
Five of the six largest occupations in the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area — Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson and Madison counties — plus Transylvania County are at risk of automation, according to a Land of Sky Regional Council labor shed and target industry analysis.
Hospitality, personal services, manufacturing and production, back office and logistics jobs are all at above-average risk of automation, according to the report, which was presented at the Sept. 28 Land of Sky Regional Council meeting. Of the region's six biggest occupations, only the medical field is at below-average risk. Automation risk data comes from an Oxford study of over 750 occupations that shows half of all occupations have at least 62% of their duties at risk of automation.
Higher automation could imply job losses, but it could also mean the significant use of new technologies to boost productivity, according to the report.
"What we are really seeing now is due to the lack of workforce, we will need more automation, rather than less. It is no longer a threat, it's now a need. How it comes about and where it comes about are the things we want to have on our radar, Erica Anderson, Land of Sky's economic and community development director, said during the report's presentation.
Four of the five fastest-growing occupations in the region are at below-average risk for automation, including design, engineering, math and political occupations, but these jobs represent a relatively small portion of the region's current workforce. Only construction jobs were at average risk of automation, and not one of the nine fastest growing occupations is at high risk.
From 2021:Robot orders by companies surge as labor shortages linger
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The majority of jobs at risk for automation are those with a high school diploma or equivalent education requirement or less, making up over 85% of the jobs at high risk, the report shows.
The region grew faster than the national average from 2014 to 2019, the report shows, and according to Citizen Times reporting, Buncombe County is expecting 80,000 new residents by 2045. The region's workforce is aging, however, as nearly 60% of those who are both residents and workers in the region are over the age of 45. The region also sees a higher-than-average share of people working from home, the report shows.
The report recommends four industry clusters that should be the focus of development in the region, including manufacturing; tourism, recreation and retail; business and professional services; and health and life sciences. Inside and at the overlap of these clusters, several specific sectors of priority are listed, such as EV and aerospace component manufacturing, outdoor recreation and retail, cybersecurity and regional health care.
The report was prepared by the Ernst and Young LLP Economic Development Advisory Services team for the Land of Sky Regional Council.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: 5 of 6 biggest regional occupations at risk of automation
