This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the tasks people do at work and the skills they need. As work changes, being able to move between jobs, and sometimes industries, may become increasingly important.
For women, the pressure to adapt may be particularly significant. Jobs and Skills Australia has found that women have greater exposure than men to automation and AI changes, largely because of the industries and occupations in which they work. And while it doesn't mean that jobs will just disappear, it does mean AI is likely to change how jobs are done.
Many workers will need to learn new skills and adapt; others may need to move into different jobs or industries altogether. Much of this discussion about transition currently focuses on workers—they need to reskill, retrain and become more adaptable. But there's another side to this story.
Employers across industries may also need to become more flexible in how they decide what experience really matters. Our research with women who successfully moved into construction from other unrelated industries suggests employers will also need to adapt, particularly in how they recognize experience gained in other sectors and industries. Changing industries does not mean starting from zero.
We studied 655 women working in Australian construction companies. Some had started their careers in construction, while others had moved there from health care, education, transport, finance, hospitality or manufacturing. Those career changers brought many skills developed over the years, including management, communication, collaboration and coordination skills, as well as experience.
One woman who previously worked as a commercial pilot and later in engineering consulting said, "I do have a lot of experience, and I do have a lot of relevant skills that I think I bring to the table too." But having these skills from diverse professional backgrounds and getting an employer to recognize them are two different things. The Australian construction industry is already struggling to find enough workers. Around 20,000 construction jobs remain unfilled, while women make up just 13% of the industry's 1.37 million workers.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
