Technology and green shift threatening traditional jobs, expert warns
ISTANBUL
Rapid advances in automation, digitalization and green policies are reshaping the global workforce, endangering traditional roles from assembly line workers to artisans and farmers, a World Economic Forum (WEF) report warns.
WEF’s “Future of Jobs 2025” predicts that technological progress, climate initiatives and demographic shifts will transform 22 percent of global occupations by 2030. While 170 million new jobs are expected to emerge, 92 million traditional roles are at risk of disappearing.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are displacing repetitive tasks, sidelining roles like bank tellers, data entry clerks and factory assemblers. Production lines increasingly rely on robotic systems, while AI-powered software handles accounting and customer service.
Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, Till Leopold, WEF’s head of jobs and employment creation, stated that even creative fields like graphic design now face risks.
“It’s not about jobs becoming obsolete but about skills and tasks evolving rapidly,” he said, pointing to the rise of fintech engineers, software developers and cybersecurity experts.
Smart agriculture technologies, such as automated irrigation and drone monitoring, are reducing the need for traditional farmers and shepherds. In Türkiye, where agriculture employs over 15 percent of the workforce, these shifts challenge rural livelihoods, according to industry experts.
Digitalization also threatens artisanal trades. 3D printing and e-commerce platforms outpace traditional crafts like bookbinding, goldsmithing, and tailoring.
“Mass production and online markets make it hard for artisans to compete,” said Ayşe Kaya, a textile artisan in Istanbul.
Yet, Leopold noted, handmade crafts retain cultural value, offering niche opportunities.
Climate policies are shrinking carbon-intensive sectors such as coal mining and oil extraction. Countries like Germany and Australia are phasing out coal mines, redirecting workers to retraining programs.
In Türkiye, coal-dependent regions like Zonguldak face similar transitions, with 8,000 miners at risk, per energy ministry estimates.
Meanwhile, demand surges for green roles.
“Electric vehicle technicians, renewable energy engineers, and environmental specialists are the future,” Leopold said, citing clean energy’s growing share in global markets.
An aging population is driving demand for non-futuristic roles like nurses, social workers, and primary school teachers. In high-income nations, an older workforce contrasts with the young, educated labor pool in developing countries like Türkiye, where 25 percent of the population is under 25, according to TÜİK data.
Leopold highlighted that delivery drivers, construction workers and salespeople will also see significant growth.
“These roles remain vital despite technological change,” he said, warning that 40 percent of core job skills will shift by 2030.
“Even a perfect five-year degree may be half-outdated by graduation,” he said, urging focus on tech literacy — AI and software development — and soft skills like creativity, empathy and problem-solving.
Geopolitical tensions and rising living costs are pushing 34 percent of companies to rethink business models, potentially costing 1.6 million jobs globally due to slow growth.
In Türkiye, firms in manufacturing and retail report similar pressures, per a recent TOBB survey.
Beyond economics, disappearing trades like coppersmithing or shepherding erode cultural heritage.
“Traditional jobs carry our identity,” said Kaya, lamenting the loss of hands-on skills.
Leopold added that AI’s rise alters how knowledge is shared, with entry-level tasks now automated, raising questions about passing expertise to future generations.
