Ellen Geller Kamaras
Have you noticed that you can’t pick up a newspaper without seeing headlines about AI, Artificial Intelligence, or a new AI company?
Since the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022, we are living in the world of AI. While AI can bring many favorable outcomes, such as those described below, it also raises legitimate and serious concerns. Key fears are malicious use for cyberattacks and misinformation, job displacement, inaccuracy of data, deepfakes, and societal bias present in training data. Deepfakes are when AI creates, manipulates, or alters images, audio, and video to appear authentic, when they are, as the name implies, deeply fake.
The job displacement issue is particularly relevant to parents of teenagers who worry about how AI will affect their children’s future jobs and livelihood.
Let’s talk about some of the best careers for high school graduates to pursue, particularly in today’s AI era.
Context
Before we delve into specific jobs, here is some background.
When you google a topic or start a zoom meeting, AI is right there to facilitate your search and even offers to take notes for you during your zoom session.
Those are two AI benefits, and there are many more. Key positive impacts of AI include enhanced healthcare, financial services, cybersecurity, and productivity, a boost to economic growth, advanced transportation, excellent customer service, scientific discovery, climate change mitigation, reduced human error in critical tasks, and improved agriculture.
Let’s define AI and then move to the careers in demand.
AI is an area of computer science that is committed to creating machines that can think like humans. AI uses the unique abilities of the human brain to understand, react, and interpret, and then integrates them into computers. Vast amounts of data are used in conjunction with algorithms to essentially “train” AI to be able to learn and grow of its own accord, without the need for programming and code updates.
Research indicates that the jobs that are most at risk to be replaced by AI are basic customer service jobs, simple bookkeeping, data entry, and repetitive office tasks.
The good news is that there are careers that are highly resistant to AI automation.
Human-Centered Jobs
If you choose a career that combines human interaction plus problem-solving plus adaptability, it is highly unlikely that AI will replace you. Human-centered professions are very AI-resistant because they rely heavily on human connection, emotional intelligence, trust building, empathy, comfort, crisis intervention, and communication with family.
Many jobs include tasks that can be automated. However, humans are not being replaced by AI because these careers also need physical dexterity in unpredictable settings, creative intuition, and ethical and moral judgment in addition to the qualities listed above.
First, let’s address the career categories that are both in demand and are resistant to AI, and then delve into those that do not require a college degree.
Even in careers that are resistant to automation, basic AI literacy will become increasingly valuable. Students who learn how to use AI tools responsibly and effectively may have an advantage in nearly every profession.
Professions in Demand That Are AI Resistant
AI does facilitate human-centered jobs and steps in to support these professionals in many ways. The first five careers listed below require a minimum of a four-year college degree, if not post-graduate work.
- Nurses and healthcare workers
- Medical specialists and surgeons
- Psychotherapists, social workers and counselors
- Early childhood educators and specialized teachers
- Authors, creative directors, and high-level content strategists
- Crisis responders: firefighters, paramedics, disaster relief workers
- Artisans, restorers, and high-end craft professionals
- Leaders: managers, founders, and change agents
- Community builders, mediators, and organizers
10. Skilled trades: electricians, plumbers, mechanics and carpenters.
In-Demand Jobs That Do Not Require Four-Year College Degrees
For high school graduates who want to go straight to work and do not want to pursue a four-year college degree, the soundest choices are jobs that involve hands-on work, human interaction, technical skill, and problem-solving in real environments.
The solid options and career paths are skilled trades, health care jobs, tech careers, personal service careers, and jobs that involve transportation and logistics.
Skilled trades do not require a college degree and are also AI resistant. AI and robots struggle in unpredictable physical environments like homes and buildings. An electrician generally trains through apprenticeships and has a skill that is difficult to automate. Other jobs in this category include plumbers, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) technicians, and welders.
These professions involve hands-on work, human interaction, licensing or physical presence, and are therefore harder to replace with AI.
Healthcare Careers
There are several healthcare careers that one can pursue without a four-year degree. These jobs often require three months to two years of training. They are – certified nursing assistant, dental hygienist, medical assistant, pharmacy technician, emergency services provider, physical therapy assistant (PTA), and veterinary technician (VT).
It generally takes two years to become a dental hygienist. Dental assistant certification can usually be earned under one year. Training to be a medical assistant is a shorter path with fast training programs available. Some accelerated programs that can be completed in a year are available for PTA training. VT training can be self-paced and completed online in eight to twelve months.
The TIA School of Allied Health and CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) Training in NYC offers programs for nursing assistants. Training for nursing and medical assistants is available at NY Medical Career Training Center, and NY Career Institute provides medical assistant programs as well.
EMT certification is offered in many community colleges in NYC and NJ.
Tech Careers
Tech careers that do not require college degrees include IT support/network technicians, web developers, and cybersecurity technicians. IT support and cybersecurity technicians can enroll in certification programs, whereas web development can be learned independently. Depending on your current technical knowledge, IT support and cybersecurity tech training can range between three to 12 months. Training frequently starts with CompTIA Security + certification, CompTIA A+, Network+, and Google IT Support. Programs are available at Fullstack Academy, App Academy NYC, and Technical Institute of America.
Personal Service Careers
Personal service careers are very AI-resistant. These include professions as a hairstylist, color specialist, esthetician (skin care and beauty services) and personal trainer. Required training for hair and skin care are set by each state and average between nine to 18 months.
Programs for certified personal trainers can range from between three to six months.
Hands-On and Transportation Careers
Apex Technical School offers electrician and HVAC training. Electrician, plumbing, automotive (electric vehicle repair is growing quickly) and welding courses are available at Berk Trade & Business School.
In New Jersey, Lincoln Technical Institute, Eastwick College, and Fortis Institute have respected options for many of the above careers.
Transportation careers require a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and include truck driving, bus driving, and delivery/logistics. Self-driving is still limited.
An important note: Not getting a college degree does not translate to “no education.” Many successful individuals are those that take certifications, go to trade school, do apprenticeships, or do paid training programs.
Next Steps
Before you decide on a career, talk to someone who works in that field and see if you can volunteer or shadow that person.
Take advantage of the resources available in our own communities to explore these careers. We have wonderful organizations such as Sephardic Bikur Holim and Propel Network. Your own high school guidance counselor can also help you to explore your potential and your strengths and can guide you towards a career that is the right match for you. Two of our high schools have valuable career path programs to support our children: the Shifra Hanon Pathfinders Department at Flatbush Yeshiva and Harry I. Franco Leadership Academy at Hillel. The Pathfinders mentoring program focuses on four main goals with every student: self-exploration, career exploration, professional skills, and extracurricular involvement. The Leadership Academy Director is Shifra Hanon who created and launched the Pathfinders program.
In Pirkei Avot, Ethics of Our Fathers, we are told to appoint a teacher or mentor for ourselves. Mentors can offer perspective, guidance, and lessons learned from their own experience. They can also assist in setting goals and expanding one’s network. We have talented people in our own backyards who are willing to mentor students. What are you waiting for?