Shahunshah wrote:
This is sensitive stuff. And such that I do not have the best grasp on. But it makes me feel despondent about what will be faced in the future. It is estimated that in New Zealand alone, 40% of jobs will leave in the next twenty years due to automation. You have this enormous rapid change taking place across society. And the potentially traumatic rate of transition makes me worried. I acknowledge alongside this that autistic individuals have as much capability as anyone else. But the fact is we are I believe in a more disenfranchised position and that makes things very very difficult.
This is a problem not only faced by Aspies (or those on the AS) but society as a whole. Life is not constant but ever changing and ever growing. When I look into the future, I see a contraction in population in most of the developed world. Populations are growing older and people in developed countries tend to have fewer and fewer children. There will be many more jobs related to taking care of the elderly.
[For example according to 2014 estimates, 33.0% of the Japanese population is above the age of 60, 25.9% are aged 65 or above, and 12.5% are aged 75 or above. People aged 65 and older in Japan make up a quarter of its total population, estimated to reach a third by 2050. The birth rate in Japan as of 2016 was 1.44 per woman. But the growing population of older people is expected to place unprecedented strain on health and welfare services in the decades to come.]
As a result Japan is one of the leaders in automation. So automation is not trying to necessarily replace the workforce but rather streamline society to continue workload with a shrinking population.
There are many skills needed in society. Many of these skills do not require a college degree. Some can provide fairly good pay. So from an Aspie perspective, do not exclude blue collar work - the trades from your list of options. Stay flexible.
Many Aspies go through years of college, sometime earning several degrees but then are unable to make the transition into a career. They either lack the social skills required or the stress drives them from the work environment. In a sense all that training has gone to waste. There is an important element missing in college. And that element is work. Why are part-time/summer jobs important? (even volunteer jobs) It is because when you work, you integrate into the real work world. You:
* developed a rock solid work ethic and a positive attitude.
* learned what is acceptable in the workplace and what will get you fired. (normally a career ender)
* learned to be a productive employee. (The first few months of employment in a career field sets the tone for the rest of your career – therefore keying into this trait prior to establishing a career is a key attribute.)
* It opens up new skills and allows one to sharpen their skills. Work is another form of learning experience. It is essentially a different type of school.
* Managing money.
* Navigational skills in getting to work and finding my way home.
* Skills in marketing oneself.
* Mature your work style.
* The ability to exercise flexibility, adaptability and resourcefulness.
* Sharpens out-of-box thinking and problem solving.
* Overcoming shyness and practicing extrovert qualities.
* Work incorporates both educational skills but also real life skills.
* Evolve time management skills, executive function, theory of mind, organizational skills and common sense logic.
* These jobs can also helped pay your way through college.
04 Sep 2019, 11:34 am
