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What determines how susceptible a job is? - You have to think like a robot when it comes to this question. The more a job can be broken down into a series of routine, predictable tasks, the more likely it can be automated.

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The jobs most at risk of being taken over - NPR created a guide that helps determine a job’s risk of being replaced based on how much it requires you to come up with clever solutions, personally help others, squeeze into small places, and negotiate.

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Drivers - People have divided opinions about self-driving vehicles, but the fact is that Tesla has made huge leaps in the technology, Google’s self-driving test cars have driven thousands of miles without human intervention, and Uber already employed automated cars to pick up passengers.

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Credit analysts - When it comes to plain math, robots with inbuilt, infallible computers and calculators can analyze credit data and financial statements with greater speed and accuracy.

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Milling and planing machine setters/operators/tenders - Construction and carpentry jobs involving the use of milling or planing machines are increasingly being delegated to machines as they are quite task and routine-based.

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Packaging and filling-machine operators/tenders - Factory jobs are particularly at risk, as robots can prepare products, put them in storage, as well as remove them for shipping without growing tired.

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Procurement clerks - Also known as purchasing assistants or departmental buyers, this job processes purchase requests, gets price quotes, and places orders—all of which is very simple for machines to do over the internet.

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Sports referees - A robot replacement could soon quiet fans everywhere. Technology has already been developed to replace umpires and referees, and these machines have the ability to immediately defend challenges and calls with the decisiveness of video proof.

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Bank tellers - You probably didn’t think of the ATM as one of the robots capable of putting people out of jobs, but when was the last time you went to a teller?

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Loan officers - Companies are already leaning towards a system of lending based on a strict algorithm, which identifies safe borrowers according to the cold, hard facts.

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Timing-device assemblers and adjusters - Machines can now assemble, adjust, and calibrate timing devices more precisely than humans.

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Tax preparers -

Humans are fallible, especially when it comes to  numbers, so automating the process of preparing tax returns could result in much fewer errors, plus the technology already exists.

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Telemarketers - It’s already being done by robots today! They can not only make calls around the clock, but they can do so with the same high-level energy no matter how many people yell at them to stop calling.

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The trends - Professions involving very specific data, straight-forward solutions to predictable problems, and little to no human relationships appear to be the jobs that robots are after. But fear not, there are still fulfilling, well-paid jobs that they can’t touch—yet.

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The jobs that will survive and thrive - According to Workopolis, there are three key elements to jobs that will survive the robot invasion: STEM education, creativity, and emotional intelligence. Here are some of the highest-paid careers that are the least at risk of being automated.

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Psychiatrists - Emotions, understanding, and empathy are things that automation has yet to interpret and deal with appropriately. Mental health and substance abuse social workers are also in the clear.

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Physicians - Since unskilled labor will be hit hardest by automation, physicians’ science training and their emotional intelligence will reserve the job for humans. 

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Dentists - Careers pertaining to human health (and vanity) look like very safe bets, and a dentist’s salary is sure to buy you some robots of your own.

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University professors - Doing research and passing knowledge on requires a human touch, not to mention personal accountability for students to actually do the work!

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Computer systems analysts - A computer systems analyst helps a company or other organization use computer technology effectively and efficiently, so it's essentially helping humans remain in control.

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Director of food and nutrition services - Everyone has to eat! Except robots, of course. With the automation of our food industry, humans are likely going to need the nutrition help.

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Mechanical engineers and technicians - This career combines engineering, physics, mathematics, and science to design and create mechanical systems, which is fortunately still out of reach for robots.

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Robotics engineers and technicians - In an increasingly robotic world, it only makes sense that someone’s going to need to help make them and keep them running!

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Therapists - In addition to having the training and emotional sensitivity that robots can’t (yet) acquire, therapists are probably going to be in increasing demand as the human population is introduced to more and more humanoids.

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Registered nurses - Nurses develop complex relationships with patients, more than just providing the basic health care. 

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Arts-related jobs - Though the pay varies, expressive creativity in fields like writing, visual art, design, and music is protected by virtue of the fact (however temporary) that robots lack imagination.

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What about religious jobs? - Yes, even your relationship to a higher power can be automated. The Guardian reports that while the clergy only has a 0.81% probability of automation, there are already apps like Confession which offer “drop-down menus for tracking sin.”

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Don’t be scared - There are so many jobs today that didn’t exist 10 years ago, and the same will be true 10 years from now.  

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Consider lending a helping hand - If you’re worried about frighteningly fast progression of technology, and perhaps its impact on our planet, check out the jobs that will make the world a better place.

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