Seven out of ten NSW printing jobs could be lost to computerisation in the next 10-15 years, according to a disturbing new NSW government briefing paper.
The Future workforce trends in NSW: Emerging technologies and their potential impact report found that half of all NSW jobs are threatened by automation and that the printing industry would be amongst those most affected.
The paper estimates that 70.6 per cent of printers in NSW could lose their jobs in the next 10 to 15 years, with 3008 jobs at risk out of a total of 4258. The picture looks even worse for printing assistants and table workers, with 92.8 per cent of jobs under threat, or 1429 jobs out of a total of 1539.
Print Finishers and Screen Printers also face an uncertain future according to the paper, with 92.5 per cent of jobs at risk, or 997 jobs out of 1078. More than 84 per cent of Printing Trade Workers could also lose their jobs, which would cut 112 positions from a total of 132.
The paper’s author, Chris Angus, believes the positive affects of automation will outweigh the negatives. "New technologies bring many positive developments to society, including economic prosperity, new types of work, and an increasingly educated workforce," he said.
However, Wayne Fallon of Western Sydney University’s School of Business told Fairfax Media he’s concerned that the findings are only the “tip of the iceberg.”