that make aviation possible, and
the flat-packed parts and tools
that we build into our furniture.
These jobs aren’t going away.
Welders, for instance, play an
incredibly crucial role in fixing
cracks, holes, and other damage
in pipelines, power plants, bridges,
airplanes, ships, automobiles, and
much more; their skills will remain
important as long as we have
those types of structures that
need attention and care.
Furthermore, even as automation
continues to reshape industry and
render certain jobs obsolete, it’s
the manufacturing and industrial
tradespeople whose jobs might
be the most secure of all. Indeed,
it’s the machinists, industrial
mechanics, tool and die makers,
and mechatronics experts who
will be tasked with designing,
maintaining, and perhaps even
operating the robotic systems,
CNC (computer numerical control)
systems, assembly lines, comput-
er-driven machinery, and other
automated systems that will allow
future innovation and stream-
lining to reshape a whole host of
industries. These innovations, as
is often the case, rely on the work
ethic and skills of the people in
the trades.