The issue is time and money for a sector that previous research suggests doesn't invest as much as other industries do in skills training.
The report makes clear that doesn't mean every truck driver displaced by a self-driving vehicle is going to become a paramedic, but those with the right combination of social and digital skills could find new positions in short order. "The approach that we've seen at the federal and provincial levels over the last few years has been impressive, but it's not fast enough," he said.
Retail workers, accountants and people with clerical jobs are among those considered most likely to be displaced by machines, although when that might happen widely is a guessing game. On the other hand, nurses, paramedics, doctors and medical technicians are all considered at low risk of being automated out of work by 2035 because of the "human" skills required to do the work.
"It's fair to say that most, or a good many, Canadians who are not in health care have foundational skills that would be very beneficial in health care and set them up well in a career in health care," Stackhouse said. Retraining for some of the jobs in the sector takes more than a few weeks and can be expensive, even for someone with generally relevant skills. The federal Liberals are set to roll out a new tax credit late next year that workers can use against the cost of eligible training programs, valued at up to $250 per year and accumulating over time, along with a new employment-insurance benefit while someone is off work and in a class.
Not without Equalization funding