[00:40.49]YOUNG MAN:That seminar yesterday on automation and the future of work was really good, wasn't it?
[00:47.36]Looking at the first industrial revolution in Britain in the 19th century and seeing how people reacted to massive change was a real eye-opener.
[00:56.45]YOUNG WOMAN:Yes. It was interesting to hear how people felt about automation then and what challenges they faced.
[01:03.71]I didn't know that first started with workers in the textile industry.
[01:07.65]YOUNG MAN:With those protesting workers called the Luddites destroying their knitting machines because they were so worried about losing their jobs.
[01:15.85]YOUNG WOMAN:Yes, and ultimately, they didn't achieve anything.
[01:19.50]And anyway, industrialisation created more jobs than it destroyed.
[01:23.70]YOUNG MAN:Yes, that's true — but it probably didn't seem a positive thing at the time.
[01:28.97]I can see why the Luddites felt so threatened.
[01:31.63]YOUNG WOMAN:I know. I'm sure I would have felt the same.
[01:35.29]The discussion about the future of work was really optimistic for a change. I like the idea that work won't involve doing boring, repetitive tasks, as robots will do all that.
[01:46.99]Normally, you only hear negative stuff about the future.
[01:50.21]YOUNG MAN:Bit too optimistic, don't you think?
[01:52.57]For example, I can't see how people are about to have more leisure time, when all the evidence shows people are spending longer than ever at work.
[02:01.34]YOUNG WOMAN:No —that's true.
[02:03.53]And what about lower unemployment? I'm not so sure about that.
[02:07.31]YOUNG MAN:Perhaps in the long term — but not in the foreseeable future.
[02:11.53]YOUNG WOMAN:Mmm. And | expect most people will be expected to work until they're much older — as everyone's living much longer.
[02:18.30]YOUNG MAN:That's already happening.
[03:06.68]YOUNG WOMAN:I enjoyed all that stuff on how technology has changed some jobs and how they're likely to change in the near future.
[03:13.09]YOUNG MAN:Yeah, incredible.
[03:15.41]Like accountants. You might think all the technological innovations would have put them out of a job, but in fact there are more of them than ever.
[03:23.96]They're still really in demand and have become far more efficient.
[03:27.77]YOUNG WOMAN:Right. That was amazing.
[03:29.90]Twenty times more accountants in this country compared to the 19th century.
[03:34.44]YOUNG MAN:I know. I'd never have thought that demand for hairdressing would have gone up so much in the last hundred years.
[03:40.86]One hairdresser for every 287 people now, compared to one for over 1,500.
[03:47.94]YOUNG WOMAN:Yeah because people's earning power has gone up so they can afford to spend more on personal services like that.
[03:54.41]YOUNG MAN:But technology hasn't changed the actual job that much.
[03:58.03]YOUNG WOMAN:No, they've got hairdryers, etc. but it's one job where you don't depend on a computer ...
[04:04.08]The kind of work that administrative staff do has changed enormously, thanks to technology.
[04:09.66]Even 20 years ago there were secretaries doing dictation and typing.
[04:13.71]YOUNG MAN:Yes. Really boring compared to these days, when they're given much more responsibility and higher status.
[04:20.82]YOUNG WOMAN:Mmm. A lot of graduates go in for this kind of work now ...
[04:24.70]I'd expected there to be a much bigger change in the number of agricultural workers in the 19th century.
[04:30.83]But the 1871 census showed that roughly 25% of the population worked on the land.
[04:37.06]YOUNG MAN:Yeah, I'd have assumed it would be more than 50%.
[04:40.31]Now it's less than 0.2%.
[04:43.08]YOUNG WOMAN:What about care workers?
[04:45.06]YOUNG MAN:They barely existed in the 19th century as people's lifespan was so much shorter.
[04:50.71]But now of course this sector will see huge growth.
[04:54.07]YOUNG WOMAN:Yeah — and it's hard enough to meet current demand.
[04:58.14]The future looks quite bleak for bank clerks.
[05:01.22]They've been in decline since ATMs were introduced in the eighties.
[05:04.61]YOUNG MAN:And technology will certainly make most of the jobs they do now redundant, I think.
[05:09.45]YOUNG WOMAN:I agree, although the situation may change. It's very hard to predict what will happen.
