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Ten years on from the start of the recession, many countries are still assessing the resulting damage, what with millions of jobs lost and sudden political twists that have undermined the solidity of the European Union.
However, ten years are certainly enough to start assessing the crafts that are on their way out – not only because of the recession, but also because of technology developments – and the now widespread professions that did not exist before 2007.
App developers are undoubtedly amongst the most fortunate of the newer professions: the first IPhone came out in 2007, at the very start of the recession, and revolutionised the world of mobile telephony. This created a sort of competition between iOS and Android, Apple’s and Samsung’s operating systems, each of which can avail of more than a million and a half apps.
The year 2009 brought another boom in the digital industry – Facebook, now an essential communication channel for businesses. When social networks were first introduced, there was no need for a professional figure devoted to handling profiles of public interest. However, social media editors – who deal with a variety of social networks, besides Facebook – have become highly sought after, not only by companies and public bodies, but also by celebrities in search of a good online positioning.
The list of new jobs includes some surprises: a brief search on LinkedIn reveals an extraordinary multitude of Zumba instructors.
The effects of the Network are manifold, resulting in the creation of the most diverse professions. Particularly worthy of note are big data analysts, i.e. people entrusted with collecting and managing what many consider to be the 3rd millennium’s new oil.
Then there are those who have carved out a job for themselves with fewer technical skills, exploiting their communication skills and the viral nature of videos. This is the case of the many youtubers who earn their daily bread – and popularity – through amateur videos that end up generating millions of clicks.
Moving away from the sphere of technology, the list of new jobs includes some surprises: a brief search on LinkedIn reveals that the previously unknown Caribbean dance, Zumba, has been enjoying increasing popularity since 2011, resulting in the need for a multitude of new instructors.
Another unusual phenomenon is the return to agriculture, due to the need for many young people to re-invent themselves given the lack of opportunities in the services sector. Thus, several new professional figures have arisen, like that the “agritata” in Italy, i.e. nannies trained to give children farm-based educational experiences.
The effects of the Network are manifold, resulting in the creation of the most diverse professions. Particularly worthy of note are big data analysts, i.e. people entrusted with collecting and managing what many consider to be the 3rd millennium’s new oil.
While it is true that technological developments require engineers and technicians, it is also true that some crafts have suffered from the advent and spread of the digital age.
Postmen have largely been replaced by private couriers, while checkout assistants are gradually being substituted with self-service tills.
However, the recession has hit private craftsmen the hardest. A report issued last year by the Association of Artisans and Small Businesses (CGIA) of Mestre showed a dramatic decline in the number of members from certain professions, leading to fears of complete extinction within the next few years. First and foremost are small shipping companies, which reduced by more than one third between 2009 and 2015, followed by knitwear factories and repairers of electronic goods, who pay the price for the convenience of buying new products rather than repairing old ones.
Finally, we can but suspend judgement on the prophecy of Philip Mayer, a guru of American Journalism, according to whom the last copy of the New York Times will be printed in 2043. Journalists and newsagents, be warned.