Worried AI Will Take Your Job? Try These Indiana and Kentucky Careers That Don’t Require a College Degree
There's been a lot of news about AI lately. Last week, a top safety researcher at Anthropic warned folks that if developers continue to make AI more human-like, there's a chance that it could eradicate humans by the end of the decade.
Oh, scary stuff.
Like, why can't they just let it alone to do things like look up recipes and find answers to random questions? Why do we have to make it smart enough to take over and end the world like it's a disgruntled lab rat, you know what I mean?
So, luckily, the experts say it's only a 10% chance. Whew. But what we absolutely can count on is that AI is sucking up jobs left and right. I mean, even though I'm a writer/journalist and actively create things from my own thoughts and research, the traffic on my content has dropped significantly in the past few years from AI cultivating, essentially stealing, my work and giving you the answer to all your little random questions right at your fingertips. Ugh. So, I count my days...
And because I'm constantly worried that I'll be on the chopping block, I spend a fair amount of time researching jobs that I might have to apply for one day. Now, obviously, jobs like surgeon and firefighter were on the list of jobs that AI won't be able to do anytime in the near future. I'm a middle-aged mom. I don't have time to go to medical school or the body to fight fires!
By USCareerInstitute.edu
So, I started making a list of things displaced folks can look into to start a new career. Elon Musk says jobs that work with your hands will be the career of the future, and thankfully there are a lot of options.
Here's what I came up with:
Estate Sale Organizer
As a civilization, we are at an all-time high for buying stuff. It's cheap, it's accessible, and influencers all make it look so, so good. But what happens to all your stuff when you pass or need to downsize?
Families don't have the time, bandwidth or know-how to deal with all that stuff. In steps estate sale organizers. They sell what they can, donate some things and move all the stuff to its new home.
Professional Organizer
Along the same lines, if you need help wrangling your stuff, look into becoming a professional organizer. I don't know about you, but about once a quarter, I have to reorganize my closet and drawers.
AI can't do that for you!
Errand Concierge
As a busy professional, sometimes it feels like my tasks outweigh my time. And half of the things I need to tend to are only open during working business hours, when I'm working.
So, I have to take off work to take my dog for shots, take clothes to get mended or handle a whole host of other tasks. And sometimes seniors need help running errands and don't always have family available to help.
In steps the errand concierge.
Mobile Groomer or Pet Waste Removal
So, yes, being a groomer does require some schooling, and you'll need some startup funds for a place to rent or a mobile van. But once you get started, the number of dogs that require professional grooming seems to double every day, so it will be a lucrative business for years to come.
And, if you just really don't want to go to school, you can always start up a pet waste removal business.
AI can't pick up poop!
Wedding Planner
As long as there are folks getting married, there will be a need for wedding planners.
Back when I got married many, many years ago, I tried to do everything myself and it was a nightmare. But when I finally got my wedding planner involved at the venue where I was having my wedding, things went so much smoother.
No special education required.
Police Officer or Prison Guard
Luckily, you don't need a degree in Criminal Justice to serve as a police officer or prison guard. With on-the-job training and flexible schedules, you can build a career in law enforcement or corrections without spending years in college.
And I have a feeling AI isn't going to be patrolling the streets or guarding a prison cell anytime soon.
Fire Protection Inspector
Many companies will provide on-the-job training. And AI can't go in and assess or install fire extinguishers, hoods and fire suppression systems.
Plus, businesses are required to have fire protection, so the job outlook is great.
911 Dispatcher
It's very high-pressure and people-focused. And, yes, you could call 911 and talk to an automated system, but when it's a true emergency, you need to talk to another human.
Someone has to listen, make decisions and get the right help where it needs to go.
Funeral Service Assistant
You know what they say, only two things are for certain: death and taxes.
Funeral service assistants can help with visitation setup, transportation, preparation, paperwork and, most importantly, families.
It's a job that requires a human touch on your very worst day, and I don't see AI replacing that anytime soon.
Emergency Management
When there's a natural disaster, it takes people, not machines, on the ground to assist with everything from communications to cleanup.
Whether it's a tornado, flood, ice storm or another emergency, there will always be a need for people who know how to respond when things go sideways.
Animal Control Officer
When animals enter the human world with no one to account for them, they need someone to help them navigate back to nature or find domesticated animals homes.
You can't exactly send ChatGPT out to catch a loose dog or safely remove a raccoon from someone's attic.
Private Investigator
Requirements vary by state and type of work, but the actual skill set is observation, interviewing, surveillance, documentation and investigation.
Something no robot can do, yet.
Electrician
Yes, you do need to go through an apprenticeship, but there's paid training, benefits and plenty of work when you are done.
And when someone's power goes out, they're probably going to want an actual electrician showing up at their house rather than an AI explaining how electricity works.
Food Service
Yes, the food industry has gotten a lot smarter. You can order right through an app, and some restaurants are using robots and automation to handle everything from ordering to cooking.
But as much as I like avoiding human interaction sometimes, a sit-down restaurant just isn't the place.
And cooking food? Well, if it's decent food, it must be prepared by human hands.
Jobs AI Can't Replace May Be Closer Than You Think
And the list goes on and on.
But as time moves on, it's becoming more and more obvious that we need to take a good, hard look at our jobs and what we plan on doing in the future because there's a good chance AI might be all of our bosses... if it keeps us around.
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