Yikes! Does this make me a “robo-phobe?” – SCN Encourager

It’s hard for me to see robots taking over jobs that used to be performed by real people.

Just take a look at these speed-kwik robots zipping around inside that Amazon order fulfillment center!

It sure represents a much different “workplace” than what was pitched to me when I was a high school senior in Flint.

Way back when.

Back then, we were told to connect our future careers to our flourishing automotive industry… somehow, someway.

That pretty much was it.

It really wasn’t far-fetched advice.

There opportunities galore in the auto industry: assembly, manufacturing, design, engineering, maintenance, distribution, parts, service, sales, marketing, training, trucking, resource procurement, contract negotiating, finance… you get the idea.

If you wanted to make a good living, an expansive economic ecosystem was right across the street from you (so to speak) and all you had was show up on time and sign in on the proper line.

Or at least come close.

It’s not the case for high school students today.

We’re living in disruptive, not stable times.

And I’ll confess, this pointed reminder had me a bit depressed.

But then I heard marketer and business master Gary Vaynerchuk’s speech to a gathering of nearly young entrepreneurs.

In this particular podcast Vaynerchuk offered his own spin on the old advice given to young people interested in making a good living and pursuing their dreams.

It was easy to picture him resembling Steve Jobs on stage years ago when Jobs held up the world’s first iPhone and asked people to imagine having “1000 songs” in their pockets.

To this group of entrepreneurs, Vaynerchuk also referenced his phone.

“Do you want to build a successful career?” Vaynerchuk said. “Connect somehow, someway, with the dynamic economic ecosystem associated with the device you see right here.”

“Instead of assembly and manufacturing, become a content creator that feeds our hand-held devices,” he said.  “Do the research and wiggle in where you think you’ll fit: be it design, engineering, video editing, networking, teaching, distribution, parts, service, sales, marketing, training, logistics, resource procurement, financing…”

Well, you get the idea.

Isn’t it strange how all of this is so accurately represents the popular cliché “The more things change the more things stay the same.”

But I’m not complaining.

Hearing Vaynerchuk’s echo of the advice I heard years ago got me out of the doldrums.