Nichols Career Center students speak with a electric utility professional from Ameren Missouri. (KRCG)
JEFFERSON CITY —Students at the Nichols Career Center at Jefferson City High School learn hands-on skills and trade skills as artificial intelligence and automation boom.
A recent McKinsey & Company study suggests that AI automation could affect 36 million U.S. workers by 2035.
Approximately 25 million of those workers will be able to stay in the same occupation, although their jobs may change.
However, the remaining 11 million workers might have to find new careers entirely.
Hands-on jobs like utility work are hard to have a computer system automate, meaning workers in these fields will be less affected.
Students at Nichols Career Center are learning skills now to help them in these careers in the future.
“In the last 20 years, we realized how important skilled trades are, and I think it’s going to be equally as important moving forward,” said Brian Jobe, assistant director of the Nichols Career Center.
Utility work and jobs like it are hands-on and in the field.
“A lot of the utility industry is very hands-on. You can’t really automate that out,” said Chris Korsmeyer with Ameren Missouri. “You’ve got to have people in the field putting poles in the ground, gas lines in the ground.”
On Tuesday, students at Nichols met with Ameren professionals to learn more about the electricity and natural gas industry, learning how these jobs will always be needed.
“It’s the right decision for you that’s important. Choosing a two-year school or a four-year school or a direct path into industry is an important decision for a young person’s life, and we help them find what they love to do,” said Jobe.
Following graduation, approximately 60% of Nichols’ students seek post-secondary education, preparing them for the workforce.
“Some of these kids are doing welding and HVAC, wiring and things like that, that easily translates into our utility area,” said Korsmeyer. “They’re just hard-working people willing to work at all hours of the day.”
Ameren Missouri has also invested in workforce development at Lincoln University, recently awarding a $100,000 grant for student success and workforce readiness.
“It’s just providing different opportunities for whatever career path our students are taking,” said Steven Reese, executive director for advancement at Lincoln. “This is going to give them the opportunity and those resources that they need to achieve their goal.”
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