Shop assistants, construction workers and drivers threatened by robots

Drivers, cashiers at supermarkets and workers on production lines in Slovakia might be replaced by machines at work, according to the Hospodárske Noviny daily. They are currently protected by the fact that they are cheaper than machines. "The cost of procuring technological solutions is currently high chiefly for small and medium-sized companies," David Marinak of the Education Policy Institute told the daily. He warns that the current lack of qualified labour might speed up the introduction of automation even more. Meanwhile, the impact of new technologies might mean new job opportunities. "Demand is growing for IT staff, technicians, development engineers and researchers," said Zuzana Joklová of the HR agency Trenkwalder. With the arrival of the fourth industrial revolution in Slovakia, shop assistants, auxiliary construction workers and drivers will be the most endangered jobs by 2025, according to an analysis by the Education Policy Institute.