Since the late 19th Century, when our forebearers began the transition from animal and human-powered transportation (think oxen or horse-drawn carriages and bicycles) to the earliest cars, the automotive industry has seen a tremendous amount of change. Nearly every aspect of the way cars are designed and manufactured has undergone near continuous transformation. Through all that change, the industry continues to grow and evolve.

 

The earliest horse-less buggies had a 4-stroke, single cylinder engine that could reach top speeds of about 10 miles per hour. While they could be outpaced by the pedal-power of a human operated bicycle, designers weren’t deterred and soon bigger, more powerful engines were being designed and built. The Bugatti W16 with 1,825 horse power is an exceptional example of how far the industry has evolved. Yes, it’s a racing engine, but it’s advancements truly typify how far the automotive industry has grown since those early days. That many new vehicles today are now powered by electricity and hydrogen fuel cells further exemplify that progress.

 

This evolution also included changes to the design process. In the beginning, hand-drawn sketches were the guides by which early car schematics and mechanical diagrams were outlined. It remained a relatively manual operation until drafting software facilitated the process. Today, CAD programs specifically programmed for the automotive industry allow for multiple design iterations to be produced and printed in a fraction of the time. This also reduced the amount of time it took manufacturers to build full-scale working models for testing prior to taking their new road machines into production.

 

Imagine the spectrum of expressions on the faces of the “old guard” designers seeing drafting software push out finely detailed schematics in a fraction of the time it would take them to do one version, let alone multiple iterations. I’m certain not all of them were happy, particularly those without any computer experience. Many feared their jobs would be replaced by machines. It’s a fair bet that many on the assembly lines had similar feelings when the first robotic machines performed tasks that had previously been done by them and their coworkers.

 

As more and more developments were automated, more workers feared for the loss of their jobs and livelihoods. For example, the artists who hand-crafted wood and/or clay models of design ideas are at risk of being replaced by 3-D printing from A.I. generated input.

 

Does the creation and addition of newer technology and methods into our workplaces ever end?

 

It does not!

 

Though on occasion we all wish it would at least slow down its pace!

 

There’s no end date to evolution!

 

If an individual chooses to live and work “tech-free and off-grid” that’s a personal decision. But for most workers, regardless of industry, new skills must be learned and a comfort level achieved with innovative, relevant technologies. It’s necessary in order to progress in your career! And it’s ongoing!

 

As a society, people must adapt to the changes – technological and otherwise – if they are going to survive in their jobs and careers. There’s hardly an industry you can name that hasn’t been affected in one way or another by the advancement (encroachment?) of technology.

 

Sadly, the byproduct of progress is the loss of some jobs. But these evolutions also come with the creation of new jobs that will require workers to learn and refine new skills. They will also need to develop an understanding of the new ways things will be getting done to improve the processes and outcomes of their particular jobs.

 

Not keeping up means getting left behind!

 

There are too many people who choose not to upgrade their skills and remain attached to the older way of doing their jobs, only to eventually find themselves on the unemployment line. This is not unexpected when their employer upgrades equipment and processes and the employees don’t know how to use the new gear. Whatever the reason for not acquiring the new skills needed to make a successful transition to newer methods, not growing with the changes is a sure-fire way to be left behind for promotions and job recognition and bring an untimely end to their career.

 

Learning to work with the new technologies in our rapidly evolving work environments is an absolute necessity. Give yourself some credit for learning something new! In doing so you’ve made yourself more valuable to an employer.

 

Don’t forget to stay informed about the latest tech and changes within your chosen industry. Doing so gives you the opportunity to seek out appropriate training opportunities before your competition to gain a leg up on the latest requisite skills. In some case, your employer might even underwrite the costs of your training, so don’t hesitate to ask!

 

Learning new skills will give you a strong competitive edge over those without your level of knowledge and expertise. If your line of work is headed in a particular technological direction, it is in your best interests to not just gain the skills and tools needed for the short-term, but to future-proof your career by thinking long-term about what else you might need to know down the road.

 

Evolution is constant. And it will affect all of us!

 

Now where did I leave my buggy whip?

 

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