'I Was Laid Off Due To AI'

rediffGURU Pankaj Vyavahare, career counsellor and life coach, explains how you can survive in the age of AI.

Are you someone who feels threatened by AI at work?

Would you like to upskill so that you stay relevant?

How can you future-proof your career and stay ahead of the curve?

rediffGURU Pankaj Vyavahare is a career counsellor and life coach at the Bhagirath Counselling Centre in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. He has 16 years of work experience in counselling students across India.

• You can post your career-related questions for rediffGURU Pankaj Vyavahare HERE

Anonymous: I have overall five years of experience in operations.
I want to switch my career to a field where AI can't replace my job.
In the past, I was laid off due to AI implementation in the company.
I am confused right now about which career path I should choose.
I want to do an SAP HCM or project co-ordinator course. Can you please help/guide me?

You will find your answer in your question.

You have mentioned 'I want to switch my career to a field where AI can't replace my job'.

AI cannot replace jobs in the field of human services, psychology, counselling, coaching.

In short, all career paths which require empathy won't be affected due to AI.

As per the given data, you should go for an executive MBA (HR), HR analytics, industrial psychology and SAP HCM (Human capital management). SAP HCM is used for complex payroll systems.

Do some industry-oriented courses in HR analytics.

Anonymous: I am currently 33 years old. I completed my BTech in mechanical engineering in 2015 from Dibrugarh University in Assam.
I have a teaching experience of four years in private institutions.
Then I switched to preparing for government exams but couldn't clear any exam.
Currently, I am jobless. What are my options?

As you have mentioned your age and your educational background, I'd suggest you work on SCM certifications (supply chain management certifications) as you did your BTech in mechanical engineering.

You may also secure positions in private engineering firms in production, manufacturing and quality control.

In the era of AI, you should learn generative design, simulation, predictive maintenance and Python.

Gaurav: I'm 50 years old. I ran a pharma manufacturing business; unfortunately, COVID was not kind to me and I could not survive for too long.
I finally sold the factory and paid off the bank's OD limit.
I took a job with someone I knew in modular manufacturing as vice president but it seems this person may want to sell this company soon.
I am looking for senior-level/management positions but it is difficult to enter the job scene at 50. Please suggest/guide.
I will treat my job as an entrepreneur more than an employee and I am good at creating international export markets too.
My highest level of education is MEP (management education programme) at IIM Ahmedabad.

Considering your huge experience in pharma manufacturing and running a business, you are ideally positioned for a consulting business.

Now, at the age of 50, don't ask for a job; instead, help newcomers through crisis management, regulatory experience and industry connections.

You can leverage your experience as a consultant (I am considering that you have a degree in the pharmaceutical field as it is essential if you want to become a pharmaceutical consultant).

Even if you don't have a pharma degree, you can offer consultancy from a business management point of view where the biggest issue for every industry is effective client acquisition strategies. Through your past experience, you can work smoothly.

As you are saying that 'I will treat my job as an entrepreneur more than an employee,' now is the time to treat yourself as a consultant and work as an entrepreneur.

Lastly, you can also efficiently guide those who need help entering international markets.

• You can post your career-related questions for rediffGURU Pankaj Vyavahare HERE

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