In the land-locked country of Botswana, mining diamonds is the mainstay of all livelihoods. Robot miners found the second largest diamond (roughly the size of a tennis ball) there, and the mining industry is looking to bring in more robots to increase production. Reports reveal that robot automation in industries will become cheaper than Ethiopian workers sometime between 2038 and 2042, and you must thus upskill yourself on robotics to survive the stiff competition for employment in the years ahead.
We are soon approaching the era of fully automated industries, all thanks to the advancements in robotics and AI. In fact, the digital age has made educational institutions in Africa focus more on STEM subjects to make the growing young population updated on the skills needed to join the futuristic workforce run on AI and automation.
Read on, and you will find that there are options aplenty if you want to be a part of the future and help in designing, creating and looking after robots as a career.
Prospective careers in robotics: how the future looks
‘Project 10,000 Kids’ aims at educating school children in Nigeria to build robots, so they have future-ready skills to their credit by the time they join the workforce in the country or abroad. Here are a few career options in Africa that you can explore if you are interested in making a career in robotics.
- Robotics Engineer
This is undeniably the best job you can land in robotics. A Robotics Engineer should ideally have a background in electrical, electronic, or mechanical engineering or a recognised degree in computer science. Since a Robotics Engineer is chiefly responsible for designing and building robots, they must also know how to conform to the specifications. Robotics Engineers oversee designs by technicians and incorporate further alterations that aid the robots in replicating human actions. They are also responsible for testing the systems to identify design or functional issues in robots.
- Software Developer
Of course, robots would not really be functional without having an internal computer system. That’s right where you can figure out the role of Software Developers in robotics. They are the ones responsible for coding the entire sequence of commands and functions into the ‘brain’ of the robots so they can respond to instructions adequately as and when needed. Software Developers in robotics must be super-efficient in coding and software design so that robots can function sans any glitches or system breakdowns.
- Robotics Technician
Robotics Technicians usually work under the supervision of a Robotics Engineer, and they are responsible for maintaining system documentation, troubleshooting outdated systems and building robots. They can assist the chief Robotics Engineers with system design and construction tasks and may aid in the incorporation of peripheral systems in the robot. They also take care of the installation part in robotics, and connect the system to the actuators (like a hydraulic arm or servo-motors), helping the robots function effectively.
- Operator
Robots need supervision 24*7, and Robotics Operators are just the people to do that job. Robotics Operators look after the robots and are usually on top of their game in case a breakdown, or system failure takes place. Since the working shifts are flexible and span across the day and night, the need to have a large number of Robotics Operators on rolling shift duty for organisations that deploy robots for their operational or other tasks.
- Robotics Account Manager
Although it seems like a bit of an oxymoron, robotics does present a viable career option for those with a background in commerce as well. Robotics Account Managers are responsible for keeping accounting records of robots deployed for work within an organisational framework. Combining sound knowledge of technology, accounting and sales, Robotics Account Managers can keep a tab on the sales and cost aspects of deploying robots in the workforce.
Parting words
Automation has already cost African employees almost half of all jobs, especially in call centres, translation jobs, retail and in some cases, mining. If you want to match steps with the future, learning how to build and tend to robots can help you earn more than a decent living in the continent in the years ahead. Keeping pace with technological advancements, industries the world over are switching to robot employees, and they will be requiring an efficient team of robotics experts to design, maintain and supervise the same. You can be one among the many getting a robotics job in the future, so why not start preparing from today? Good luck with bagging that lucrative robotics job!
Author bio:
Harry Jonson, a Software Engineer based in Dubai, offers prompt technical solutions regarding VAT in UAE through UAEVATExpert.ae. A deft techie, he also likes to dabble in writing blogs on trending technology and company formation topics. He is particularly fond of surfing and goes on occasional desert safaris when not providing swift software solutions for filing and registering for VAT.
