'Why have computers not stolen all of the jobs?'. 
- Distinguished researcher from Massachusetts
 Institute of Technology (MIT) presents evidence at the Institute for the Study of Social Change.

(left to right) Dr. Colm Harmon, Director of the ISSC,
 UCD, Professor Frank Levy, MIT and Dr. Don Thornhill, Chairman, Higher Education Authority.

Professor Levy examined the ways in which computer technology shapes demands for employee skills in the labour market based on evidence over the past forty years from the US. He examined the current limits on computers' ability to substitute for human skills with the core hypothesis that computers would replace humans where the technology could feasibly substitute for human interaction and not where computers complement human interaction. Given this we would expect employment growth in areas where computer usage was growing but more importantly that skills in these sectors would become better rewarded with pay (and employment) falling in other sectors. 

For this reason Professor Levy strongly supported the concept of technology transfer - major labour market shifts going forward are going to value highly skilled labour. More provocatively Levy urges educators to focus their attention on the teaching of subjects and disciplines where close interaction with the teacher is required arguing that disciplines that need little human interaction in training may need little human interaction in the workplace and may ultimately be replaced!

Professor Levy's paper and presentation is available from the Institute for the Study of Social Change - contact Susan Muldoon at 716 4615.

March,  2004