NLC Report Forecasts Future of Work, Which Jobs will be Automated

The National League of Cities (NLC) recently released a new report, “Assessing the Future of Our Work: Automation and the Role of Cities,” which is designed to analyze the potential impact of jobs and skill sets most and least at risk of disappearing due to automation, and presents recommendations for cities.

The report found the most secure occupations (less than 30 percent automatable) include managerial and supervisory positions. Meanwhile, occupations that are most at risk (more than 70 percent automatable) are the ones that pay poorly, are compensated hourly, and are generally physically demanding.

The research analyzes occupations that are growing between now and 2026 in order to demonstrate how many of these are in areas that will likely be automated versus those that will not. The research also takes a skills-based assessment and presents options for career paths that people can take from highly automatable jobs to less automatable, more human-centered work. This analysis of potential job pathways is deemed to be important because nearly a quarter of American workers are currently working below their skill level.

According to the report, cities that will fare best in this new economy are those that invest in a diverse mix of occupations – making them less vulnerable to industry changes – as well as educational opportunities that match the needs of employers. Examples highlighted in the report include Boston, Massachusetts; Richmond, Virginia; and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Key recommendations for city leaders from the report include:

1. Looking beyond job placement towards income mobility and economic stability;
2. Drawing on available federal resources like TAACCCT, WIF, and CTE;
3. Considering ways to match the demands of their local industries with the skill sets of their populations;
4. Rethinking education and workforce training programs to meet constantly changing employer needs;
5. Working to create policies that build pathways between post-secondary education institutions and their business communities;
6. Ensuring that business development programs consider equity; and
7. Exploring and implementing programs and pilots that go beyond the traditional mix of workforce support.

NLC’s future of work initiative focuses on workforce development in three key areas: technology and innovation; pathways to success (working to ensure our education system is equipped to handle these changes); and equity and inclusion in the workforce.

To access a copy of the complete report, please visit:

National League of Cities: Assessing the Future of Our Work: Automation and the Role of Cities (2018)