How will automation shape the future of work in the Far North? A new report from the Center of Excellence (COE), Automation Risk in the Labor Market: A Workforce Analysis of the Far North Subregion, explores this critical question. The study examines how automation—encompassing robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning—may impact workers across the region, with a focus on wage levels, education requirements, gender, race and ethnicity, and industry trends.

Key Findings:

• Low-wage jobs are most at risk. Jobs requiring lower levels of education or little to no work experience—often associated with lower wages—face the highest likelihood of automation.
• Demographic disparities in automation risk. The study found that jobs historically employing more male workers are at greater risk. Additionally, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander workers are disproportionately represented in high-risk occupations.
• Industry concentration matters. Nearly 44% of all jobs in the Far North are in industries with a higher-than-average automation risk.
• Opportunity through skill transferability. A substantial number of skills are shared between high-risk and minimal-risk occupations, offering pathways for workforce adaptation.
• Higher education as a safeguard. The most resilient occupations—those with high employment and low automation risk—typically require a bachelor’s degree or higher for entry.

As automation continues to reshape the job market, this report provides valuable insights for regional workforce planning, helping educators, employers, and policymakers navigate the shifting labor landscape.