It has been seven years since the last showing of the BBC’s Robot Wars – the cult television contest where amateur engineers sent remote-controlled machines into gladiatorial duels.
Yet today’s robots are quietly working into prominence off-screen. According to the International Federation of Robotics, some 4.3 million were operating in factories worldwide in 2023. But while automation advances apace, the human workforce is struggling to keep up.
A recent McKinsey report found that 46% of candidates have outdated skills and do not feel ready for technology-led careers. In the United States alone, manufacturers face a 1.9 million-person skills gap by 2033 – highlighting the mounting scale of the challenge, and even a case for more robotics.
A widening skills gap
Mark Gray, UK and Ireland manager at Danish robotics company Universal Robots, believes young people already fluent in digital tools are well placed to close the gap.
Universal Robots created the collaborative robot, or “cobot”, designed to work alongside humans. More than 100,000 of its machines are now installed globally, including in Britain, where many small manufacturers use them to lift output and reduce repetitive tasks.
“Today’s young people are tech-savvy – they’ve grown up with the internet and screens, which makes them more adaptable,” he says.
“In contrast, the average age of engineering technicians today is in the late 40s or 50s. Within ten years, many will retire, and the next generation will need to embrace the latest robotics, processing equipment, and digital tools.”
According to the Office for National Statistics, more than a quarter of the UK’s manufacturing workforce is over 50, raising concerns about impending retirements.
“Attitudes have shifted – companies see training as an investment in their workforce,” Gray notes.
But the challenge stretches across the sector. Hommer Zhao, director at automation consultancy Wiringo, has worked in electronics manufacturing and has seen the problem firsthand.
“There’s still a real shortage of people with robotics skills,” he says. “It’s hard to find workers who understand both the machines and the software, and that slows down projects.”
Many companies, he adds, are forced to train staff themselves or team up with schools to fill the gap, “because the tech is moving faster than the skills market.”
For young people considering the field, Zhao offers advice: “Stay curious and build both practical and digital skills because robotics is about coding and mechanics. It’s where the two meet.”
“Getting hands-on experience, even through small projects or internships, can really make a big difference. And please don’t be afraid to keep learning, because the field moves super quickly and new skills are always in demand.”
Gray argues that for younger workers, who are used to intuitive interfaces and digital platforms, robotics can be less daunting: “Before, apprentices would go to college or technical school and that was it,” Gray recalls. “Now, there are endless online resources so people can learn at their own pace. That creates more opportunities.”
He says that for the iPad generation, accustomed to fast-evolving apps and platforms, such adaptability may come more naturally.
The future of robotics
Spencer Huang, product lead for robotics at NVIDIA, suggested in a report named Future of robotics 2035, that robotics is on the cusp of becoming far more accessible: “In 2035, you can walk into a store or log into a platform and buy a robot that fits your specific environment,” he predicts.
“Whether it’s a nimble assistant for a hospital corridor or a compact unit for your home, the hardware is no longer the barrier.”
If robots are easier to acquire and configure, the challenge shifts to training people to operate, adapt and maintain them. Juliet Aiken, an organisational psychologist, speaking in the same report, believes this could transform the labour market.
“Done right, I could see a future where automation helps to rebuild the middle class,” she says. “Expensive college degrees have been replaced by technician pathways, which you can step into straight out of high school and grow in, rather than going broke for a diploma that doesn’t teach you practical skills.”
“By embracing apprenticeships, rethinking job design, and investing in training, we create jobs that are truly tenable.”
