There is a lot of discussion about the issue of American jobs being taken away by overseas manufacturers and the increased use of robotic automation. In many other countries, the use of robots has increased with the increase in fair wages. Among these discussions and trends, recent research shows that, in fact, industrial robotics does have a positive impact on employment and the economy.

How can this be? If robots are replacing jobs, how can they create jobs and benefit the surrounding economy? As we study manufacturing jobs in the US and abroad, we can see that productivity increases through automation and robotic systems have a direct and indirect impact on the number of jobs.

Create new jobs

Between 2008 and 2011, due to the development of the robotics industry, an estimated 500,000 to 750,000 new jobs were created, which was attributed to the increase in productivity of manufacturing companies. While robotic solutions have previously replaced many workers, increased efficiency has also increased productivity. Historically, this improved production has led to price declines and increased demand for more circulating products. As more and more people work together to provide products to consumers, new market segments have emerged.

As these automated systems continue to provide value to the manufacturing industry, the demand for more, newer and better systems continues to grow. This in turn increases the demand for qualified personnel in the robotics industry. At the same time, these manufacturing companies require people to manage, maintain and program new material handling robots, conveyor systems and other automation solutions.

It is estimated that the robotics industry itself has created approximately 170,000 jobs worldwide. The number of operators and technicians who use and deploy these robots has increased by tens of thousands, and these figures do not include work created indirectly due to increased productivity.

Potential future impact on different industries

The affordability and potential benefits of modern robotic systems make them an effective choice, whether in industries that have experienced sudden growth or in markets where they were previously not needed.