Job Security

“Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.” ? Benjamin Franklin

Burnt iron has a very distinct smell. In a foundry, the burnt iron leaves black dirt so thick it has to be shoveled.

Albert Schmidt was a foundryman. Even though he was a manager, he spent much of his career working long hours in black dirt with 2000+-degree liquid metal. Dad was the best at what he did.

Once, we were on our annual cross-country trip from Detroit to Saskatchewan in our 1971 Ford Galaxy. Dad had a “waste” problem at the foundry; he was determined to solve it. He hired a young man who had just started a career in speaking to help train his staff. Dad wanted to change the culture of his plant from one of “it can’t be done,” to one of “let’s find a way.” During the long trip, dad listened to tapes from this young speaker... over and over. The man had a funny accent and told funny stories.

At that young age, I had no concept of what dad was doing. Today, though, I see that dad had a learning mindset. Harvard Research suggests that only 10% of people have a learning mindset. A person with a learning mindset is defined as one who will seek out new knowledge and learning on his/her own. Sadly, 90% of people today will not seek out new knowledge unless it's a requirement of their job.

If you have any doubts that a learning mindset is necessary to stay competitive, a quick fact check should clear that up. According to CareerAddict 2021 research, here are five jobs that won’t exist 10 years from now:

1. Travel agent

2. Cashier

3. Fast-food cook

4. Mail carrier

5. Bank teller

Additionally, Forbes magazine reminds us that these jobs didn’t exist 10 years ago:

1. Social media/online manager

2. Elder care services coordinator

3. Sustainability manager

4. Educational/admissions consultant

5. Search engine optimization specialist

6. Medical billing/coder

7. User experience manager

Obsolete is an ugly word. Webster says: Obsolescence is the state of being which occurs when an object, service or practice is no longer wanted, even though it may still be in good working order.

Will you let your skills become obsolete? Or will you adopt a learning mindset and invest in your future?

Here are four things you can do to invest in your career:

1. Read books.

2. Subscribe to Ted Talks on YouTube.

3. Attend seminars or webinars.

4. Take a class.

What you do is not nearly as important as your commitment to always be learning.

I’ve always wanted to know more, to dig deeper. My professional career is focused on the mission of thinking big and making big things happen. I can trace those beliefs back to that long car ride when my dad introduced me to his new friend, Zig Ziglar. (Yes, the young man I mentioned earlier in this story.) Dad credits Zig Ziglar and his training for helping him improve the plants’ operation — reducing waste by 87%. The investment in learning is cheap compared to the cost of ignorance.

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development. You can reach him at Jeff.Schmidt@RAB.com. You can also connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn.